New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-01
THE DRAMA
May Robson in "The Three
LiqhtS" at the Bijou.

IL would seem as though New York
needed the constant stimulant of comedy
IN order to keep up its spirits, and In these
Immediately present days not comedy
alone, but farce.
May Robson brought what has come to
be called farce-comedy to Broadway last
night and in the character OF a gay grand
mamma whose heart has never grown old
used all her accustomed skill TO tease
laughs from a self-conscious audience.
THE Three Lights was written by and for
Miss Robson. Charles Darcy had some
thing 10 do with the composing OF the play,
too. In fact, Il is rumored his was the
original manuscript. But when an accom-
plished actress Is collaboration and star OF
a production there is likely to be good
deal OF herself in the play. There is a
good deal OF Miss Robson I'm The Three
Lights. which is a very agreeable happen
ing for the play and the audience. The
little comedy is very unpretentious. 1t is.
in fact, nothing but simple appeal TO
human nature. grandmother who re-
mains blithe and whimsical with youth, In
spite OF having some ifty-fve or sixty
years 10 her credit, has two grandsons,
who take after herself and are bubblng
over with life Her daughter, Mrs. Has
lem, the boys mother, Providence carved
cut Of wood after that pattern Of righteous
ness which was moulded in England some
time during the Commonwealth.
The boys lead a dreary life toeing marks
which are drawn in every direction for
them, going to bed at 1890 o'clock every
night and living the life of the just and
disconnected untIl grandmum comes along
to live in this model household in High
lands-on-theH Hudson. Complications fol-
low. The gay lady of sixty summers and
her two grandsons go to a city cafe, an
escapade which has an unfortunate end
ing, inasmuch as the cafe was not all It
should have been and was raided while
they were there. The MISUNDERSTANDING
caused by the situation furnish the farce
and the comedy both.
But IL is one Of those comedies in which
the story is not the thing. The acting Is
the thing and the intent Of the play. A
gentle character full of tender feeling and
mirth and spirit who comes into an atmos-
phere of rigid gloom, affects the one who
sits and watches it develop as the coming
of spring affects him.
Miss Robson's acting of the old lady
who never was and never will be old, was
a piece Of work of rare charm There were
spots in the play where impossible things
happened, homogeneous to the characters,
but they were done to add 10 the good
humor. so who could complain?
The love affairs OF the two boys, which
had happy endinss-every issue in the play
has happy ending-formed a spirited side
issue, and the slight love scenes were
cleverly worked out by the two boys Jack
Storey and Paul Decker, who played Jack
and Paul respectively and the two girls
Faye Cusick and Lenore Phelps, who
played Betty and Grace. Terry, the gar
dener. was admirably done by John Rowe.
1t is interesting TO comment that Miss
Robson knows more OF the art of facial
makeup than most treaders OF the present
day stage. The smooth perfection and
finish of effect that she attans is worth
taking note of.
1t is hard to be too grateful TO an actress
who has some imagination and A flavor Of
the old time theatre, before the theatre
threatened to become lecture nall or an
experimenting room, as 1t too often seems
TO be at present. Last night was reminis-
cent of the flavor OF old ''rrelawney Of
the Wells" even TO the little speech to
the audience at the end. And ii was all
very gentle and charming.