New-York tribune., 1912-01-12
rs THE DRAMA
Wilton LaCkaye in "The Right
to Happiness"

Ihere is hardly any room for doubt that
'he most pleasing thing that happened last
night at the Biiou Theatre besides Mr.
iAckaye's quiet. mellow acting was Mr..
Lackaye's speech between the second and
lhlrd acts, in which he described what he
aud his company of players are trying 10
do and against what odds they are fight
ing. He mentioned the public dislike for
his playhouse and the inconvenience of the
district in which it stands. lie realizes
that there are nearly forty theatres in
competition and that the ordinary theatre
Goer needs practically whole season TO
visit each one of them once, without try
ing to keep an eye on the changing bill at
stock theatre.
But we are an earnest company OF play
Crs,' he said, "who are trying TO give YOU
something different from what you can get
elsewhere. Tonight We are offering you
genuine French play. and are trying not
p to localize it out to give it in the French
way. 1t is long way from Danville, Va.
10 Paris We realize that, but we are doing
what We can, barring our national peculi-
alities. 10 represent the French manner
Ne hope We can tempt the home dwelers
down from their Cosey cliffs uptown in
sufficient numbers to encourage us to keep
at this play for long enough time, at
least, to give us an opportunity to rehearse
tho next one properly"
The speech i'm its humor and sincerity
was both attractive and of the kind TO win
, q ready sympathy. But as Mr.. Lackaye
deliberately referred to his venture as
.'StoCk theatre" il may not be Irrelevant
&c put a question. Is this stock company
20 he limited to the kind of plays which
star Mr.. Lackaye? Last nights play
was Of that kind, as was The Stranger"
which preceded it. If that is the plan. this
company can hardly be called a genuine
stock company. for in such an organization
Ru actor may take a leading part in one
play and a footman's part in the next. Yet
In this company of Wilton Lackaye Play
ers, as they are called. there is no one. so
far capable of taking the lead except MIR,
Lackaye himself. Last night he carried
the entire play on his shoulders.
The difficulty Of finding good plays for
leading men is we'll known. Dramatists
neglect them Cruelly-even women play
wrights, who should have some interesting
theories about men that would make good
play material. " Mr.. Lackaye is planning
10 present a succession OF what plays there
are of this kind he has even greater difh-
Culties to face than 4 regular first-class
stock company would have.
The Right 10 Happiness" which under
the title "Chacun Sa Vie" has been in the
repertory Of the Coincide Francaise for
four years. IS not a very interesting or I'M
portant play.
The inevitable American point of view re-
gardng the eternal triangle-this time en-
larged 10 a quadrangle--will no doubt de
eide that the theme of the play can have
no appeal on this side of the water As
matter Of fact II could have very little
appeal on either side.
The situation is an old one and is treated
ip we'll worn and obvious manner. A
butterfly wife who never loved the bour-
geois husband whom she married only for
his money, soon kills his love for her
Both turn 10 others more suitable and af-
fairs are happily settled when the SEN
sihle. tender bourgeois husband persuades
the vife's aristocrstic lover to marry her.
For this Count Jacques dArvant though
willing enough 10 carry on an intrigue
with another mans wife, is unwilling.
through religious sCrupleS, TO marry her II
she becomes q divorced woman.
Wilton Lackave PLAYED the husband with
tenderness. humor and sympathy. but a. no
moment was he bourgeois. His clean cut
polished manner and his fine enunciaton
made him seem hopelessly aristocratic. Tho
erring wife was played consistently by Ade-
lside Keim who has come to the Wilton
Lackaye Players from a Yorkville stock
company. where she has played for three
wears Muriel starr. last seen in New York
in The Man Of Honor with Edmund
Breese. took the part Of the young office as-
fjstant TO whom Francois Desclos iMr.
I.ackaveD turned after his divorce from his
wife.
Nine 7. c. Fay's translation Of the
work Of Gustave Gniche and p. r Ghensi
was the first of her many translatlons to
reach the stage. It was certainly colo
o. ANA 70 the point Of slanginess. which
fttcd in rather III with the foreign tone Of
the play.
It might he Just as well for Mr.. Lack
zvc 10 lose no time in rehesrsing for the
next play
CAST OF "THB RIGHT TO HAPPINESS
lie BesI i>ouI lE%,.a g
Rcusud .'''''' " e''Nt -
NIarccllc "I'd 70
y