New-York tribune., 1912-02-27
THE DRAMA
Mrs. Fiske in "Lady Patricia at
the Empire Theatre.

At The New Theatre. where II was sadiy
,niscast with Mr.. Matheson Lang as Don
9, the play of that name. Mr. Lang is a
GOOD actor, but at The New Theatre they
4ia not appear to understand how 10 place
hin, And so II NAV be said that New
YORK did not see Besie-'s Don" Whether
or not II now sees his Lady Patricia IS
= matter on which some differences OF
onin,on NAV become restless, but assurediy
II sees a sparkling and dainty comedy
p,avad with great intelligence, skill and
considerable satisfaction.
The Lady Patricia Is, Of course, Mrs
Fiske In London the Lady Patricia was
Mrs Patrick Campbell Partisans Of these
two actresses may throw their hats in the
ring and challenge each other az much as
thew like to triumphant comparisons. There
is opportunity a-penty. and rivers of lux
will flow upon II, no doubt.
The Lady Patricia herself, according to
Mr.. Rudolf Besier's stage direction, is
about thirty-hve, languid, elegant, exotic,
romantic and sentimental" Also, she is
exuuisitely gowned. With equal tTemors
she adores Browning and the decadent
poets devotion not 80 difficult as It may
seem. The Lady Patricia bathessin sentl-
mentality. For husband she has Michael
Cosway, a person Of serious demeanor and
some three years older than herself These
two are ever assuring one another Of their
heavenly raptures and eternal devotion.
And each believes, or imagnes the belief,
that the slightest straying from fidelity on
the part Of enc would crush the life of the
other. But Patricia, "unbeknownst" TO her
lord. is fondly fisting with William oFar-
ell, an. Englshman with an Irish name.
who is nine or ten years her junior: and
William, usually called Bill, imagines him
self heels over head in love with her.
Michael at the same time is pursuing the
Deans daughter, Clare Lesley, pretty,
very pretty, girl of twenty, who is en-
chanted with his mature affection. Michael,
you are prepared 10 hear, is mot under
stood" by Patricia: and Patricia's deep,
white soul has never been touched by the
grass Michael These fond and not hitherto
unheard of narratives you hear told by
Patricia TO Bill, and by Michael to Clare.
Bill doesn't quite understand but thinks
1t ripping; Clare. with the directness of
youth. demands of Michael: "Tf you don't
love Patricia, why do you pretend to?"
"Drty," says Michael. DUTY" says
4 hlJlVlS- Auu lutN EO AllSI ways S"Coi-
ing devotion by all their gods when they
are together and flirting dangerously when
apart
But William and Glare come 70 know
one another; no sooner know one another
than they love: no sooner love than they
declare a heaven ceaving passion, and all
the while serious Michael and sentimental
Patricia are unaware OF the desertion Of
their respective lovers, until the Dean dis
covers a part OF the case. which he mis-
construes, and Bills mother another part
Of the case, over which she blunders with
good nature. Between the Dean and Mrs.
O'Farrell the tangle becomes untangled.
tho young lovers are encouraged, Patricia
and Michael reveal in unexpected ways
their States of mind, TO the astonish ment Of
each. and arrive at understanding" and
forgiveness When you bid them adieu. (
Michael despite his understanding. is
little puzzled. and Lady Patricia is finding
in contrition as much romance as ever
she did in her dreams Of "corSing," rip
ping William.
Michael" she says, under the great
rose window in the south transept our pew
IS now full of purple and amber lights, and
shafts Of chrysoprase. Shall We not sit
there again together"
Il don't see what else there is to do"
saws Michael "Pstrfcia"
Michael! Repentance is very ex-
quisite. and how beautiful IS forgiveness.
Come"
YOU can guess whether or not there is
any real change in either of them. And
whatever you guess is. probably, the an
swer.
A delicious comedy. which depends for
its effect as much upon the way of doing
It as upon what is done. 1t has the fra
ersnce of English gardens and the ease
az English ways; that is TO say, the ease
Of these who live in such gardens as those
OF Michael Cosway's country seat at Nor
man Arches and Of the Deans garden
Under the cathedral walls The "atmos-
phere" OF such play must be felt II there
Is to be success for the comedy on the
American stage. And the atmosphere is
here, IN the Empire. Mrs FIske has taken
good care of that
Nobody IL asked nor expected 10 weep. If
you enjoy a pulling at your heartstrings
you must forego that pleasure here. In
stead. you Will md airiness and daintiness
and grace, some satire. but a satire that is |
never SPLITTER enough truth to life to sat |
1sfy you. You come away saying: mo !
doubt these are real folk. and these things |
happened TO them, as they may happen !
again Further than that you need not
take Il seriously. q" Nobody asked you |
sir she said" The romancing is all ON |
he surface Even when Lady Patricia |
clings TO Bill and bids him kiss her again |
and again, she is acting. You see at once |
n is not the cub William she loves, but |
herself and her romance. And that whole !
some cub, Bill. is a Joy. He received a |
telegram from Patricia on his return TO |
England but he couldn't make out the
twiddly bits, about star in red water AMI |
horses with white Names"
That was a quotation from De Musset," |
Patricia explains.
Great Scott! thought 1t was a cipher |
People don't generally quote poetry In their |
kilograms"
I do, says Patricia. And she always |
will
Mrs Fisks's Lady Patricia was applaud |
"a heartily enough was laughed at loudly |
snoughi laughed at rather more loudly, per-
Laps. than Lady Patricia would have been |
sughed at had she been at all moments the |
ady that Rudolf Besier drew. Mrs. Fiske. |
Is may be supposed, is not lacking in ap- 4,
lcecisiion OF the humor of the situation in !
which Patricia a6surdly places herself, but |
She everdid the humor at some points and |
at al points In the last act In fact. she |
idrlesqued herself Now, Besiers play is /
bot burlesque it Is delicate and charm |
ng comedy through which satire plays !
lut plays not unkindly. Mrs Fiske, how |
fNer seems to think that the broadest ex- !
aggeration Of all the mannerisms which |