New-York tribune., 1913-11-04

MOntdRu Love
Major Christopher Bingham Cyril Maude
Edward Combermere
Lieutenant Peter Barker............:J Jack Hobbs
Mcdcnham .........................JO fia1"ood
Hartopp p....................... i. Young
Sergeant DaIiu @ @naIla.i
Corporal al.......................St STANLEY H. hroone
MIR Fenwick ick......................Hun Hunter Nesbitt
The Hon. Hildebrand Carstairs. Arthur Curtis
The Duke Of Hull...........:::....,. James Dale %
Lady Harburgh h..............Mls Lena hallluay
Norah Vining. g.................Mi Miss Mary Merrall
Muriel Mannering .......... Miss Margery Maude
Mr. Cyril Maude, who occupies a posi-
ton on the British stage somewhat
similar to that held by Mr.. John Drew
on our own, began his first American tour
last evening at Wallack's Theatre In
revival of Captain Robert Marshalrs play
of English army life. THE Second In
Command" The actor-managers daugh-
ter. Miss Margery Maude, played the part
of Muriel Mannering to her fathers Major
Christopher Bingham. lie was further as
sisted by the company from his London
theatre, and all concerned were warmly
received by an audience which included
many OF the actors fellow players and
friends.
While this is Mr.. Maude's first visit to
America as an actor-manager. IT Is not
his first visit TO this country. 1t was here,
indeed. as II happened. that his stage
experience began. In 1888, after brief
trial OF ranching in Canada. the young
Englishman, then just twenty-one, cam"
down to New York, got an engagement III
the late Daniel Bandmann's company ana
made his first appearance as a servant IN
the narrowing old play East Lynne
He spent the better part Of year IN
America. in this and another company.
playing all sorts Of small parts and three
or four Of them n night sometimes. ana
then returned To England and Joined
company playing the provinces"
His first real success in London was as
the Duke OF Courtland I'm Racing" in
1897. and with that began a career which
now finds Mr. Maude with his own Lon
don theatre, the Playhouse, and sped on
his way by royalty itself as he starts
for foreign shores. In the intervening
years ne has played scores OF parts. In
Guiding Calcy Drummle in The Second
Mrs. Tanqueray." The Little Minis
ter" Eccles In Caste" Captain Barley
IN Beauty and the Barge" many light
roles OF the kind Mr.. Drew might play
here. and also parts In the old English
comedies. including Mr. Hardcastle and
Sir Peter Teazle. Mr.. Maude has even
been applauded as a Down East Yankee
In James a. Herne's Shore Acres,
which must have been test Of his YER
satiity indeed.
Must have been. one would surmise. for
i'm his natural shape and temperament
Mr. Maude is essentially British, and sat
shes H. rather an unusual way the Brit
ish yearning that an artist shall also bee
sportsman. Born and bred a gentle
man" and destined originally for the
army. in which his father had served be
fore him, Mr. Maude looks more the
keen light-hearted. out-of- doors man than
the speculative artist or man OF thought.
Clean cut. boyish in manner. he might,
without his makeup. readily pass for
thirty-hve rather than the hfty-two he Is
said 10 be-might be visiting polo player
as well as a visiting actor, whose ruddy,
handsome. well made face is as little
clouded AS most OF the plays have been
by any OF the doubts or searchings OF
time.
For such a player Captain Marshalls
sentimental old comedy ton a stage
changing as rapidly as has the English
speaking stage in the past decade play
more than ten years old is likely to seem
old indeed seemed particularly appropri-
ate II liz sentiment and pathos-that OF
q IA. Lah Innar al who was
always "peggin away but never hit the
bell" who lost his girl but won the Vic
toria Cross who blundered and muddled
his way along very much as his army
did I'm South Africa, yet kept gentleman,
"fearfully good sort" and played the
game'-all this is peculiarly British and
thoroughly suited TO Mr.. Maudes method
and personality. An uncle OF Mr.. Maude' 8
himself won "A Victoria Cross. il anything
further were needed TO show his fitness
for the part.
The play is familiar here. Mr.. Drew
has played It, and IL has even been given
I'm amateur theatricals and among the last
nights more Interested spectators was
Mr.. Evert j. Wendell. wNo undertook
the same role Mr.. Maude played with the
Comedy Club "A year or two ago. IL Is not
a role that makes any tremendous tax on
an artists powers-cleverness In accent,
I'm the assumption Of certain awkward
ness characteristic OF one just beginning
10 feel his middle age-and good food
and wine-and the light hand OF the CO.
medan who can touch the pathetic note
without standing on II with both feet and
stamping on it-this is what is needed.
and il is precisely what Mr.. Maude
brought to it in a very natural and nm
ish.d way. He had the grace not TO come
ont of his muddling old middle-aged
majors character in order to make noisy
noints as an actor-never forgot, as less
sLiIfuI comedian would have found II
easv TO forget that even when Major
Kit was hardest hit he would never
have sobbed or beloved. or forgot in his
particular British army officers way 10
"pIav the game" In short, he revealed
himself as very clever and delightful
light comedian. Miss Margery Maude
90 tho Young woman whom poor Major
Lt,t Ioves and loses, appeared slender
an,a.t and wistful young English girl
Intelligent, tactful and wen traiheu'
though not with powers that wouid nave
particularly impressed her audience per-
hans had she come to them unannounced
NJ Montapu Love. fine guardsmanlike
spure OF a man, made an excellent 'oio-
mel Anstruther, and the rest vi tne 'o'"
many were acceptable, although MISS Lena
Halliday. by a somewhat TOO obvious
playing OF Lady Harburgh' Hisseu iiiu'"