New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-14
MODERN GIRL"
UNCONVENTIONAL
Osthet Old Style Play
which Seems Scarcely
ptO Date
uuIus STEGER PLAYS
THE LEADING ROLE
a., There Is Nothing in the Play
which Hasn't Been Done
Many Times Before
rue CAST
Nv ACTON DAVIES.

hlN % ........ Charles Allison
rhomas '.'''''''.'' frederick Malcolm
Bv ACTON DAVIES.
~ were such a pompous set of
- those New York Van Nordens,
msse M most Of the cast Of "The
-, Girl" the new comedy, at the
c'-.av whose authors were an
..,eea as Marion Fairfax and Ruth
= MITCHELL. Years ago when we used
meet these self-same more or less
,.;ctsd Knickcrbockers on the stage
NV nsed TO re either Stuyvesants or
n. puvsters. But, after all. what is
name even in the City Directory?
tv,ctlv why it is that the best blooded
most historic New York families
I.,l3 nroye so UNNECESSARILY bore
..ns when they are placed upon the
800 has never yet been explained.
s,rsbow or other these dramatists
,,y.r can let their poor beings talk
,,s act like ordinary humans. Take
,A;s Van Norden family, for instance.
,most the entire first act was monopo-
s,ed BY good family jar. And yet,
"a YOU imagine there was one moment
re, snv member Of the Van Norden
fsmily talked in less than words OF
bysr syllables? Not bit of *.
Tbsv were not only cruel. they were
-,sndiloouent TO each other.
In real life if there is one particu-
,r time when humans get down TO
,..es sni words of one syllable at the
ENG time il IS in the course Of fam
IN row. But II you could have heaid
bs crsndio,c phrases which escaped
rom the lips Of the Van NordenS 80
ibe course OF their extremely upper
West Side alterations!
Emily. the married sister. who had
eeen living on the family farm Tor
lorr time. came to town and started 70
.d everybody 10 rights. Emily, by the
vsy, was one Of those dear stage
creatures VINO love the sound OF their
avn voices. and Miss Alice John,
REo played this role. seemed 70
,ather encourage Emily in this bad
s9bit Of hers Nocally Miss John IS
. -ost punctilious; she always dots
an her Is and crosses every blessed l
with an unc,ion which shows that she
thoroughly enjoys the pastime. Last
pight Emily had so much to say IN
lsproof Of her family and consequently
isd 50 many rs and Is to attend TO
hat before She 20. thoroughly through
WITH bullyrarging all the family the
audience felt just a little bit tired
But after all they would readily have
orgiyen Emily everything If she had
snly proved 10 te real thoroughgolng
der sister later on when the one stu
,don in the piece occurred. But TINS
ras what fsulify :. al she q real,
5ulon-pure Van NeFden, tool Beatrice,
asf Younger sister. The Modern Girl
ybo brought the play its title, was JUS
wee Bit Eighty. Nothing actually
uroag. YOU know; her skirts werG,
.lssbed bit on the side, she smoked
.igsrettes aud she tangoed bit, and
slso-this was really her greatest IN
discretion She had hirted when riding
IN the park with a certain rlch wall
Street man who well, to put 1t as they
nut IL in the play-was not OF MISS
Van Norden's race or religion.
So after putting her foot in II By
kissing her hand 70 the Wall Street
Nemesis out the drawing room win
dow. Beatrice heaped further ignomlny
upon herself by going 70 Mr.. Harry
Hamilsohus rooms just for moment
70 show him the fancy dress in whlca
she was going 10 the Darlington ball
IN exenuation for Beatrice it must be
aid that there was d certain amount
Of philanthropy in this rash action OF
hers. As She was very careful TO eN-
plain 70 him as soon as they met there
, vas no possible way, In spite Of all his
great riches. by which he could have
either cajolcd or threatened an INVITA-
lion for himself out Of the DSrllngtons'
They were that exclusive that poor
Harry Hamilsohn could not have even
touched the Welcome" on their door
nat with even a teH-fOOt pole. Thus,
realizing how far apart their stations
~, Beatrice took pity on poor harry
Hamilsohn and came to his apartment
70 let him sec her fancy dress gown.
That was her sole indIscretlon. IN
fortunately. her doddeTing old uncle,
Matthew JudsOn. saw her entering the
Guiding, and although II was a large
apsrtment, he, old and rheumatic as
he was, instantly jumped 70 the CON
eusioh that she was IN the notorious
brokers' rooms. SO he hurried home
and told Emily. And then what do YOU
suppose Emily did?
Il was at this point that we washed
CUR hands of tho entire Van Nordens.
Emily, without indulging IN the elder
sisters usual prerogative Of hauling a
Younger one over the Goals. rushed
Straight to her father and told him AL
before she rad stopped to find out
whether IL was true or not. OF course
NE situation was very awkward loL
Af Van Norden because he had luat
borrowed a great deal OF money from
pr Harry Handsome; but when the
broker came up to the scratch and i'm
pored to be allowed TO marry Beatrice
Everything came out all right in the
ong run. But we could not forgive
L'der Sister Emily for neglecting 10
gaI Beatrice through the Third Degree.
The whole play sounded and acted
more like an adaptation than an Amer
Ssn play. The same was true of its
dialogue which was exceedingly pc
daRte.
The east did excellent work. Mr..
SNger as we said before, had express
ion and reserve. Lee Baker played
we Hebrew lover with dignity and
.Sunetion. Miss Grace Bcals was
EXCELLENT as the invalid mother, and
SSgSard Nicander, as the slangy young
an Norden, made a number Of COM
coy points.
MIS- Violet Heming, as the
Jerome, looked exceedingly pretty,
s acted with so much artifcialty
~; I role which played in a natural
sIiiSh manner would have been ef-
,yys'Nr lost great deal Of its charm.
~ ~ eIeger, as d matter Of fact gave
s ss most consistent performance in the
'VnNSON IN "EXPERIENCE" CAST.