The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-31

| Tony RICO Chas Coleman
PonneVal Renee Frank Sterling
Felipe ..... companions Chss X Gerard
Gannivard sidney stone
Fanny, Rico's sweetheart Emmy Oswald
THE Iongacre Theatre was last night
the scene of Lou-Tellegen's temperance
On the English speaking stage In this city
after that pleasure had been promised on
various previous occasions during the pres
ent theatre season. But II seemed ditfi-
cult to find the play suited to the orchi-
daceous personality OF this actor. Just
how talented he Is his appearances in the
company of Sarah Brrnhardt and with
Dorothy Donnelly in Maria Rosa" have
nroved such picturesque figures as he
are rare on the stage to-day then 1t is
not easy to decide how such unusual gifts
may well be utilized u Is apparently not
possible now to produce the sort or ro-
mantle melodrama which would he SO well
suited to Mr. Tenegen and to Otis Skin
ner So the best substitute for what these
actors might really do hest is some con-
temporaneous incarnation OF the heroes
OF the past
Last night the Dutch-Greek actor who
was trained in France appeared as
thief. thief OF such aristocracy in his
profession that he has eluded all the
celebrated detectives of France. Kate Jor-
dan wrote the play in which this charac-
Ter appears, just as she had written the
short story On which II was founded she
has prepared situation for her play
which has often provided the most effec-
tive drama in the past In order to rob
a family living I'm chateau at Nantes
OF valuable jewelry the thieving hero
impersonatcs a dead friend OF the owner
~ the chateau. The thief brings there
his wife who. learning his profession,
had left him Immediately after their mar
rage There is a still further tenseness
n the situation when this wife installed
in the house her husband is planning TO
rob, as the companion OF its mistress
discovers IN another member OF the mousse
hold her former lover.
This then is the posture OF circum-
stances when the unfolding OF the story
begins Into this home have come the
thief and his wife. The woman tnds IN
the house the man she loves. who liz tCno-
rant Of the fact that she is the wife OF
the thief II is his threat to expose her
relationship to him that keeps the woman
- prisoner II the hcusc. From such
Knot II rs possible to spin "A play That
might interest any audience These char-
.cters are moreover posed against an
Effectively romantic background The four
acts reveal the sitting room or a thiet IN
Paris tho bedroom in the chateau of the
Young wife and banquet hal! in the
same house
The author OF sacred Strings" has
devised some interesting scenes out of
is nothing in the performance 80 rare
and fine 40 the acting uf Lou-TcllcEen,
which Is not only vastly superior 10 the
medium which reveals II hut is so FAR
above the work of any of his associates
that there is "A constant inConEruity in
~ the scenes he appears in. The milieu
If the now play Is picturesque whether
Il he in the den of the thieves In Paris
or the country house of the family which
is to be robbed. Then the third act,
with it's Christmas dinner in the banquet
han Of the chateau and the guests dressed
~ historical characters. is highly pic
torisl II is in the. first two acts, how
ever. that the playwright has provided
dramatic interest OF the play.
For IL is here that the audience sees
the wife always threatening to reveal 90
his ignorant hosts that the man they have
roe lved as friend is in truth th'er
and that he is there to rob them at any
.ost So long as this struggle between
me two continues--ard II Is maintained
until the end OF the escond act--there Is
the vitalizing element OF suspense. Even
A. the risk of appearing to know some
hing about IL one may record the I'M
preston that so soon as this struggle
eases she life goes out NJ the play The
'hird act finds the wife apparently recon
oiled To- any means her hated husband
may sdopt to put through his plans.
When this enterprisng burglar. as Gill
uert would cali him. notifies her Of his
nan :" orus tne ro"es sne - as ~, nv
81" nHu areauy SPpeu vac
.'"'He n.y. sel'' 80 'hrle M'a II, W,
INNS ''it 10 dpSo,p ''e SP'N'3'''s y.
ny dct, "hlch shouio haHe oeeh we ,.us,
N ereStinE If the rrst three. The thief
.id ne was going to drug the coffee and
- did IT. Then the climax OF the scene
'"e "heh one h'""sH ptIS"" "i'e' '"e
",' was carried OUT OF sls"'.
hI' mere nad peeh an tl' rNtU,rlE Sol'le
N' dahnrdoIe acuhE from Lou lellekei'
~ - real genius " the t"e"tle "'t''I"
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w." "tnu t''at uo''l''s s - ,.,o o,, .e
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,"p"o'e oi Itle range OF etno'ioI' rms
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