The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-05
Photo by White.

1t has been a long time since any
actor so important as +. II. Sothern
has assumed the management OF a New
York playhouse. Last night Mr.. Soth-
ern opened the Booth Theatre. which
Is to be under his control for at least
a year. The New York public Is OF
course fortunate in having one of Its
theatres directed by so eminent an ac-
tor and by a manager who has shown
such high artistic aims. 1t would be
idle to deny that in his recent efforts
as a producer Of the plays of Shake
speare he has shown himself indiffer-
ent to the rogress OF the most modern
thought and methods in tho theatre.
But the play In which he and his COM
any were seen last night turned out
to offer no particularly difficult artis-
tic problems.
THE Two Virtues in which Mr..
Sothern made his first appearance as
an actor manager at the head OF his
own theatre here. has impended for
several seasons. Alfred Sutro wrote
il for George Alexander and Winthrop
Ames bought 1t for this country. but
turned it over with the Booth Theatre
tn Mr.. Sothern. The two virtues Of the
title are chastity and charity. although
it Is the opinion OF one OF the char
acters that My the former is a real
virtue. Mr.. Sutro's play IL OF his ia
miliar pattern. since II deals with Lon
don society. much az The Perplexed
Husband did. and in quite as frothy
and superficial a way. There Is much
greater regard for the wit and cynlcism
OF its lines than for the interest that
is supposed to reside in its fiction.
The thin story deals with the adven-
lures OF q sentimental bachelor who at
the age OF - still retains the glove
and other souvenirs OF the woman who
Tilted him. She even comes herself TO
visit him and pray for his services In
rescuing her husband from n siren In
whom he finds the present inspiration
to his poems, for she Tilted her faith
full knight" as she calls him when she
wants a favor. TO marry a poet. The
bachelor seeks out the woman. de-
scribed az "unmentionablc.'' sends the
philandering husband back TO his
wife and then. to the grief OF his sis
ter and his old flame. takes her into
his home as his own companion.
II is Of curse easy for tho two
women, when they return witt proofs
that she has not only a past hat n
present, to get her temporarily out Of
the house. But their triumph is pre-
nature. When the sister suggests that
hut for their trick he might have mar
ried the lady the idea strikes him 50
forcibly that he does II at once. And
az a matter of fact she had done nOtn-
ing worse than get tired Of her dreary
old earl OF a first husband and run
way with "A lover who deserted her.
MFR. Sutro has not drawn a prepos-
sessing lot OF characters. The hero,
who might have been created by W. j.
Locke. IL the shy and amiable simple
ton which he usually makes his heroes
His sister IL a pattern OF snobbishness,
and the first love If rather n weak per-
son, whom the hero as "a matter or fact
has long ceased to love the most en-
eaging, because she Is the most human
OF the lot. Is the heroine "
The scenes in Mr.. SutroS play "hIch
entertained the audience most were
those between Haidee wright, VINO gave
a delightfully."- ~acidulous portrayal or the
snobbish and interfering sister, ana MT
Southern They were so well acted by
both players that even less promising
material would have been bound To gain
the interest OF any audience. After a
first act. which was played In such dis
tressingIy slow ia ashton and with such
solemni.y by all the actors that the
friendly audience was depressed, the
tempo auickened.
MIR. Sptnern IN DlfflrulAF acteu WIN