The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-11

Their musical comedy destiny ole
waited Miss Julia Sandcrson and Donald
BRIAN TO grand ducal rank las, night
as they compicincnted eacn others
youthful charm aud grace in "Syhil.'
n very agreeable composite Of sweet
singing. agile dancing. bright funniug
and smart costuinirS which Charles
Frohmsn, Inc. presented AT the Liberty
Theatre.
one might have wished perhaps that
Joseph Cawthoru, tho third luminary in
this triply starred entertainment. could
have received. while such patents ~ no.
hility were being distributed ny Harry
Graham. and ~ u Smith, "Sy bil's''
librettists, tho title az coun, or baron
ut least. fitting him for his post OF major
dotno ia tho Sauderson-B Brian castle of
Joyful youth. Hut probably such honors
would have rested clumsily upon Nj.
~Cawthorn's shoulders and have chilled
the powers Of amusement that are 80
relished by his innunerabis admirers.
II was better that he should have been
left a. tho good natured blunderer,
hopcl"ssly plche!an. necessarily tntrud-
ing among the affairs OF tine great.
Perhaps there are occasions when tho
commentator upon theatrical entertain
ment finds himself IN a sor, of uuandary
when. In striving 10 he honestly fair lie
seeks 10 separate the good from the bad
the clever from the stupid. No problem
Of that nature would be likely to occur
to the reviewer of "Sybil." Putting the
thing ~square!y tho piece Is altogether de-
.lightful. without flaw that need concern
any except the hypercrtlcai. Its fun Is
usually irresistible. Victor Jacobs
music Il tuneful and fingers in ones
mind.
"Sybil" Is IN adaptation from the
original by Man Brody and Frank
Martos. No better environment could
have been selected to present the talents
OF the three stars, Miss Sanderson. Mr..
Brian and Mr.. Cawthorn would. quite
probably. be able to buoy a very mediocre
entertainment upon the uncertain seas Of
public favor, but there is nothing
mediocre about their latest venture.
Miss Sanderson as Syba RCndlnI. al
opera singer. Is in the Russian city o,
Bomsk with her impresario. Otto
Spreckles tMr Cawthorn) and his wife,
Mdrgot. a part played 10y Maisie Gay
an importation from h once happy
land that sent Connie Ediss To US, For
love of SybU II young captain IN the
Russian army deserts his duty. Ares,
and Siberia loom for him and he is tx,
tricated from trouble only by Subir,
impldent assumption of the title of the
Grand Duchess anna PopIOrno, the
wife of the Grand Duke Constantine.
When h Grand Duke happens
presently upon the scene of hts PERSONA
tton and becomes infatuated with the
beauty of the girl who is taking his
wife's rank the necessary tangled com
lplications ensue and become all the more
tangled when the Grand Duchess ap-
pears and momentar!ly extends her
favor to Sybil's distressed young captain,
The Grand Duchess as played by Joseph
Inc WNittell deserves a special line OF
commentator, as small as her oppor.
Itunity was. Others who earned the favor
of Il first night audience were Georg,
Il. Mack as the GOrOrnOr of Bomsk
stewart Baird as Cant. Paul PetrOu
Maisie Gay as MdrgOt and Cissy Sewell
who danced Very charmingly indeed witt
Mr., Brian.
or the songs which tinkled most agree
ably In the ear In this ~sprightly pla,
of three acts perhaps 1.-THE Colonel OF
,he 'i'''soh iiussars' az sung ny Mis-!
Sanderson n chorus the duet, elf
Your Eyes to Nine" sung by Mis-.
Sanderson and Mr.. Brian. and 81 car
Dance With Everybody But My Wife,
sung by Mr.. Cawthorn, pleased most,
Altogether "Sybil' thoroughly JUST
fed its boldness In appearing uporr the
street now 40 dotted with successes
"Sybil' IL = lady extremely worti
knowing.