The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-17
NEW IRISH COMEDY
At FULTON THEATRE
.The Melody Of Youth" a Sen.
timental and Ingenious
Fiction in Three Acts.
AUTHOR IN STAR ROLE
THE Melody Of Youth"-At
Theatre.

Ms. Elisabeth Hiiperty .F1orine Arnold
Pastor knox......... George Giddens
Anthony Reresford. 80. brandon lyman
Hind Man........ .James O'Neill
rske o'Hara brought an irish play
N town on Monday and last night
brandon lyman enriched the local sup
ny Of drama by the same sort Of an
addition. sir. lyman not only wrote
his play, but he acted mo principal role
a, the Fulton Theatre. whereas Mr..
oHara. who also sang at intervals dur
ing the progress OF Kilkenny" received
his drama from the late Augustus Pitou.
Sno was skilled in turning out pieces of
this kind.
Mr.. lyman had deleted some Of the IA
miliar elements of the Irish play. which
followed the school of Boucicault. There
we're no real estate disaxrements to in
c,rncc the course Of the play. The rights
o, landlord and tenant were ignored as
completely az II the play had been the
work of Lady Gregory or one Of her
trained dramatists.
As th- outward and visible signs Of
Mr.. Tynan's Irish play differed from
mos. Of It's predecessors 30 did tn con
tent. Those who prefer the stage Ire
land Of Dion Boucicault to that of the
ApnfN lNttlie IdiiihNiStS WOulu III
nave been altogether disappointed. Mr..
ry.an did not attempt to invade tho
6eld Of Synge. even II he did depart from
that Of Mr.. Ptou. He followed dis
cect.y In the trail OF Boucicault. None
but a great playwright could approach
that genius Of the theatre. The advent
O, another equally gifted writer on the
scene would do more to restore the Irish
drama than all the attempts since his
line whatever their source may have
hem.
story Of the Play.
Mr.. lyman may not be a Boucicault
by a .onc way. hut he Is not contemptu-
Gus OF the theatre. as 90 many Of the
more modern writer's IN He knows
hov TO select ingredients that the pub
he will Ike. at lcas. has liked. He Is
4 young ~seminarian in the first act
= "The Melody of Youth" and has been
called away from his studies on account
o., the death Of his father. This father
l.h a ward as young as his son. She
e. moreover. this sons inheritance. She
IL described az a wild colleen" Her
rlardia an must tame her. Such a trial
Is she 10 the simple folk with whom she
makes her home that IL Is decided after
a conference that she must be seQues-
tired far from the rerils and tempta.
lions % the city.
Ac; one passed in the living room of
her nome in Dublin In the mex act she
g already in the country living With an
10 chaperon n her guardian. who Is
determined To make her what q dutiful
ward should be. or course they fall in
loS. or course they marry. UGH IL
The coui 50 of tho melody Of youth when
N plays young persons start out with
orpo,in views and are kept in one an
others society long enough. OF course
Playwright may keep them together
as long as he wants. II took Mr.. lyman
'hrre acts.
Mr. lyman has remembered we'll
vaai axe the potent elements of Irish
I gonely of the post-Bouc.cault period
and here are few Of them that have
escaped The Melody of Youth" His
memory. indeed. has not failed him. even
when : came TO the familiar Irish wit
'ciSrs many Of them aroused the same
I'D aughter. Mr.. lyman. TO he sure,
ID 30, sing. But LILY Cahill. the lovely
Irsh heroine. did. and he followed her
l7uc'y THIS was art,r he nae climbed
into the apple .ree-in full blossom. since
T. WAS surirg-but before he had as
s4nei q lovely suit of mauve satin in
pace ~ t1e customary black of which
Tie h,ro.rs rad grown weary.
Al" go ".omeat of novelty In the pro-
-ed,rs arose from the comparative in
{ righteousness ~ the dog usually SO
mach Wo'' important in such plays.
It, id 100, stretch himself OF the grass
reside tlI- hero nor did he cling lovingly
SEQ toe heroine. As a matter of fact. he
VI as sued TO the humble support o.
/, a Bind beggar. Then he was smaller
.H- a.st.T d.. 49, 81
Irish drama were maintained. He was
here.
Tn" Acting Of the Play.
Nj lyman of course designed THE
Melody Of Youth for ule young, and
sn% this is the ace OF youth there
may h~ many audiences TO enjoy IL. II
'n-y dr" young enough 1t may be Ger.
tain that a pleasant time will b. had
~ all. l. is hazardous TO fix any age
unit. i should not. however. be toe
heh, II * not risky 10 prophesy that
the age IF consent go far rs last night
drd ence was concerned must be yer,
'eh bcforc they would ever agree to g.
PACK 20 the Fulton Theatre again. But
'tey werr not all young to begin with
Al III" S~,ntimentality last night wai
lo' on ~" other side OF the footlights
N" audience was quite as much In tbs
'n'"t 81 tHc play as the actors. Jane.
pNeNl played a blind beggar as "A dis
nhction 70 his friend. Mr.. lyman. HI
vas the centre Of the most enthusiastic
app!allSe from an audience which haC
certainly rarely laid eyes on him before
ana VA a a whole ignorant OF his name
'f ha reputation. But Mr.. lyman
'"a about mis- notable career in hi
S*erh after the second act, 70 no mis-