The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-25
WILDE TO AID OF
SHAKESPEARE AGAIN
Miss Anglin Revives Irish
%Dramatist's "a Woman Of
No Importance"
HOLBROOK BLlNN IN CAST

Once again has Oscar wilde come to
the assistance Of william Shakespeare.
And under exactly the same conditions
which marked the revival Of another play
BY the Irish dramatist at the Hudson
Theatre. when Miss Anslin played
shakespeare there three yeas ago with
tNusiasm. unless II were in her proauc-
ton OF THE Tamipg Of the shrew."
there were three or four lean weeks be-
fore the actress hit on the idea Of show
lne the present generation OF theatre.
eoers what sort Of play Lady Winde.
Were's FAN" was. That delightful repre-
s~entation kept Mis- Anslin's season long
favor.
Last night at the Fulton Theatre Miss
Anglin again appeared in an old play
by Oscar Wilde. The S~hakespearian
overture to this revival was acted no,
here but in Chicago. After the aban.
donment Of the elaborate revival OF
Romeo and Juliet" At the Auditorium
Miss Anslin played some Of her Shake.
s~pearian repertoire. But "a that Wa
not for New York. Miss Anglin selected
"A Woman Of No Importance" as a suit.
s,itute. She engaged Holbrook Blinn to
act Q role which had In h past been IN
the hands OF such actors as Maurice
Barrymore and Charles Coghlan and in
vited the New York public into the
Fulton Theatre to see the result.
Original Cast Was Distiactive.
Probably there were not many in the
ittie playhouse last night who remem-
bered the actors Of the play when II was
AZ the Fifth Avenue Theatre for the nrst
time in this country. Apart from the
few stock actresses who have acted the
caet Mice Anulin has hoAn UrArAdAA nplv,
BY Rose Coghlan. Miss Coehlan as
sembled some ine actors about her.
After two weeks OF Lord Iiin0srorfh
Maurice Barrymore surrendered the
par; TO Charles Coghlan. and Aubrey
Boucicault was added to a cast which
already included Thomas Whiffen. Ada
Dyas. Ehie Shannon and other celebrities
Of that day.
"A Woman Of 30 Importance aims
n be more or less emotional and lacks
the hard glitter Of Lady Windemere's
Fam" which IL next to THE Importance
Of Being Earnest" the finest specimen of
artificial comedy In the Wilde theatre.
When Rose Coshlan and her distin.
Gushed associates FIRST acted the play
It's run Of popularity at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre did not continue more than I'VE
weeks. Miss Coghlan continued TO
present the play In other cities and In
the outlying theatres. But Its hold on
The public in this country was never "a
strong as II proved In both Germany
and Austria when the Wilde plays irst
became known there.
II the eplgrams. which are OF course OF
more Importance to the author thar any
other part Of the play. seemed more
forced at times in "A Woman Of No
Importance than they do In Lady
windemere's Fan" II may he due to
the effort Of the author to lmpart greater
emotional force to the story Of the un-
happy mother who had welt In such
obscurity until her son came to the at
tentiOn Of the father. who had so long
neglected both Of them.
There il less attempt at an imitation
lie in Lady Windemere's Fan" and
none at all in "The Importance OF Being
Earnest which Yes wholly within the
realm OF imagination. Then Lady
windemere's Fan IL the richest store of
brilliant paradox Of all the plays that
Wilde wrote. Did he not even plumber
The Portrait OF Dorian Gray to enrich
IL dialogue?
Blisa In Part Of star.
The presentation by Miss Anglin last
evening brought out several interesting
points to the present generation Of thea
TRIGGERS. 1t also brought her back to
he New York stage otter an absence Of
q season n a half since she appeared
In "Beverly's Balance" At the Lyceum
Theatre. n II served to reintroduce
Holbrook Blinn. who essayed the role
taken in the past by . long list Of
INDUSTRIOUS predecessors.
As the programme read. Miss Anglin
In conjunction with the estate Of Henry
B. Harris. presents Holbrook Blinn. &C.,"
30 Mr.. Blinn was supposed to be the real
star Of the occasion. The supporting
company was not particularly dlstin-
su!shed. though possessing sufficient merit
10 make possible a wholly interesting
production Of the play. There were Lionel
Pape. Ivan T. Simpson. George lie
Guere. Fanny Addison Pitt. Marguerite
IT, John, Alice Lindahl. Annie Hughes
and Ottola Nesmith, to mention but .
few.
Since IL Ia the generally accepted the
DRY that the plays of Wilde are the
apotheosis Of a~rtihciality In the drama
the present one OF course proved no ex-
oeption TO the rule. Az a conversational
vehicle. however. It has been rarely
sQualled.
Its bright and scintillatlng lines could ,
veil make Bernard Shaw envious. All
OF this was brought out delightfully."- by
Mr.. Blinn in his finished and capable
portrayal of Lord IIlin0porth. Were II
not for a brief though strong moment
or two between Mrs. Arbuthnot and her
FORMER sutton and her son the play could
be considered altogether a play Of rom
Nersation, To Miss Angiin fell the task
OF putting what modern playwrights
would call 1.-The 1unch" In the play. She
did II with all Che consummate skill OF
inc stage with which she has been en-
lowed.
"A Woman Of No Importance" there
Iore furnished an evening full Of pure
enjoyment and amusement. With two
'ucl competent opponents OF the drama
a. Miss .Anglin and Mr.. Bllnn to as
sumo the burden Of Its presentation there
= an unexcelled opportunity to wit
ness a play of real merit put on In a
thoroughly conscientious manner.
Xfr HAvuAu MAvro A nrvyAY