Revivals

The Rivals. Playwright Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (1751-1816) fought two duels for the privilege of marrying a girl who had been painted by Gainsborough. Also, he wrote at least two dramatic classics (The Rivals, The School for

Scandal), made five-hour speeches in Parliament, bet foolishly on innumerable horses, was buried with high ritual in Westminster Abbey. He was a breath-taking swell; far sweller than the lacy-sleeved heroes of his dramas. Even Captain Jack Absolute of The Rivals pales by comparison with his dashing creator. Captain Jack, as everyone well-versed in English drama knows, conducts his courtship of Miss Lydia Languish under an assumed name, because she is so rich herself that she fancies a penurious lover. Lydia is in care of the imposing, loquacious Mrs. Malaprop, who moves with the majesty of a beribboned frigate and boggles the English tongue in a way which has become literary legend. Transfixed with astonishment, she cries: "I am putrified!" Then there is Bob Acres, a rustic rival for Lydia's hand whose gentlemanly pretensions nearly involve him in a duel with

Captain Jack; and the impeccable Faulkland whose troubled wooing of Julia Melville reaches the happiest matrimonial culminations.

These historic characters are now impersonated by a notable cast. As Mrs. Malaprop, Mrs. Fiske has a role worthy of her farcial talents, and James T. Powers can exercise all his vocal tricks in the delineation of comical Bob Acres. Among the others: Rollo Peters; Pedro de Cordoba; Margery, daughter of Cyril Maude; Georgette, daughter of George M. Cohan. It is a pleasant diversion, recalling a time when the stage was consecrated to mannerly gaiety, ending in a few blithe measures neatly danced by the entire cast beneath the arching trees of King's Mead Fields.

Volpone. Ben Jonson's acrid comedy of the Levantine who pretended illness in order to extract gifts from those who wished to be remembered in his will, has been a staple of the Theatre Guild both in Manhattan and on the road. The Guild now brings it back to Manhattan, excellently played by a cast including Earle Larimore as the servant Mosca who outfoxed his bedridden master.

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