The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-22
OSCAR wILDE's NEW PLAY.
A Night of Fun at the Union Square Thea
ter-The Author and the Play Merci-
lessly Laughed At.
New York Special.

New York Special.
Funl Well, if ever there was a funny
night in the Union Square Theater
tonight was it. Oscar Wilde's new play was
the attraction, and the opening of a favorite
theater, by the new managers-Shook &Col-
lier-was the occasion. Such a crowd has
rarely been seen there as surrounded it when
first opened. The first thing everybody did
was to buy a fan-price 10 cents.
In many respects, Vera" the new play,
may well be called by the author "a little
thing of his owp." There is but one woman
in the entire cast, and contemporaneous
human interest demands two-a blonde and
a brunette-in an action lasting nearly four
hours. There is not a gleam of Intentional
humor in it. Mr.. Wilde's mission here
tofore has been to make men laugh
and very naturally the great audience ex-
pected some further comic contribution. 1t
came. They had it. But the laugh now was
at the author. Although the people in the
parquette were well-behaved and undemon-
~strative, the folk in the gallery were there
fora purpose. They apparently had an idea
they must applaud vehemently all the time,
especially to shout wilde whenever there
was a chance They did so. AT first it was
annoying, then it became amusing, and,
finally, when it was taken up, egged on, and
encouraged by some old gentleman in the
circle, it took possession of the house, and
rios relgned awhile. 1t was, perhaps, too
much to ask that any audience should be
real good" from half after 7 until a quarter
to II. AT all events, nothing but the regard
in which Miss Prescott and some of her sup
porters were held by the public saved the
play from merciless guying, and the last act
especially, which developed an immense fund
of laughter provocation.
The author was like a iack-in -a-box, now
here, now there, and presently somewhere
else. He popped in and out of the stage door
at least a dozen times, attracting and receiv-
ing desired attention. He was loudly called
for by John Swinton and the rude boys in
the gallery at the close of each act. Once he
responded with a simple bow.
1t is impossible to treat seriously Of the
last act. Like the entire play, it was a series
OF lectures on tyranny, the people and lib
erty. Plenty of money has been expended
in dresses absolutely out of place and time.
Imagine Vara in a red Mother Hubbard and
bare arms, finding access to the Cars pri-
vate chamber at midnight. Imagine an ex-
quisite moonlight effect in a might full of
storms" AT last the audience was bored to
the verge of distraction. The story had
been toid too often. A love passage
between the Gar and Vera was
narrowly saved by good acting. at is our
wed1lng night" SAID he. Then she suns
upon his breast. while the boys said obj
and "Ah!" and the cello in the orchestra
gave forth doleful sounds, No audience
could refrain from laughing. This one GER
tainly did not, and the play proceeded TO the
finish with great embarrassment Long
drawn dramatic rot, a series of disconnected
essays. this, we fear, will be the general YER
dict of a play in which Mr.. Wilde has put
much of himself, to the mounting of which
the management has given time and money,
and to the interpretationSof which several
accomplished artists gave their best efforts on
this sweltering, doleful occasion.