Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-05-09
THE ENGLISH IDEA.
How Americans Are Grossly Carl.
catured on the Stage OF Lon.
don Theatres.

lRobert Laird Collier in Chicago Tribune
Last week went to the Haymarket to see
Mr.. Pinero'S new comedy, with the misleading
and unfortunate title of Lords and Com
mons" and here again l encountered thi!
same unconventional, illbred, vulgar, nasal
toned, loud-talking, diamond .bestudded
albeit good-hearted American girl. The
play is as nearly perfect as anything
have seen on the boards for many a day
1t is clean and sweet, and the dialogue
holds attention and interest from first to
last Moreover, it is perfectly done
as all the plays are at the Hay.
market under the management Of Mr.
and Mrs. Bancroft. lis it not delicious fol
MIR. Bancroft to associate his clever wife's
name so conspicuously with his ownD Mrs.
Stirling as Countess Of Caryl was simply per-
fect-bless the dear old simple aristocrat!
wanted to hug her every minute she was on
the stage; mind, she impersonated a lady OF
at least Co. Indeed. the acting was so con
summate it left no place for the Legitimate
function of criticism. I always like Mr.
Forbes-Robertson, for he is always equal to
his work, and then he is so handsome and SC
gentlemanly, both off and on the boards.
Mr.. Bancroft as Tom Jervoise and Mrs.
Bancroft as Miss Mapleback were what they
always are-most intelligent, conscientiou,
and fascinating artists. But Mrs Bancroft
impersonated this wholly disagreeable, loud,
fashy, vulgar-taking American creature,
who again was meant as a type, and l fancy
representative type. of the American girl Of
the period
Whenever an American is put into an
English story or into an English play he OF
she is Of this ill-bred class. II man, he is
angular, lank and unkempt; his hair or beard
are very long and his clothes very outre and
uniting; perhaps he is made to attend to his
teeth and his finger-nails in public; it may be
i'll the drawing-room. If a woman, she is
sallow, loud-talking, slangy, covered with
finery, and has STRUCK ile," or her "gover
nor" has, for she has "heaps O. money
am always more than annoyed when in
books or in plays see such caricatures OF
my fellow-countrymen. Still, it is no use tc
deny The fact that this is not only the English
idea of the American, but it is
almost the European estimate. And
why is this! When 1 am in America meet
few Of this sort of folk. All my American
friends are ladies and gentlemen in every
conventional way as well as in every real
sense Of these words have nowhere seen
and mingled with more social refinement on
the face of this earth-and know somewhat
Of life in England and most Of the continental
countries-than have ever seen and mingled
with in Chicago and Boston. Indeed, there
is type Of social life in America which
hold as inestimably higher than that Of any
other land. 1t is as quiet, as self-respecting,
as well-bred as any, and, added to these, it is
more genuine, more human, more loyal in
friendship, less at the bidding of Mrs
Grundy, than any social life know.
We must admit, however, that there is
always some basis in reality-in actual life
for the scope and fancy of the charivari. and,
although am more than annoyed at these
portraitures of my fellow-countrymen, !
know where the caricaturist catches the
idea" 1t cannot be denied that American
newspapers deal largely, and sometimes un-
warrantably with personal affairs and social
life as the press Of no other country does.
This leads to exaggeration and the making
up OF occasions, occurrences ard "inter.
views" out Of whole cloth. After
one has been in the habit of reading
the London dailies, or even the leading
provincial papers Of England, one is instantly
struck at the enormous enterprise and newsi-
ness Of American journals, but perhaps even
more 90 with the unserious and in instances
trivial way in which all affairs of state.
society and individuals are discussed and can
vassed by the less important metropolitan
papers and by almost all country newspapers
Thus the less responsible journals of America
and those Of least influence at home-so
portray and really misrepresent American
social life that when they find their way
abroad these caricatures are accepted AZ
Trustworthy.