New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-26
TOPICS IN LONDON.
HOLIDAY SPEECHES-A DISTINGUISHED
EXILE-A NEW PLAY.


THBATRE-MR. PINERo's LATEST
DRAMA, "THE PRoFIGATE."
[BY CABLE TO THE TRrBUNE]
Copvyight: 1889 BY The Neio- York Tribune.
London, April 25.-London cannot he sald 10
lack subjects Of conversation. The Queen al ean-
drincham. Lord Salisbury at Bristol, Mr.. John
Morley at Newcastle, Mr.. Parnell at Edinburgh
twhere, in spite of strong opposition, the Council
has voted him the freedom of the city, Mr. Cham
berlain and Lord Derby at Birmingham, Mr. r.
nero AZ the New Garriclx Theatre, General Bou-
LANCER in Burlington Gardens-al these are topics
NJ the day. do not name them in the order OF
their importance il there be any such order, out
at haphazard Nor do / name our American Sa-
moan Commission, of whose presence the Lonoon
nress &c entirely unaware. They dined with MIR.
White last evening at the Century Club, with Sir
Edward Thornton in addition to the guests pe1ore
teIegraphed They depart this evening VIA Oo-
Iogne for Berlin, where they are due tomorrow
night. The truth is that Samoa interests but
q small minority of the British
Among the people or subjects have enumerated
Il is the politicians and statesmen who I'LL the
largest space in the papers, and the least, per
haps. IN the public mind None Of the long
speeches Of the last few days contains aught OF
political novelty All the orators are marking
time, waiting to see what step Is next to be taken
in advance. The Unionists seem to think that
things are, on the whole, going well in Ireland
Mr. Bakour who rules that country. rules it from
Felixstowe. on the east coast of England. IN the
intervals of the golf matches. in which he has won
second prize. He does not even contemplate going
TO Dublin. Were there anything serious in the
situation he would have to sacrifice his favorlte
pastime and cross the Irish Channel to look into
far h,v,0Sn no
agrarian disputes are being settled right and left
The vandeleur estate is quiet under Sir Charles
Russells arbitration. The Masserene estate is to
be colonized with Ulster Orangemen by another
Russell less in favor with the Home Rulers who
crv ont against what they call this outrage
Worse still. the landlord influence is looking up
in Tpperary ITSELF where Guardians have been
elected whom the landlords supported. 1rlshmen
capable of so voting are" cries Mr.. O'Brien's
editorial substitute. creatures who hug their
chains and wallow in their enslavcment.' Mr.
Cham mberlain. to whom / am indebted for this
quotation, appears to like to see them wallow. and
Mr.. Balfour deems the moment propitious for
paying visit 10 his uncle at Hatfield.
II Mr. Chamberlain finds consolation in Tip
perary he needs it. for in his controversy with
Lord Randolph Churchill he has had to climb
down from a too lofty position which he too
rashly took up His answer to Lord Randolph
is a soft answer while to Lord RandOlph's sup
porters in Birmingham, who met Mr.. Chamber
lains resoundng challenge with explicit clear and
positive proof of their own charges, he returns
no answer at all. He has distinctly the worst
of this encounter. but as he has for the present
kept Lord Randolph out of Birmingham, he may,
for aught I know, be content with the general
condemnation Of his conduct
General Boulanger came just IN time to divert
attention from Birmingham. kilograms 70 the
Boulangist papers in Paris photographed here say
that a hundred thousand Englishmen welcomed
him with enthusiasm. Divide this number by
Ten. omit enthusiasm" and substitute good
humored curiosity ana you will come much
nearer the truth. Most of the English papers show
only moderate interest in his coming In the Incl
dents Of his journey, in his declarations 10 the
syndicate of interviewers who were invited TO his
hotel TO receive his confidence Tie great question
whether he was seasick between Ostend ana Dover
remains in dispute His appearance on deck at
Dover in a glossy silk hat and blue coat moved
the British critics in costume to laughter One
Of his carnation bouquets at Charing Cross came
from conjuror's wife. and a baby was provided
for him TO kiss Such are the circumstances in
which he. whom his partisans claim as the coming
Savior of Society in France, makes his first ap
pearance on the British stage.
Still another stage sensation requires equally
scr,ous-a more serious-dscussion. Mr.. Gilberts
new Garrck Theatre was opened last night, under
the management of Mr.. John Hare, long partner
with the Kendalls, whom you Will see this
autumn in America The opening piece was The
Profigate," by Mr.. Pinero. This mornings praises
Of the theatre and the piece pitched in key
.Io nd
House in Paris or Vienna, or for Sheridan newly
come TO life with another Rivals or School
for Scandal" The theatre is well situated and
well designed. on the whole with some marked
faults, including one borrowed from the Savoy,
where Mr.. Gilbert has so long reigned in partner.
ship with Mr. Carte and Sir Arthur Sullivan, and
where the first tier of boxes is much too near the
sky The building is electrically lighted and NOM
inaly fireproof, with ample exits The decoration is
luxurious and rather gaudy in the auditorium,
with too free use Of bright cherry and pale
gold
The play makes one thing more clear than ever.
Mr. Pinero seriously believes it 10 be his mission
to become the Younger Dumas Of the English
stage His later pieces, like all those of NJ.
Dumas are analytical studies of social problems
In The WeaSer Sex he presented the public
with the agreeable spectacle Of man successively
In love with mother and daughter In The
Prohigate" he discusses through four acts the
question what ought TO be done when man
who has married an innocent girl is discovered
during the honeymoon to have first ruined and
deserted another innocent girl. who happens to be
his wifex friend" Mr. Pnero's view is that
the wife should forthwith cast off the husband
that the husband filled with remorse. should
mediate suicide. but not commit it. and that the
wife should then take him back.
missed seeing the first two acts, but heard from
all sides that they had been heavy IN movement,
though relieved by some clever talk. The great
scene is in the third where the wife discovers the
husbands fault. 1t played by Miss Kate
Rorke the wife with much technical skill, but