New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-28
NEW PLAYS IN LONDON.
LADY wIxDERNFRE's FAN" BY OSCAR WILDE
HELM DAUvRAYs ENGLISH DEBUT

HELM DAuvRAY's ENGLISH DEBUT.
London Feb. 27-Oscar Wide with his cynical
.ocletv play Lady Wndcrmere's Fam" which was
proiuced on satuNiny night last at the st. Iames's
Theatre has m:dc himself the talk Of the busiest
theatrical week for many months The critics almost
| unanimously condemn the play. They say that the
plot lack, novelty and that the principal scene is
rr,lpably taken from The chooI for scandal The
lines, however IRE clever. and people In society VIII
rush TO see the play they did On the first night
when the most brilliant audience tat has gathered
for yenr, In the It. Jnmcs's Theatre assembled t.
witness the work
Al the end of the play on the first night small
portion Of the audience called for oscar Wilde lie
talked before the curtain smoking cigarette,
between the whifs he delivered what the press gen
orally pronounces most msolent and concerted
-pccch. He ccmlhcently Discounted upon the merits
Of his play and laid he was CAD that III" audience
was able 20 app cciac II. The actor, and actreNse'
we're patronzlngly approved for the help they had
given. Mr. Wide wa, ndorl'd with me of the newly.
invented electric green bOutpnncrcs, Us were aI-o MS
followers in the stall.
Mr. Wilde has written II letter to " TIE ST. JaIncss
Gazette regarding The criticisms made upon his play
and upon himself lie says that when criticism In
England becomes II read art 1t will when only those
Of artistic cultivation are allowed To write about
works of art aud artists, he Will undoubte lily read
criticisms, with a certain amount Of intellectual in
tere,t Al present be add, the criticisms Of ordinary
new paper, h:.vc no interest except 81 fnr as they
di,plly In The crudcst form, the extraordinary
| l.ocotlanl,m Of II country that has produced somc
Ath,n.ans and where other Athcninns come 10 dwell
J. l.. Tooc's temperance I'm Mr. inr1e's new
play Walker London which was produced at
rooe's Theatre on Thursday night, was IN undoubtcd
success. As was .nounced last week, the name
Originally selected lor this play TIE Household"
In makng public that II change had been decided upon
Mr. r0Olc said That name CIbc H0GscoohD t.
claimed for another piece aad anthor ana manager
have therefore been closcted for the last fortnight rack
ing their brains for n new title. which woCld not only
bring the smoke of steam lnunchrN across the foot
light but have II strong cmhlance to ihe Or<ina
title without being Il colorado Imitation Of 1t. \,
result the title At last fixed upon Is Walker. Lon
don without plot to speak cf Mr.. Barrie has
produced one OF the most lauehablc, Original and art
e-sy quaint plays seen In long Time The Telc-
graph" halls him second Robertson. and says
that his work + true and 0b'ervant ana displays
| comedy OF most cxhiaratine Kind. The setting Of
he stage gives IN enchanting picture Of Thames
houscboat mt Maidcnhcad.
At the Avenue Theatre Lansdon Miichcll's Ameri-
can play DcIornhr In which Marion Lea (Mr Mitch
cll's wfel impersonatcd quadroon slave attracted
d capital audience among whom were seen Miss
Ellen Terry. Lady Colin Campbell ie'ry James.
tharles WynGham, john Hare. oscar Wilde, Fanny
Trough. and a number Of other members Of the
dramatic profession The play proved TO be failure.
Marion Lea was Ovcrweiehlei with an unsuitable
role.
Dorothy Dene and her three sisters gave a pleasant
after loon on Thursday last at the Prince OF Waless
Theatre. The principal attraction a
comedy entitled Cinderella the cast Of which WIS
for four women ouly. The play gave the four sisters
all opportunity to do some graceful dancing.
The oxford University Dramatic society gave an
Interesting performance on Wednesday Of Arlsto.
phanc,'s Frogs. IN Greek. feature OF the pro.
dur,on was G. Hilbert II. Parrys T. cdcntal music.
bnrlcsauing snatchcs Of Eecthovens symphonies. Mcy
crbcer's and vcrdls operas, the " Bouanger March"
and other wellh1own compositions. The audience
was supplied with mn English translation of the text
Of the play.
Miss Helen Dauvray the American actress. made
her debut I'm England yestesdas ~ matiaee nerforn