New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-13
LONDON PLAYGOING.
WITH BRIEF NOTES ON PUBLIC AND
PLAYERS-ON MIR. GRUNDY AND MR..
HARE, ON THE VICAR OF BRAY,
MIR. BEERBOHM TREE, AND
Mr. WYNDUAM

also Of the British critic. What the playwright will
produce. what the playgoer will like what the
critic will tell him lie ought to like, and whether
it, makes any difference what he is told-all these
are puzzles to which no solution is at hand, and
rome. probably. ever will be. What makes success
and what makes failure Who can say why Mr.
Comyns Cars Forgiveness failed to draw at the
st. Jamcs's Theatre and why Mr.. Oscar Wdes
medley OF stale cpgrams under the title of Lady
Windcrmcres Fan succeeds? Who can explain
the fortunes of such piece as A FOOLS Paradise
hy Mr.. Sydney Grundy. now acting at the Garrick
Theatre? Why should the British Nlatron like to
spend her evening in hearing q tale of bgamy AMI
arsenic poisoning unfoded? Is this the school Of
virtue in which the British Girl, fresh from the
British Nursery, is to learn the lesson Of life?
Mr.. Grundys play-it is not new. but may he
allowed word on it's n tissue Of impossibilities
II is not conceivable that things could have hap
pencd in the way in which he represents them az
happening. His story is an insult TO the intelli-
gcnce Of his audience The audience do not
seem TO mind. The Garrick is one Of those
theatres to which some part OF what is called tie
recent elevation of the British Drama is supposed
TO be die. Mr. John Hare, the manager and lead
ing actor Of the theatre, is freely praised in both
capacities. AS actor, he has an effective style,
but only one style; one manner, one handling OF
character, one dramatic method. lie has played
many parts and played them all with monotonoua
energy which Is agreeable to those who have
never seen him in more than One or whose
memories are short, or who do not see him too
often As q manager he produces what he thinks
will pay. | don't know that he can be blamed
for gauging correctly the taste Of the public for
which he eaters. But ! think he must choose be-
tween the two reputations-choose whether he
IoS;r IN no a sra mr. "
he is content 10 he prosperous play-merchant:
a thriving middcman, with enough knowledge Of
the Market TO attract customers and give item
what they want.
manager who sets value upon dramatic art,
who cares for conference, probability, taste,
smOrals even, would not have put Fools Para
disc on the stage. Mr. GruDdy, however, is rs
wise in his generation as Mr. Hare in his. The
piece contains good character part for Mr.. Hare,
"A busting old doctor who acts as Providence all
through to the rest of the characters. That is
enough. Perhaps the actor never lived who
could resist the attraction of such part, cnt and
fitted FOR him by the artful author. DO not let
us Judge Mr. Hare harshly, nor demand of him more
than human virtue. His Improvisation OF Sir
Peter I.und has had the usual need of overflow
Ing praise-is not the actor justified? The piece
has run a hundred nights. and morc-is not the
manager vindcated.
The same Mr.. Sydney Grundy is responsible for
the text Of the opera known The Vicar Of Bray,
reproduced at the Savoy Theatre by Mr..
D'Oyly Carte some months ago stopgap, and
still successfully dischargng that useful function.
Improbability is fault, suppose, in burlesque
opera: the more of it the better IL Mr. Grundy
has not the touch Of Mr.. Gilbert, no more has Mr.
Edward Solomon, who supplies the music To Mr.
Grundy's words, the musical gifts of Sir Arthur
Sullivan. But Mr.. D'Oyly Carte. like Mr.. Hare.
knows his public The public at both theatres
has points of resemblance both thought safe
resorts by the suburban population who in this
matter Of playgoing are timidly CONSCIENTIOUS,
They wish 10 do the right thing and to see the
right thing, and the right thing, of course. is what
the greatest number of people of their own sort
think right. What other test or rule can there
lc in this democratic age
The Nonconformist Conscience holds, believe,
strict views about the theatre Mr.. Spnrgeon
considered that n man who would 90 10 The play
would 20 10 hell Nobody can say he was not
right Yet Chaplain. once kind OF Headquarters OF
dissenting orthodoXy-the phrase is not, rs it
seems contradiction i'll terms-now sends re-
cr,lits "a the London theatre :-Clapham and
Hrixton and IIornsey Rise and many other outlying
districts of the great Metropolis They go In
search Of ,lecorous amusement. They serious
pcoplc bit rot too serious and not in the least
critical II is perhaps the non-cri'ica habit OF
mind which explains the prosperity Of SO many
London theatres.
Clapl.an goes also Mr.. Boerhohm Tree
play Hamlet al the IIaymarket. No theatrical
phenomenon is more interesting than the popu
larty of this performance. Ii Is one of the most
rairstaking IIamlctS ever seen. Ii deserves ati@'
ton on that no on other accounts. The spectacle
attracts You in spite of yourself: like that Of
rood man struggling with adversely. whom the
gods admire. Mr. Trees ambition i boundes.
He has had experience He has whole army OF
admirers. Whether he plays Fastat or Hamlet
makes 10 difference TO the army; they may not
all know that there is a difference. Mr. lrvins
was thought - have gone to the limits OF the
possible when he performed Hamlet two hundred
nights running. l know not whether II he MI
Trees hope 10 Guido Mr. Irving in the nImoer
Of nights lie is already nearing the first hundred.
and has announced that a new play. promised Tor
the present season. must on account OIL Iiaihiess
success he postponed Till autumn.
Whether Shakespeare is supposed 10 have coll
irihuted ANYTHING to the atractivencSs OF this
performance. or whether it is all due 10 Mr..
Tree. | cannot say. | saw it twice. and each
time came away with the same feeling; that IN
Mr. Trees acting there are many things one can
nraisc and praise handsomely; in many details he
is excellent: but that his Hamlet. as whole. IS
not excellent The poetry Of the part. the luiael'
native qualities we associate with the haii@'
thc psychological insight essential 10 anything Ike
n true conception Of Shakespeare purpose III 'hD
pcrplcxing creation: the heNiblty, inc r'"Se'
which any actor must have who would 9i'' n'o'e
than n conventional rendering of tie Prince "
Dcnnark-whcre are they?
There are certain traditions of the English s''ko
TO which Mr. Tree is faithful. lie Is con'en'io's'
lie is perhaps. most conventional oil III WV" "
strives most Heartily after novelties '"l"oN"y'
the traditions of Hamlet are handed down through
where they do not come directly from-thc moss
wooden-munncrcd artificial and impossible periou
Of the English stage. They are good TO east aShS