The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-12
NEW DRAMAS LAST NIGHT.
HILDES a. WOMAN OF NO IMPOR-
TANCEo AND KEsTER,s "zAMIR.O


80 the Fifth Aveuue snd = Ro.sntio
Hero for Alexander SaIvini st the star.
Oscar Wilde. having gained the attention Of
many audiences for a comedy OF satire and
epigram, with q woman's sin as the theme. un-
dertook without delay to write an other play Of
the same kind. Therefore we had "A Woman
OF No Importance" at tho Fifth Avenue Theatre
last night. In 1t nasty subject was discussed
and illustrated with on open frankuess that
shocked some folks. entertained others, and
Interested nearly the whole audience In
the first act q party Of modish guests
at country house in England talked
unoonstrainedly on topics not commonly
raised In polite society. and IL was
divulged that two OF those present. Hester
Worslev and Gerald Arbpthnot we're IN love
with each other. The girl was bright Amerl.
can. and the young fellow a straight forward
Enzlshman. In the second act at the same
place. Gerald told his mother elatedy that he
had been engaged as private secretary
10 Lord Hng,corih: but when he intro
duced this man to her she refused to
take tho profrered hand and 1t was intimated
that there had been q love affair. inferentially
Infamous between the astonished young fell
lows mother aud his patron. Up to this time
with the clocks at 10. the play had barely made
start.
An hour and a half had been spent In con-
here been told. The talk had been bright but
far too much OF It proved dull-even tedious.
Then the dramatic action began In earnest
with the third act--not without more OF Mr..
wilde's nuency OF rapartee. yet with an
arousal OF genuine feeling. The author
had located it in the handsome hall Of
the rural mansion. Mrs. Arbuthnot asked
her son to give up his post OF secretary. but he
was reluctant TO turn aside from the opening
70 N "a all n
reason for the proposed waste OF opportunity.
She replied that LORD Wno,oorih was
bad man. Gerald was not satisfied
with vague accusation. and insisted upon
knowing the particulars. The woman there
upon related that. twenty years before. Hing
porth had eloped with girl without marrying
her. The audience was made aware but the
son was not, that Ms. ArOmhnot was
telling the story OF her own disgrace.
GgdiFS comment was that no worthy
girl would have gone to live un-
welded with her lover: whereupon the mother.
unwilling to expose her own shame. withdrew
her objection to his remaining In the employ
OF the man whose mistress she had been. and
who was the father Of her son. This
was no more than over when OUT
cries OF distress and anger were heard
from Hester. and she entered. escaping
from LRinouorth. who had outreGeonsly in
suited her, and who followed her In with ap9l.
i ord. The ," Climax was that NJ. 1rJ'S"ot
Eeyealed her dishon39?r by crying to her SON.
In short fourth act the son meant to send
demand to the father to marry the mother,
nat to Become the VIE q such ri Z iI6eitInss
would be worse dishoncr than that -, which
for the SON she, was not sorry for the im1purity
that had given him to her. hester had over
dialogue,
ward with the ayowal that she had chosen + Ne
the yOpnr coupie ,wi!hdrsy, and iH@qiecr&
entered. to read tho letter as it lay
Pt the % GR eS Of R really soa &c
spurned by her to rot9rt With an allp 81. ,t to
Finally tho man departed the young overs
returned and the woman mans said In reply to the
tho table, r., 1T SeOnGs to %an OF no impor-
w psn had . ss of i a
Minlo5msre written and With ne
EsSa vi, ana msISissss r ss;rI ,.,rgiS
against tho vices Of English aristocratlc So
ss,y the piece nG to no an p N.aL
hardly borne !, with t6S SfSPuianimitgy which
acted before ali male ara III female audiences
Lectures. 1t is not ht to be performed
4 {, send mqIe people to see t than will be
n Hh Eondon "S get such ssa
Paris, hpt OF late the supply has come from
bsors ' we Shall HR have Ind ali we want Of It, and
then We will not only refuse TO take any more
hut fH, m. yS sns we viii no Sf at ell ES:
man Of No Importance" popul4riZe her. and
R6ss 9" Gos h.. T'Rsf herself by
touching MOVING pi,ifuL and , tsnder portray,
E. tHs Deal Grns ns
this Instance she well deserves peculIar
ay S 81" be for
her exceeding skill IA making very sOphiist,i,
hssr G"s oSs wide SomS Sf saa
s@SS was BUT hd %sGs n Ss sss
ssrioSs ones probably through po psT,
T"FsT we're SvaGle TOSns Mrs.
p, +. Bowers, Ada ,Dyas. and Louise Thorn
AMI almost but not quite, kent their super
abundant talk from boring the listeners. The
play was superbly mounted
1t should be q source Of no little satisfaction
to Alexander Salyini to feel that 1t is bscom-
ing more and more dIfiicuIt as seasons pass
TO Judge OF the degree OF his success in a new
IlaY here. For IL Is now assumed on the an
nouncement OF new undertaking by this actor,
that a large and irieudly audience will attend.
Such gathering 1lled the star Theatre last
evening on the occasion OF the first Sow York
representation OF lamar" romantic drama
written by Paul Kester.
Quite twO-thirds Of the audience were wo-
men. and no opportunity for putting in evil
dance their Partially for the chief performer
OF the evening was permitted to pass with
cut attention. Throughout the whole play
aIsry speech OF considerable length by
~. Sqlyiui, and. indeed. many a shorter
one which voiced some worthy sentiment or
limited OF the speakers bTayery.was responded
TO. with no moment OF hesitation by Volleys Of
rats from feminine hanis. The play was timed
early In the sNtrenth century in Portugal II
opened with the King OF Portugal dying and
with almost his last breath acknowledge
ing a. his elder son and TIgLtful heir
Zgn,a,. k1lIG 81 a gypss tribe OF mountain