New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-17
THE DRAMA.
THE SECOND MRS. TANQUERAY.

1t has been said that this journal has somewhat
misunderstood the drift and significance of Mr..
Pinero's play of The Second Mrs. Tanqueray,
now current at the Star Theatre. with Mr.. and
Mrs. Kendall in its principal characters That
may possibly, be true, although 1t is not very
likely When a dramatist undertakes TO portray
the possible relations between courtesan ana re-
spectacle society he enters on somewhat dubious
field and he leads where ii is difficult to follow.
Mr. Pinero's play may mean that, under some CIR
cumstances, who has led an unchaste
life may, nevertheless be worthy to become the
wife of a respectable man. Or 1t may mean that a
marriage between gentleman and an adventures
is always unwse and will always end in disaster.
or it may mean that woman who has gone
wrong is just much entitled 10 rehabilitation
and social adjustment as man who has gone
wrong. Or it may mean that marriages between
weak-minded men, who mistake desire for noble
impulse and wanton women, who have temporarily
reformed do occur and do cause mischief 1t may
mean many things Ii may carry a whole
freight train full of morals. or full of immorals.
The point is not important. The worthy actors
who present the play and who doubtless are con-
scientous and sincere, declare that 1t teaches
very valuable moral lesson. The ground of OBJ.
lection against the play and against all such
PLAYS. does not seem TO be perceived by those
actors or by the votaries Of that order Of drama
pear suppose that they have a clear and perfect
right to override refinement and delicacy and to
accordingly, with the best Intentions they make
themselves exceedingly obnoxious. moral may
sometimes be an impertinence. Ii Is as IT mis-
sionary were to squirt tobacco juice into your eyes
in order teach you that The habit OF chewing
tobacco is filthy. The notion that a moralist
simply because he is moraiist. nsy create q.
stencil whenever and wherever he pleases. on the
ground that ne is teaching good les.
son, is an mpudent presumption, and II
is proper now and then 10 utter protest
against that form of rude and gross behavior
II makes no difference whether The Second Mrs.
Tanqueray" is moral or immoral. The fact remains
that it's subject is exceedingly nasty There is no
irite and no lesson of which any human being, not
fool stands in the slightest need; but no specta-
tor of the play avoid perceving the essentially
obnoxious character OF us theine Inc p,s a, "
when one of his wife's former paramours turns up
AZ the accepted lover OF his daughter. may be Il
spectacle very full Of morality but IT is not alt-
gether agreeable 10 the sense of smell, NO doubt
the situations in the play have been ceverly con-
irived. No doubt the language of 1t Is often
brilliant No doubt the characters in it are truth
fui But the fabric is not clean, and. in SO, far
as it has any effect whatever, It's erect VIII De
bad
result of 1t should be refinement gentiemess no3il,
ity, cheer and hope The result of THE Second
Mrs. Tanoueray' is disgust. Mrs Kendall Is lovely
and delightful actress. but the MIS- Ianque-
ray-the person presented by Mrs. kendal-is
the most dieagreeable female that has been por-
trayed upon tho stage in years. If the actress
Mrs. Tanqueray is representative she could not have
done il effectualy than by the performance she
has given. Shallow. vacuous loud quarrelsome,
ugly. malicious ill-bred. garrulous. selfish mean
unprincipled and contemptibly petty, the Mrs
Tanqueray would dsillusOniZe the Veriest ass that
ever brayed as champion of the innate NOBILITY
when he came ashOre.-thc story about the chemist
who said that the pills were good because be was
selling them.-is entirely appropriate "lhe second
Mrs. Tanqueray' may be good but 1t certainly Is