New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-07
THE DRAMA.
.rADy WINDERMERE'S FAM

u. q, adv w,ndcrmerc's Fan, was represented for
TO- frs, time In this capital. The company includes
~. powers Miss Brooklyn, Mss Arthur, Mr.. Holland
-" porrymore Mr.. Bell. Mr. Ramsay ana Others, and
ros pleasure to observe Tie kindly greeting OF
" :. eager and sympathetic public for INDIVIDUAL
,.,orltcs The pay comes from the London stage 10
,,os q, was contributed BY Mr.. Oscar Wilde. and to
"l,cb possibly II may be adapted-for London Is
IN sunplIcd With cynical and blase persons whose
-. endowment Is found In snecr. IL certainly Is
- adapted TO the stage IN America TIE abstract
~, ~ the composition viewed as an intellectual
-. &c considerable. IL is ingenously con
,-.,sd: It Is sufficiently supplied with striking
.n,saons: II is written in fluent and often pun
~. dialogue. and 1t moves steadily ana
E,a,v 10 climax The form Of II manlfests artistic
..,e,t and peases the sense OF symmetry. At that
IL, lie worthncss ceases. The substance OF IL Is
s.,se and the spirit OF II Is pert. No such persons
vt As those that populate It's scenes, nor Is there
.,rrhere such a state of society extant as MI
Wide has suggested. Pretending TO portray actual
.nresentative life and manners-the legitimate theme
80 comety-that author has presented transcript OF
M fancy. and upon that has liberated the hvulet OF
Ne evnca, snartness. The achievement was personal
=, nrobably pleased the writer. II Is Of no con
,.ouenee 10 anybody else. II iniparts the idea OF
e,over satirca man who has not yet got over his
,outh and who wants to make sensation. IT Is
pe,bam come again, but not so good. IL abounos IN
views ana smart SAYINGS lHese are 'HlH
and III bred but they piquant. A gentleman does
mt circulate in society saying words that offend
ascorum and wound sensbility. II Is the same in
literature A mature and author selects his
materials for work OF artchooses true types Of life
and depicts human nature In light as we'll as
shade: but healthiuy and auspicously. Thackeray
Was stern satirist. but the reader Of
Thackeray Is refreshed and strengthened: is made
wiser and more virtuous Is confirmed in his belief
vns cnttrjst hut no
never gives the impression Of arrogant cynicism ard
moan and impairment juvenile asperity. When you
look upon "The School for Scandal you feel that Won
are looking upon picture OF actual persons and
mannersexa ggeratcd to be sure as Il ought 10 be.
and perhaps here and there very much exaggerated
and arfcial-ye upon the whole, true TO an exist
Ing state Of society and TO elemental facts in human
nature. 3The school for Scandal" never did any
harm. and It has done some good. II was much more
thar a personal exploit and feat in literary gym
nsstlcs When you have seen Lady Windcrmeres
Fan, YOU have merely been annoyed and irftated,-
for YOU have been told that your feOwcreaures are
about equally divided into two classes-vicous sharpers
and yeor ioOls-aEd that there Is only one superior
person exant and he young Irlshman who Is clever
with epigrams. The talent Of Mr.. Oscar Wilde was
long since recognized: nobody disputes 1t: bat
play In order to deserve public sympathy. must c"n-
tain something more than evidence that It's writer Is
n smart person who thinks society 10 be extremely
corrupt. America, at all events. IS not Just now Nv
Ing IN the time Of George ", and secondhand
Bulxers out OF date.
The circumstances of which an audience is ap
prls.d BY Mr.. Wide's comedy relate TO anorous IN
tnue and domestic skeleton in the closet Lord
windemere was attentive to Mrs. Evlynnc ana gave
money 10 her. Lady Wndermere his wife, discOv-
cred that fact and was dissatisfied and Jealous LORD
Windermere did not explain his behavior, but with
PIC headed and inexplicable stupidity persisted IN
H. Mrs. Evlynne was Lady windermere's mother.
She mad deserted her husband and child and
eoped with q lover, and subsequently she had been
deserted by himwhereupon she had become an adven-
turess. Lord windermere aware OF her maternal
relation 10 his wife, and he had undertaken the mis-
sonary labor OF restoring her to respectabity That
labor he had pursued by paying her obviously inndi-
cious attentions and by drawing checks In her
favor and recording the same in his checkbooh-
where his wife could read the record. Mrs. Evynne
asked Lord windermere to invite her to his home, and
asseted 10 her proposal. Lady Windcrmere, not
knowing Mrs. Evlynne for her mother but suspect
ing her for Lord Wndermeres mistress, was infura'ed
Lord Darlington, desiring 10 seduce Lady Windermere,
took advantage OF Lr Jealousy and persuaded her u
60 10 his lodging-whthcr, at crisis she privately
repaired. Mrs. Eylynne followed her there. ana be-
sought her to return home. Their conversation was
interrupted by the arrival of Lord Darlington and
several Of his male friends Including Lord Wlnder-
mere The two women concealed themselves. Lord
windcrmere presently observed and picked up his
wifcs fan, which had been accidentally LEFT III the
room 4 perious discovery seemed imminent. MIS-
Evynne thereupOn--in order TO screen her daughter
came out Of conccalmcnt and assumed the RESPONSE
billy OF the fam while Lady windermere escaped, un'
Observed and went 10 her residence. Lcri "ihder-
mere was relieved, but Disguised. He went home
10 Lady Windermere and denounced Mrs. Evlynne,
whom his wife thercupon defended. Mrs. E'lynne
finally went away without disclosing her
relatipnship to Lady WinGe.mere. ana WIN
Out attempting any vindica'ion OF her con
duct. Lord windermcrc left In ignorance OF
tile cscapadc at the lodging of Lord Darlington, ana
the latter nobeman seems TO have sustained much
mysiifeaiion with composure BETTING his rank.
ether persons we're implicated In these circumstances,
but only BY way OF fringe. There was a Dmchcss
Of Berwick who talked incessanfly-aftcr the manner
Of Mr.. Cand0ur IL was hybrid colIec1On anu
II figured In a rigmaroe Of Impossible incidents.
Those Incidents however though foolish, heari-
cal. Playgoers Will no doubt remember the shawl
In The Scrap of Paper" and the glove In 1.-The
irn.Naster." Mr.. Wilde did not fail to remember
them In the long annals OF French drama, ThiSbe b
garment has often been found by the lion. They
like that sort Of thing In Pads. When last heard
Of. Indeed. the apostle Of the sun-fower was on his
way 10 France. with the fiery intention 10 ABIDE
there forever. With "I.ady windermere's Fam he
ought to have found warm welcome-and been able
to essuage IL.
Nj. Ialmers comedians gave an able ana Jealous
Interpretation OF Mr.. Wilde comedy. MIS- Bowers
vas brilliant and spoke with that delicious hueney
Tor which she has ever been remarkable. Mr.. bell
snc sir. Barrymore initiated What they suppose 10 be
the manner Of the British arlstocrat TIE scene be,
tween the two women unacquanted mother ana
they are in Lord aSe not conn
eucted as II they had met In debating society. me
n TO sPeeta aSca under :" such S
nncos would be attended with signs Of apprehension
ne manner Of both Miss Brooklyn and MISS arthur
- as firm iron The two are Oh course mnr own IN
helngs-but the situation should be included IL Is
9 such moments that great art shows i'Sen anu s
que acknowledgment must be made to Mi. wide io
providing an opportunity TO see II. II is pit; Una.
2 mind clever and capable as his shono HUI
- n0bler and higher and abave greater breadth. s
Miss Brooklyn recalled after ler mrs, scene a'
% was Miss Arthur. That yonng ladv may, per,
xeH pdwer In her peIfOTmnnce. silch rs hcr I0Iceu