The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-26
PeffiSD ryG CO
ADJUSTMENTS.
Grand-aLady windermere's Fan.

Grand-sIady Windermere's Fan.
There is no better example of Oscar
Wilde's superb wit than is to be found in
Lady Windermere's Fam" which opened at
the Grand last night for the remainder of
the week The lines recommend themselves
more to the clubrnan, perhaps. than to the
more prosaic members OF society, who spend
their evenings at home in the bosom OF
their families, but still any one can gather
no little pleasure in spending an evening in
the presence of a number of actors repre-
senting society people who converse as
Oscar Wilde makes the characters in this
play do Wilde has taken hold of the latest
fad with dramatic authors and fairly stuffed
four acts full of It. Things which some
have been trying to say for several seasons,
and which others have limited at now and
then in a few tentative lines, are here
blurted out with all the reputed brutality
OF the modern city clubman. 1t is perhaps
true that the modern society woman, adept
as she undoubtedly is in the art Of scratch
rival to her face and stripping her to the
skin behind her b~ack-never spoke such
heartless things OF her sisters as Oscar
Wide does in Lady Windermere's Fam
AT least she never has said the same things
SO prettily. One hesitates. in contemplating
the audacity OF the author, whether most
70 admire or to despise him, and then ends
1T off.
There is a scene in the third act where
the play revels and gorges in Oscar Wilde
isms- A number of presumably high Lon
bachelor department of Lord Darlington
after a function at Lady Windermere's. 1T
Is 2 o'clock a. m; Brandy and cigars are the
subject of the talk. For a Quarter Of am
hour these blase Londoners give themselves
to the caprice of the moment and cut
loose on mankind In general and woman
ibsen, the bitter raving of Sarah Grand.
Fielding, the contemptuous badinase Of ali
the modern school of so-called social re-
formers. is here rolled into a brilliant dia-
interval the much-haunted permanent
structure of Chrf~ tan civilized society is
torn from Its &c odation and brought
half as rotten as Csc { Wilde here pretends
to believe IL is, then modern society is sew
eral centuries nearer the great cataclysm
than even very learned students are willing
to admit.
The fascinating language and brilliant
wit OF the play, on this occasion, makes up
for a very. great deal that is lacking in the
manner of its production. Gus Frohman,
with those of his two talented brothers in
New York. has taken his brothers play and
ey,g now touring cIansss the fnd Rs1vinSe,s y; with tr,i i; He
provinces. The work of some of his people,
even in the prominent roles. is so sugges-
tive OF amateur that some of the most
thrilling dramatic situations are barely
saved from becoming ridiculous. The men
are much better actors than the women in
the cast, which is as follows;
Lord Windermere.-......-:.Frank Gilmore
Lord Darlington. Charles Jehlinger
Lord Augustus Lorton........Rob Jenkins
Mr.. Charles Dumby.............John Archer
Mr.. Cecil Graham. ........... Clifford Leigh
Mr.. Walter S. Dolman
Parker. a james Loan
Mrs. Erlynn Olive l.. Oliver
lady Windermere... Laura Gilvnay
The Duchess of .Leona Clarke
Lady Plymdale. Stannard
Lady Stuffed .Minna Nixon
Mrs. Cowper OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Yates
Lady Jedburg.. Mrs. Fairmont
Rosalie. a housemaid. Eta Morris