Evening journal., 1896-12-31
NUPKINS AWAKENED.
THE ONLY PLAY EVER WRITTEN eY
WILLIAM MORRIS.

Il Was a Satire ON the Justice Dispensed
by sir Peter Edlin-- The Poet Artist Tool.
Part himself a sociaiist nenect rer-
formance.
On the subject of tho theater, an en-
thusiastio young FIRST nighter would
probably have given Morris.up after the
first attempt TO gather his opinion Of
''The Second Mrs. Tanqueray' as an
ordinary citizen who had never formed
the habit of playgoinc, and Mother knew
nor cared anything about tho thcater
except as trent for children once year
during the pantomine season. But Nor
ris would havo written for the stage If /
there had been any stage chat poet and /
artist could write for. When the Social /
ist league once proposed 20 raise the /
wind by dramatic entertainment and [
suggested that be should provide the
4 play, ho set to at once and provided 10.
And what kind Of play was it,? Was
it miracle play ON the lines Of those
scones in the Townoley mysteries be-
tween the "shephords abiding in the
field " which he used TO quote with
| great relish as his idea Of a good bit OF
comedy? Not az ALL 1t was topical eN-
trayaganza, entitled ''Nupkins Awak-
ened, the chiof character parts be-
ing Sir Peter Edlin. Tonnyson and an
imaginary archbishop Of Canterbury.
Sir Peter owed the compliment TO his
activity at that iimo in sending social
lists to prison on charges of "obstruo-
ton - which was alway proved by get
ting a policeman TO swear that IL any
passerby or vehicle had wished TO pass
over the particular spot in a thorough
fare on which the speaker or his audi
enco happened to be standing thoir pres
ence would have DISTRACTED him.
This contention, which was regarded
as quite sensible and unanswcrable by
the newspapers Of the day, was put into
q nutshell in the course Of Sir Peters
summing up in the play. "lu fact, gem
tlemcn, it is matter Of grave doubt
whether we aro not oil of ue continually
committing this cifense from our cradles
to our graves. This speech, which the
real Sir Peter of course never made,
though he certainly would have done so
had be had wit enough to sec the abb
surdity Of solemnly sending man TO
y prison for two months because another
t man could not walk through him, es-
8 pccially when it would have been sc
t easy to lock him up for three months on
2 some respectable prcteIt VIII probably
; keep Sir Peters memory green when al
/ his actual judicial uttCrances ero forgot
ten.
As 20 Tennyson, Morris took social
q ist who happened 10 combine tho righ
e sort OF beard with @ melancholy temper
s. amert aud drilled him in certain por
Y tentous incivilty of speech which, takei
y from tho quality Of his remarks, thras
q light on Morris opinion of Ionnysu
which was all tho moro instructive bo
cause he delighted in Teuuyson s vers
% as kecnly us Wagnor delighted in th
rs music Of Merdelssohn, thosa credit fc
le qualities Of ia-acr scope he reverihele'
" wrote down arl destroyed
n Mosris played Clio l-c~l Archbisho
~ himsolf it' made TO attempt 20 lg-
i. up the part in tho ordinary stage tasi
"a ION TIe alF;ays cont l4cl taae 10 moi
al was necessary Tor stage illusion tina
OF some indisrinct conventional fymbo
ol such as a halo FOR q saint, crook for
~ bishop, or, if yon liked, cloak an
~ dagger for the villain and a red wig i
the comedian. A pair Of clerical bant
and black stockings proclaimed thoArcl
ng bishop. The rest he did by oblitoratlr
x- his humor and intelligence and presen
ed ing his own person to the audience lil
,e a lantern with the light blown out, wit
-, a dull absorption in bis own digni
~ - which several minutes Of the wilde
NO screaming laughter at him when he el
ms tered could not disturb Ilaughed in
he moderately myself, aud 7 can still s
sx- quite Clearly tho long top floor Of th
re- warehouse in tho Harrington road as
saw it in glimpsos between my pnro
D. ysms. with Morris gravoly ON the sta
In his bands at ono end; Mrs. Stillma
for q tall and beautiful figure, rising like
ne delicate spire above sky line OF q
oo- chimney no.s, at the other, and m'
on ley sea Of rolling, wallcwing, gutiawi
in- socialists between.
on There has been no other such succol
, ful first night within living memory
i,.. believe. but Iromomb only ono di
- matte critic who took care TO bo preso
is William Arcner. Norris was so inr
Wy ested by his experiment in this sort
un- composition That be for some time tal
al of trying his h1d -t assertions drai
and would 10 doubt have done 10 u
there been any practical occasion for
"a OF any means of cunsummating it
sre stage representation under proper ccn
no tiou3 without spending more time
tho tine Job than twas worth. Later, at G
the Of tho annual festivities OF tho Hamm
ash smith Socialist society, no played
GA gcutloma1 in tho bath chair Il
short piece called ''Hhc Duchcssoi Bn
,..a water" (not hy hmsell, which o.
Kill served iis turn at the haymarset q
cc a curtain raiser. J.. was impossible
ITS such "a horn teller and dcvourcr of
. On RIGS es howas 60 be Indifferent 70 en-
ed a which is nolhing more ihln the m
vivid and real cl all ways Of story g
ing. No man woufl more willln
mas have feca hia figures moyo and ho
,nod their roic,s than hc. -Satcrday ltQfi'