New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-22
LONDON NOTES.


Ely AZ A PRESENTATION OF CUR
RENT MANNERs-coNcERNIN
ANTHONY HOPE
London. October a.
A. N. Criterion Theatre on the opening night
=, "rhe Liars" I was reminded Of line in Mr..
o.,-,e Meredith's excellent essay The
co,ric Spirit" II was this: THE test Of true
comedy Is that 1t shall awaken thoughtful
,.uenter." OF laughter there was no lack on
that evening" for Mr.. Charles Wyndham was al
nj. best, and Miss Mary Moore had for once
an amusing part with a larger scope than ca
r.c,tv for sentimental gushing Mr.. Henry Ar
thur Jones had written a play filled with bright
dialogue ludicrous entangements and droll sit
nations. and a brilliant nrst-night audience. re-
treshed by holiday Journeys and restful country
house recreation. gave itself up gladly 10 unre-
strained enjoyment Of H. II Was merry night.
and everybody was In the best Of humor But
Mr. Meredith's test Of true comedy would have
,..n fatal. The laughter vas not thoughtful.
hut thoughtless It was like the laughter pro-
duced by farce or burlesque.
The play bears a strong resemblance to the
.sme authors "Rebellious Susan 1t brings
into q set Of fashionable English people. whose
chief occupation IL 20 talk about ways and
means Of managing wives and husbands. hero
from Africa, where ne has been doing great
work IN dealing with slave-traders He falls
desperately in love with pretty 1rt Miss Mary
voore) whose husband IL dull phlegmatic
brute and there IL a conspiracy OF shallow
rar. Of both sexes to provide practical method
~ avoiding an unpleasant scandal The lady
has been so indiscreet to keep an engage
want with her lover which she had herself suE-
rssted at A riverside hotel and she Is discovered
there by her husbands brother. who at once
threatens to expose her, She endeavors to ex-
tr1cate herself by drawing her pretty sister and
hrainless brother -in-law into the pretence Of
being included in the dinner party and when
this lie Is exposed she enlists the services OF
another dainty little lady and her pompous.
n,iddle-aged husband In supporting another
series OF fibs When the intriguers are getting
on we'll with the moral support Of the ne"
SQUIRE Of Danes CMr. Wyndhamp, who Is tho
companion in arms Of the African hero and the
friend Of everybody the bottom suddenly fans
out Of the conspiracy. FOR the lover comes In
and tells the wrong lie. Only one resource re-
mains. and that Il the truth. The heroic gen
teman from Africa affirms vigorously that the
lady IL innocent but that he loves and Worshirs
her The truth Is as ineffective as lying has been
to effect settlement, for the lady. irrtated by
her husbands brutality. Is ready in the last act
70 face shame and to elope with her lover. and
Is only dissusded by a prctracte1 'sy sermon
~ the diplomatic Squire on the social incon-
venjences Of liaisons The flirting wife goes back
70 her heavy husband. and the social diplomat
isl marrying a blooming young widow. carries
off the lonely and unhappy hero To the wi'ds Of
Africa
This is the plot Of what is in reality farcical
comedy in three acts, with fourth act In re-
serve for the more serious purpose of mora''z-
Ing The play is brightly and clearly written
end the inbroglio is mirth provoking II pro
y,dss Mr. Wyndham with a part that is entirely
coneenial-that OF the sood-natured man OF
.he world with talent for hefriending every
body and bringing TO bear upon social entan-
clements stock Of common-sense and good
hurnor There is no other comedian on the
London stage unless 1t is Mr.. John Hare. who
has mastered so completely the art Of combining
humor with tenderness and gentle qualities
and when a part has been created expressly for
him. as this one has been. II Is impossible that
an audience should not be entertained delight
fully Mr. wyndham Is supportsa< moreover,
by an admirable company Of cornsAo,:> whose
points in acting have been tudlctrustT consid
cred by the playwright. II is not dull play.
except when the sermonizins begins in the last
act and the ludicrous situations have been In
gAniousy contrived.
NOT THE TRUE COMIC SPIRIT.
II NAV be considered fnical for any one who
has been mrthfully entertained for several
hours 10 inquire too closely into the causes
which have produced laughter. He has been
amused. and he ought perhaps TO be thankful
and TO refrain from asking unnecessary oues-
lions Yet one must needs reflect upon the
singular fact that when one Of III" foremost
dranatists in England writes a play for one
Of the most conspicuous comedy stages in Lon
don and has the help Of one OF the most sue
cessful comedians in securing favorable re-
ception OF the work. the laughter with which IT
Is greeted Is almost as vacant and thoughtless
as that heard when popular farce is pro-
duced It If fact that seems to imply that
some Of the best traditions OF comedy have been
neglected and that with all Its turgid moral
ling there Ia lack OF instruction and reason
In the new play. Otherwise the mrth which IT
yrovokes would be less vapid and thought'ess
The Liars" affects TO be comedy Of cur
rent manners In fashionable London The cos
TUNES are those of the dra wing rooms Of the
1sy but there the verismitude ends The
characters are essentially unreal and by their
words and actions they cast an undeserved ana
untruthful reflection upon English social NE
Here is a stage picture Of a fashionable set IN
which every couple Is nnismated and In witch
every charming woman Is chattering about her
Inll. silly or brutal husband. II Is caricature.
hot picture. Of current manners Engllsn
women do not spend their time in talking about
the Weaknesses and follies Of their husbands;
nor Is untruthfulness the glazing fault Of what
is known as the best society. Amusing situa-
lions may be produced by conspiracy Of shall
low lying which convicts itself: but 1t is an I'M
Just reflection upon the good sense and morality
Of society TO represent a group of we'I-dressed