New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
LONDON NOTES.
an JONES'S COMEDY OF SCHOOLGIRL
MANNERS - OLD FRIENDS IN
AN ART GALLERY.
London, November ..


.vodav cares. from safety Of social pleasures
W. So, the enervatng influences OF the WIN
% climate this laughter may have justified
u" noDes entertained in the box-ofIlce Of a long
- t,- the drama, which succeeds The Little
."a,s.er' II was however, thoughtless laugh
o,d according to Nj George Meredith's ex-
Ut maxim. the test Of true comedy is that
shou awaken thoughtful laughter" II was
-. ,,ra Of merrimcnt which Goldsmith had in
. 70 VIII, he wrote "And the loud laugh de
80 IN. vacant mind" Mr. JOnes's new work
,,se,1 A play colored with burlesQue and an
80 bv a farcical spirit. Jucicous critics
~, have no hesitation in assigning to It 20
,,.,o- hollow the level Of his best work as
playwright :,
Good comedy must have a clear motive IL
,ass ~, need T. he moral purpose with Sc,
Ind formal lines OF exposition 1t must De-
:. ,oos, u dominating tone or theme when the
-,,.,or has in mind almost without knowing H.
- A. vaarten Martens once droly remarked
', -rrnose in novel: ut should not be Ike
.rats in q bottle Of spirits, but Ike Whiskey
=, r.o,er" Without some central motive 'heIe
an M. M dramatic unity, the scenes VIII mans
,..so,,. torather. the action will drag ana inter
-. IN the characters Will be lost long before '@
,,-.ain falls. All these things happen IN ne
,,o,nil,-1es Of Jane" The play Is hHed Win
ordinations Of q plot which Is OBVIOUS Noi"
~. outset and contains not a single surprise eX-
,.nt rs own vacuty and aimlessness. me
liars" brings upon the stage set OF lashioHA-
b,s neople whose chief occupation Is 10 'A'h
shout WAYS and means Of managing husoanos
NJ wives. and employs them In a swallow con-
.p,racv 10 provide practical method OF AVOID
Ing public scandal. 1t has at least the merit OF
being a comedy Of manners. although there Is
an undertone OF cynicism In the nllfth' Aheie
Is q distinct motive and the theme is presented
with simplicity Of treatment In The Manpu-
,rs, =, lane" there is some desultory talk about
the management OF schoolgirls. but MI Jones
rtl hardly have the hardhood TO claim FOR MS
drama any distinctive value as comedy OF
manners.
This "Rebellious Susan" is a headstrong' pet
r,ant heiress who has proved unmanaseapie a'
school and fallen in love with Pennies youth
Her father places her under the care OF MIS-
Beechinor. who. after conducting school TOT
the education and reformation OF young laoIes'
Is living with her nephew. LORD Bapchho'
,eeble-minded, vacillating peer with large
stock OF fads James manRuvres are directed
toward a secret marriage with her lover VINO
has entered Lord Bapchild's service as steward
md when the curtain falls the paternal blSss-
H., has heen secured simultaneously there
have been rnannuvres on the part Of Lord Bap-
rbild'e mother. uncle and aunt TO bring about
match between him and Jane; and also direct
.ortie upon his affections by James friend, Con-
stantia Gage, who carries her point after shs
has let down her back hair and asked him 10
rasten II with Il hnirp!n. When the maneuvres
Are ended the audience cannot explain why It
has been amused by q series Of broadly farrell
,al situations. The play has not been sunused
With the true comic spirit which enlivens and
stimulates the mind The spectators, like Lord
Bapchnd and Constantia. have been drifting for
hours on a tide-river in a boat with single oar.
This single oar IS the playwright's desire to
oroyjde Miss Emery and Mir. Cyril Maude with
parts analogous 10 those which have been
highly acceptable 10 the public in THE Little
Minister" Jane is q Maynard, impUlsive TO-
mantle gin. with a youthful ardor for advent
Ire. intrigue and mystery There IS no masquer-
sde as a gypsy. but It Il Lady Babbie over
gain. Miss Emery would have been more pru-
dent II she had not attempted TO disguise the
eserblance between the two characters by ex-
sggeratng James had manners, petulance,
hrewlsh temper and coarseness, and neglecting
10 develop the resources Of sweetness and ten
lerness in the character Possibly she will alter
l.r method as time goes on, and succeed in i'm
parting refinement 10 the part Mr.. Maude's
Lord Bapchild is also n variant OF the Little
Minister. ignorant Of the arts Of society help
ess and irnpressionable in the presence OF a
,retty woman. and convinced Of the infallioiAty
z his own judgment. There are differences in
orm, but IN fibre and substance the two parts
ire alike This was obviously the intention Of
he playwright The Little Minister" had run
is course. and both Mr. Maude and Miss En-
ny wished TO renew their triumphs in similar
,arts: and consequently The Man9uvres OF
ane" was written to suit them.
In this respect this play resembles The
liars" The Ambassador" The Tree OF
knowledge" The Princess and the Butterfly
nd other recent plays. which have been written
expressly for the companies producing them
Ten parts are provided as close fits for the
ctors and are colored and tricked out to suit
heir style. These plays may be works Of con-
picuous merit but their success in England
as depended upon the Individual capacities and
ual.ties q the CONF aues for which they were
peciauy written. 1t is a method Of playwrit-
ng which involves serious risks Of artificial
imposition and defective development Of mo- |
I've. TIE older tradition OF the stag - OO''V'
or p,aywrights. actors and audiences ms |
equires the creation Of drama as Work OF
ri without reference 10 the actors VINO may
e employed in impersonating the characters.
When this is done the dramatic author has IN
npeded range for his imagination and creative |
over. and the actors are subjected TO the best
discipline II their art and forced TO adjust |
themselves to their parts instead OF imperson- |
ting characters specially designed for them !
nd cut 10 their measure.
Mr. Jones's new Play suffers from having a
lot arranged for se@characters. for which a
cheme Of action ard incident has to be pro- |
.ced The story drags and the characters lack
be brea OF life. There are bright passages OF
ialogue. and good parts are provided for Nj |
frederick Harrison and Miss Rose Leclercq. as
eA as for MIR Cyril Maude and Miss Emery;