The times., 1898-12-04
THE PASSING SHOW.

After noting with care the signs OF
weeks visit from Sol Smith Russell, one
thing becomes apparent-that Hon. John
Grigsby'' Is not a success, and probably
never will be. Charles Klein, who hap
pens to have written the play, is at pres
ent working upon it busily in the hope OF
correcting several roughnesses and faults
caused by the haste In which the effo I
was produced. He will be likely TO
achieve much in rounding the corners
OF the piece and making it a finished
bit OF dramatic work, but few who saw
the comedy during its run at the Ma
tional will believe that he can invest the
story with any interest or give it that
solid foundation which is most needed.
And this is said with due regard for TIE
star himself and the difficulties he is ex-
periencing this season in getting u ye
hicle worthy of his talents.
Not that Hon. John Grigsby'' is a bad
Offering On the contrary, the affair is
bright and entertaining. In its compo-
sition there are numberiess witty lines
to amuse and some very pretty sentiment
over which the matinee girls may shSd
comfort There are also two extremely
clever bits OF character sketching, with
couple of episodes that are apt to stick
in ones memory and prove a basis for
some future thought. Above all. the ef-
fort Is permeated with certain quaint
atmosphere-caused largely by the cos
tuning-that seemed TO please the older
people immensely. But none of these
things. nor all of them. can make Il
presentation entirely laudable and so It
is that, despite them, one cannot find it
in his heart TO praise Charles KIein's at
est endeayor. Hon. John Grigsby'' is a
very pretty. pleasing play-that is all.
And there seems to be no reason why a
large quantity of the milk Of human kind
ness in such a comedy should act to the
total exclusion of all the strength 1t may
ever have been supposed to contain-un-
less the said milk had been watered.
Hon. John Grigsby" does not satisfy
the theatergoer. 1t leaves him standing
on the front steps of the house after the
curtain has fallen on its last act, with a
dim sense of having partially enjoyed his
evening but unconscious why he shou d
have been pleased. While his eye may
nave Dteu dttfdCleu py lhc COStuileS dfu
scenery before him and his ear transient-
ly held at different stages OF the piece he
must go away with a sense OF having
given up good three hours without re-
suit. The effort possesses no depth of
plot to interest, no ingenious incidents to
surprise, no really humorous episodes to
remember. no strength to quicken the
| pulses, few lines worthy of taking out
| and few characters that may be kept in
| the storehouse of ones mind. The whole
| thing seems sketchy-foundationl
| lacks backbone. The very story p. oceeds
| slowly and without any sign of well
| grounded purpose. Somehow or other, a
| student of dramatic art who examines
| the methods displayed in the comedy $
construction and the shallowness of its
| course must feel that when Mr.. Klein be-
| gan the work he had little or no idea
| what would be its elimination.
A play that does not impress is not a
success-a play regarding which one hears
| no criticism as the audiences leave the
| theater is not a success-a play which
| cannot afford conversation in the home
| circle for several days after some member
of the family has seen it is not success
| 1t may make money, especially If it is in
| the hands of popular actor, but the repu-
tation for having produced it will do the
4
| that it will ever run over a season.
Though the possibility of sympathlzing
| with those connected in the plot may have
been greatly lessened last week by the
bad work of a woman who assumed the
| leading female role there can be no doubt
that the story of Hon. John Grigsby''
never came near enough to the heart to
provoke more than cursory interest.
Love scenes between any of the important
L fam, and tal har 1SoI1-
| so dimly outlined that 1t is difficult for
the beholder to assume any responsibility
| for the achievement or failure Of the
high-hatted Romeos and the big-skirted
JuIiets who roam through the three acts
| with which Mr.. Klein has endowed this
! child of his brain. Grigsby himself never
loses the whip-hand long enough to make
one fear that hescannot take care of HIM
self, and so dread of results lies between
the comic old lady and the villain, whom
everyone knows must ultimately get into
trouble whatever the cause. if only in
the interest of morality, good citizenship
and the drama
Some of the comedy drags fearfully ant
when 1t does not there is an illegiti-
| macy about both the humor and pathos
that one can hardly understand. Never
before in Sol Smith Russell production
or certainly not within recent years-has
Y
chair from a lad, nor tears by means o1
some oyerworked sentiment regarding ar
attachment. Even in THE Spitfire." 6
farce in which credit for most of the
smiles belongs to the property man. thers
! is little more horseplay and a great dea
more grouadins than is possessed In Mr.
KIein's first act-the only one in the piece
that does 'notnprove rather wearisomc
This speabs volumes
| Tho outira pffort tS pSeautialJv fc1apar
fetal one 1andT Gan, for that reason +,
little commended And yet Hon Joi:
| Grigsby" is a great deal better than mos
!. pretty plays and a great deal brighter
Notwithstarai the rapidity with whicl
1t was drawn. the role given Mr.. Russo
fits kim ike gsoye and affords him prac
: ticaily unlimited opportunities. As in tn
: case of ..The Carpe;bagger," this Is IL
chief yirtue.a Thnt there are some other
: cannot be doubted. With careful hand
ling the work viii probably graduate int