New-York tribune., 1900-12-09
LONDON DRAMA.
A COMEDY OF MANNERS AT THE ST
JAMFSS-THE PRACTICE OF BoOING
AUTHORS-SIR HENRY IRVING
OK THE FUNCTIONS OF
THE THEATRE.


OF society. Mr.. George Alexander is the most
graceful and ardent lover 10 be seen on the
English stage: Miss Fay Davis, while she has
steadily refined the processes OF her art ana
gained a sure and firm touch, retains with her
beauty and grace the winning artlessness which
never fails 10 charm and fascinate playgOers;
and MT II. p. Irving as a genial cynic has a
brilliant style Of marked individuality. Melo-
drama is tolerated on the ST. James's stage, II
il be picturesque in costume and not too heavy
In action, and the problem play goes, If the social
sets not too strongly satirized and made out
20 be much worse than they really are; but the
favor1te form Of recreation is the comedy OF
manners in which the mirror is held up before
the CAV world Of rank and fashion. Moliere once
said: "C'est une etrange enterprise que celle DE
faire rire les honnetes gems" The farce writer
is licensed 10 arouse thoughtless laughter; but
the PLAYWRIGHT who deals with the manners OF
the times must be more subtle ana eAcl'e
thoughtful merriment; and this is not an easy
thing 10 do. The English comedy OF manners
dates froro the time Of Charles IL and while the
wit Is as keen as rapier, the pages OF these
old plays can hardly be read without a biush'
Sheridan and Goldsmith provided better mooeIs
OF stagacraft, but these were not free from the
broad effects Of farce. Mrs Craigie In The Am
bassador" struck out in a new line and revived
eKreriment IN The Wisdom Of the Wise" she
has been inspired by a painstaking study OF the
greatest French master OF this class OF stage
work Moliere.
II was the aim OF the French satirist in such
plays as .-Tartuffe Les Femmes Savantes" and
lie Misanthrope" TO enable the quick witted
bourgeoisie to laugh in the first instance at its
own pueriie a1ectations and vagaries and ulti-
mately 10 profit by wholesome well salted social
satire. Mrs. Craigie seems 10 have had Les
Femmes Savantes' in mind in constructing a
comedy with the slenderest possible plot. There
Is so little action in the piece that some writers
are disposed TO say that It is a vacuous perform
ance; but that is what Molieres critics said
when his plays which had almost little plot
and Were made up OF nearly as many episodes
were not understood. and failed, only 10 be taken
up anew by a more intelligent generation OF
readers and paygoers. Mr.. George Meredith In
his admirable Essay Comedy" makes this
remark which may be applied TO Mrs. Craigie's
little play: Now. comedy is the fountain Of
sound sense; not the less perfectly sound on
account Of the sparkle; and comedy lifts women
10 a station Offering them free play for their
wit, they usually show H. when they have il.
on the side Of sound sense" There is satire IN
her play. if action be lacking, and there is an
alIegory with common sense at the bottom OF il.
She portrays the empty existence Of fashiona-
bic set in the West End OF London. which does
not thirk deeply on any subject but talks
perhcially and brilliantly about trivial matters,
such as the management Of husbands and wives
by domestic tactics and petty expedients.
young girl happily married receives counsel
from scandal mongers and title tattlers respect
ing her proper course IL she hopes 10 retain her
husbands affections; and after being dazed and
bewndered by the wisdom OF the wise. she ends
l,-er hnvv vaT11
and loving him in an unaffected way for what
ne is to her This is the wholesome allegory,
and il is relieved and brought out by refined
play Of Wit and gentle satire.
Objectors assert that there is nothing in the
play hut sparkling epigram and brilliant talk
and dismiss il lightly as comedy OF conVersa-
tion. During the first act there is a rambling
debate on the philosophy and economics Of
domestic life. There are refrains by women,
choruses by men and duets by assorted pairs
with such themes as these: Women are IKE
Quail-very uncertain. The JOY Of every man
is 10 be false TO some woman; Marriage is
merely the discipline Of character" Nothing
happens until the close Of the act. when the
young Duchess's intimate friend, an heiress, sud
denly faints on being introduced 10 the Duke Of
St Asaph and TO Lord Appleford. In the second
act the gosstps put their own Interpretation upon
the fainting fl, and the Duke and Lord Apple
ford exchange condolences and discover that
each has proposed 20 the heiress- The Duke.
benevolently wishing TO bring together pair OF
lovers who have been separated by a misunder-
standing. makes a secret appointment for mid
night ST the heiress's hotel This appointment
Is overheard by the chief mischief maker OF the
social set Mrs. Wuthe-ing. who had been her
self disappointed in not receiving proposal
from the Duke. She gossps about the matter
T0nnh hose Of
going on. and induces her II accompany her 20
the hotel. IN the third act the tangle is quickly
Strengthened out. Lord Appleford is frst on the
ground. woes the heiress with ingenious cir
cumIocution ana is shown into the adjoining
room when the Duke OF St Asaph appears 10
present his friends claims. The Duchess ana
the mischief maker interrupt this conference
and when Lord Appleford is rescued from the
sitting room the curtain falls with everybody
contented and happy. This is slender story Tor
two hours entertainment, but the theme is SO
simple that intricacies Of plot ard situation are
Readily dispensed with.
There is. indeed, no problem In this play eA-
eept the old one that Ill is love- love that makes
he merry world go round" Handsomely
elsssed women and listlass. cynical men
AK aimlessly on the stage about the intricacles
and mysteries Of domestic happiness: but in
The end the Duke ana the Duchess are found TO
be loving each other in the old fashioned way
Snd Lord Appleford and the heiress, after being
kept apart by freaks Of temperament are
brought together the same basis OF sincere
affection. There are TWO little games OF cross
Purposes. with q touch OF jealousy in one in
Stance and a good deal Of inscrutab.e feminine
WGywaraaess in the other. and there is a back
ground OF cynical social tattle phrssed in the
polite language OF the West End. The play is
lighted up with genial satire at the expense OF