New-York tribune., 1900-11-13
THE DRAMA.
IoHN HARE AT THE CRITERION
THE GAY LORD oUEx"

vrhi
- Of glitteTing multitude al the Criterion The
- is a dramatic event of the first Importance
Il "a one that must not here be carelessly censid-
80 or lightly dismissed Mr.. Hare. speaking
s.b reference to the method rather than the sub
..,oa q his aChevenent.-is & great comedian.
ua hos not rule attempted great parts: in
aree- Of more than thirty-five years his most
-orspicuous tnpersonations have been Gerridge.
rocles Sir John Vesey. Dunsccmbe. Sir Peter
Tssxie ard Benjamin Goldhnch: he has preferred
- - part OF the picture and not the whole
.nvss: but IN whatever character he has chosen
- appear he has ected with cOnsummate ability
-us merit Is extraordinary and his influence has
.sen wide aad deep. The return Of this comedian
,ce-7Ir s3v which means the renewed exertion of
rare artistic foTce,-ought TO be the cause Of
saual.te5 pleasure: IL proves TO be the cause of
Il .'nost uruittsated pain. He is the same superb
<tisi cf old: he has the same perfect control
Il person visage. demeanor. and movement the
rings = feeling the bres OF character. the ele-
rerts o. situation and the forces of dramatic
s1ect r. stju creates ard maintains an absolute
1!usioa causing lis auditors 70 forget the stage
AID 70 seel that they are looking upon life itself
hgt whereas formerly he presented beauty. he now
,-esents def armty He Went away in the light
ard honor of the lovely character OF Coldhnch: he
returns - he shadow ard blight OF the BLACKBOARD
rsarac-er # the Gay Lord Quex. The comedy in
which -e appeared from the expert pen of Mr.
4nerc i a comedy of amatory intrigue contrived
fl Bitterness and written in sarcasm. without one
rnpts- 3 Kindness CLEAN of cheer. and
Etfh0-- any single admirable attribute except that
o. co5 mechanical deXterity. In a technical point
q view -re play example of feicitousIy adroit
construction. sprinkIed all its fbres and fex-
-reS and joints with clitering steel-like powder
q YER al r.Q=anCy Ia every other point OF view
melancholy bore. Its purpose. supposing It 20
have one beyond that Of providing a strong
scene" is TO depict corrupt phase Of actual
c.err. % exploit The character of a Icentous but
clever man. and 70 exempfy and declare that
prUagate. who has AT length determined marry
ana to lead virtuous life Is the superior being,
compared with his chaste brethren OF the human
(supposing that there anyl and much the
bs;ter sort Of man for virJuous and beautiful
young woman approve ard accept her con-
sTt for life. Platitude and folly thus reach their
Climax A medical writer Of eminent authority has
recurted the opinon.-and unquestiouably It is a
sound one--that the old doctrine that reformed
-eke makes the best husband has done to
propagate Hoentiousness and TO disseminate disease
than any other falacious notion that ever took
possession 4 the popular mind. In London The
Gay Lor3 Quex' had q long career Of prosperity.
! II eee-ed here wiki the London OF parts.
znG i : mounted with exquisite taste and acted
w1:h re-1a-AaGiy symmetrical fusion OF diversified
talen- The preposterous chara Of the Duchess
., s-rao5-an a62lteress and hypocrite. and such
sentimental fool not to know that she is either
Kas wonderfully wei played by Miss Ada Ferrar.
Eho :hos sustained very large part OF the burden
C the p!s-e. for tie whole action depends the
Duchess. III Gilbert Hare made a special hit in
he sketch part Of blase official: but the chief in
,s-es- u course, centred on John Hare and Irene
TA-tr1ea
The posture of facts and proceedings manifested
n his comedy IS almost trite in its barren sim
f.eaess Lord Quex an elderly English noblernan
wh3 had long been living in prohigate ways fell in
5ye with bea utiful and virtuous young woman
Nu-iel Eden. aaeasurabIy prospered fl his wooing
81 be- and -hereuPon determined TO live decentiy
a.5 Z aGoru tlle holy state matrinony In this
rsfor-Hat0-y mood and plan he was opposed by |
sophy FulEarrey. the foster sister Of Murie Eden
who dislise5 and distrusted him. and also he was
u0nentarily hiadered by 4 certain Duchess Of /
suooa. who lad been his paramour This Duchess |
arranged with him that he should make a pri- !
H0ct1rnal visit &c her apartment. Miss Full /
gs.ng. accidentally becoming acquainted with this
sazdeztne appointment, repaired betimes TO an
@9se-t coigne OF vantage with q view 10 obtain !
pastive proof Of the duplicity Of Lord Quex, and |
azn 10 urnasll him and Illustrate his intended |
marriage with her beloved Murfel Lord Quex. |
hgwever-expert intrigue. self-possessed and |
easily predominant. discovered her presence his
-ys-trg place penetrated her design, and con- |
5ucte5 interview with her eectUally 70 screen
himself and TO place her in position Of q dan
ssrously compromising character. clash Of wits
snsued between the two. in which the intrepid
gtrl behaved well and exhibited so fine q spirit
hat rhe o,I rake became nnagnaninoUs and Nb
GRATED Ter from perilous thraIdom Of impending
and possible disgrace Muriel Eden meantime,
lad t-eli-ed toward the suit Of certain Captain
Bas-.-uE supposed tO be the pink Of ncarnate
Ytr;.a bur this warrior when tested by Miss Full
garuev-who was determined that her foster sis
should hare a good hus5and.-unexpectedly dis
gl5se5 a 1eplorabIe weakness. showing that, while
valiant j. the presence Of Mars. he could make no
Iesistz-- Whatever 70 the Establishments Of Venus
IL thz -ssr Miss Fulgarney. perceiving the i'm
usnse superiority or the regenerated proiigate,
relinQ Qllshed opposition and the Gay Lord Quex
riur-Tha--tly carried of his bride. Twas ever
taus. fraU chiiGhoods hour" Even so, in the days
Ct AUG Lang syne did Lord Methuseah in the
pages . Thackeray walk away with dear Emma
Trotrer. How charming il is" said that great
writer TO find virgin hearts quite unsullied and
10 look er al little romantic pictures Of mutual
9ve,"
Nj Hare told one Of the English newspapers q
A-tle while ago when extoing The Gay Lord
oaex," that. were II not that the bed be seen
from the 5oudGir Of the Duchess. one probably,
~ouid ever have made even the slightest objection
q The play In that case, why not exclude the
BED? II the beI is not there for any purpose con-
neeted with the play should not be there at all
But this IS only subterfuge. and rather misera bic
sabterf1ge AZ that Such talk only serves to show
ao# surrey and completely the long continued Gus
l'm q infringing the public sense Of propriety.
-ot . say cecency. has among many theatrical
persons. a1c among many Of their followers be-
nHuloed and obscured the instinct OF refinement,
'2e ideal = good taste and gooo manners, and the
perception y right and wrong A bed. in itself, is
ole O. the most harmless and inohensve OF all
EXISTING objects Il chiefly suggests that condition
WHICH PERHAPS, is the sum Of human happiness
Seel- Jr- Johnson. who touched upon most things.
'oacaed p-2yfulIy upon this
n .5 5eq aTs we Ia Iaqga Pa5 n n bed bed We we eiy
To- near approach a bed may SHOW
yf human bliss and human woe"
Tie 5ra1atst. II Is ve~y certain. had a motive IN
duplicating the bed. and II was by no means a
PLAYFUL But IL ts not he presence OF the bed
1at tends yitiate this play; Il IS among other
'Ahgs. Tho Introduction oI that furniture under