The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-26
THEATRICAL.
"The Tyranny of Tears"

ITaddon tnambcrs, who wrote ine Tyranny Of
Tears" which was presented at the lyceum last
night, calls it a comedy Of temperament. 1t is
merely fragment out of the lives of two people,
Mr. and Mrs. Parbury, but it is handled with
consrmmate skill by the playwright, who /has
achieved artistic as well as a dramatic sue
cess with it. ''The Tyranny of Tears, apparent
iy offers scant material from which to extract
comedy and that Mr. Cilnhers has dorc so well
with what would be an incident with playwrights
whose heads are filled with more ambitious
schemes proves that he is something Of literary
genius.
Mr. Parbury is literary man who has
charming if somewhat unlicrary wife. She Is dc.
voted to her husband and immensely proud
of his talents and accomplishments, bat she has
selfish little habit Of wanting him all to her.
self, and, knowing that he cannot resist her
tears, she sheds them on the slightest provJca-
tiun. Does he want to spend an evening at la2
club and she objects, but he persists in going,
she is dissolved in tears and Mr.. rarbury dries
her eyes by staying at home II he desires -
so on shooting hunting or yachting trip the
programme is the same If he invites one of his
old chums to his homo she sheds tears because
it seems to separate them. A few years II this
kind of existence has divided Parbury from his
friends, banishcd him from his clubs and isolated
him from the world as completely if he re-
sided on an island in md.occan with cstimable
Mrs. Parbry
Finally he employs a young woman TO assist
him in his literary work Stcnographcr. She
is the daughter OF a poor clergyman who is
grateful to Mr.. Parbury tor the kindness
he always shows her She is also an intense ad
mirer OF the creatures Of his brain. Ono day
while gazing at his photograph her mind sweeps
back over the days since she has been in the
home of the Parh,uys and she falls to consd
Grafton of all she owes him, Acting on inn
-
cr,ntly kisses it. Just then Mis- Parbury
enters the room. Explosion and tears. Miss
Woodward must leave at once. She refuses I'M
less Mr. Parbury tells her TO. Mrs Parbury in
ssts that Mr. Parbury dismiss his stcnographcr
lie refuses More explosion and tears. II Miss
Woodward does not leave, she will, says Mrs
Parbury.
Parbury, who realizes that their lives are
being wrecked and dispositions spoiled by his
wic's unfortunate prcdilection toward tears, dc.
cidcs to make stand on the issue raised by
refusing to dismiss Miss Woodward. His wife
leaves him. as she threatened to do, and they
separated long enough for her to rea c
how nearly she came to completely wrecking the
happiness Of herself and husband Then comes
a reconciliation and establishment of the Parbury
household different footing that ensures
the perpetuation of happiness and the banish
ment of tears.
The cast was small, consisting of John Drew
Arthur Byron, Harry Harwood. Frank Lamb, Ida
Conquest and Isabel Irving. They presented Mr.
Chambers comedy in a superb manner. Mr.
Drew gave a realistic mpcrsonation of the liter
AIRY Mr. Parbury and Miss Irving the fearful
and unconsciously selfish Mrs Parbury. Perhaps
the most delightful bit of work of the cvcnins
was done by Miss Conquest as Hyacinth Woo /.
ward. II was admirable in every respect. The
stage settings and furnishings were in harmony
with the arustic character OF the comedy.