The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-11

| at so notable a display of one the existence
of which had been only suspected. Mr..
/; Chambers American reputation had rested
upon the fact that with the aid OF sundry
master mechanics. he has contIiyed TO
, build various stirring and striking roman
tic or melodrsmatic offerings. Had his
most earnest admirers paused 10 cons der
the possibility of the author turning ont
a society comedy. they would have been
justified in anticipating cGmI Ii atod AID
decidedly usual compilation of title i1eas.
And this is precisely what the effort uncer
discussion is not On the contrary. TIE
Tyranny of Tears established itself a le-
ing wonderfully natural and simple
elaboration OF a theme which. having for
its foundation three hackneyed characters,
was novel and unconventional from primal
curtain to final.
The fashion ia which he has ignored the
obvious suggestions of these characters
and this theme constitutes the chief of
the charms in Haddon Chambers work. IL
pust have been powerful temptation to
begin piece with the creation of a mon
eyed novelist his loving but demanding
spouse. and his pretty amanuensis- In the
first place. assuredly Mr. Chambers COPIED
with an inclination to make the husband
an individual who deemed criminal an eX-
position of emotion. the wife a being with
out feeling or temperament, the typewriter
a-briefy, the comedy anything but the
delicate and intelligent play that
it is. He would have found it
easy to broaden the story Of do
nestle emancipation until il ran along the
lines used in "A Contented Woman - "a
Rich Mans Son. and similar presenta-
tions. But. instead OF farcica tendency.
Mr. Chambers chose sentiment. grace and
the depletion of what Franklin Fyles called
peculiar phases of humanness. Even
then, the existence OF the types described
could not but have limited at the sort of
tale in handling which the dramatist really
is an. adept-the sort Of tale penned by
Laura Jean Libbey and the Duchess-the
tale Of the husband aforesaid falling in
love with the amanuensis aforesaid and
marrying her after a divorce had been Sc
cured by the wife aforesaid
Persons who saw The T. ranny If Tears
lest week must remember how far the mar
rator kept from each CT these methods.
They were taught TO regret the submiS sion
of MIR. Farbury. who had been compelled
by Mrs. PaIbury's command over her
lachrymose glands 10 Surrender friends.
habits, lahor-everything The mas euiine
portion OF the audiences assembled was
made to note the difference between the
practical secretary-"secretry Ida Con-
ter half Tire feminine portion was per-
nitted TO believe that better half right
when, having discovered the girl in the
&C. OF kissing Mr.. Parburs's picture. size
ordered her supposed rival from the door.
Both doubtless regretted the separation
consequent upon Mr.. Parburys refusal 10
pert with an Indispensable assistant. and
bolh probably were glad when the reunion
found kindly bachelor willing to take
- III
Mir. Chambers product grasp the emotions
From a purely critical viewpoint it was
quite as admirable. The Tyranny Ct
Tears" might have been said to lie COM
posed of three things-tslk. more talk. and
continued talk. But the dialogue was so
exceedingly clever that the movement W.
not missed Whittier definitions. crisper
speeches. ard smarter epigrams have moi
been heard in Washington. Nor was theie
any apparent sraining OF dicton in the
attempt to inierpolate these. The var.o-
bits of sense aud eynicism, sparkling and
memorable passed easily and gracefully.
Hyacinth Woodward, testing at George
Cunning. the bachelor TO whom she was be-
trothed later. remarked: Were | gone
you might seek more suitable company. |
have often thought that the very wise
must be very lonely" Again: Il knew a
man once who interfered between husband
and wife quoth George Cunning. The
husband and wife each got black eye;
the man got two" Nothing more del cious
than was Miss Woodward's verbal auto
biography could be imagined. The instant
succession OF such charming lines would
have rendered THE Tyranny Of Tears ex-
celleat had it possessed no other virtue.
And there were other virtues. There
being practically only five characters in
the Offering. il may be understood that
one could have noted little confusion or
deviation from the subject matter. The
story was a simple. unconventional story,
perfectly told. The dovetailing OF every
component situation and episode was
worthy the study OF David Belasco or Of
an Augustus Thomas. Above all. the piece
proved absolutely untheatric II lacked
dramatic climaxes and stage pictures and
other unnatural devices of the playwright.
Fresh and clean and clear as is the water
in swift stream. The Tyranny OF
Tears" would seem TO resemble Tenny-
sons brook also in that it might go on
forever"
II is regrettable that the writer cannot
add the opinion that Mr.. Drew's support
ing cast was as well qualified as was that
Of cir. Wyndham. Arthur Byron and Harry
Harwood. indeed. were the only members
of the organization who approached the
London standard. Ida Conquest. clever
woman though she be proved infinitely
inferior TO Maud Millett. the originator of
the role OF Hyacinih Woodward In no
sense did She realize the idea Of the secre-
tary whom her employer characterized as
"a triumph of the negative" She was
very posiiive-was Miss Conquest-and
her scenes with Mr. Byron lacked intelli-
gibility because they did not contrast with
those in which Mr.. or Mrs. Parbury fig
ured. She read badly. too, and often was
careless. Miss Woodward never would
have missed silver in picking up the cup
which Mrs. Parbury had let fall upon dis
covering her with the picture Miss Con-
quest passed by large pieces of china
nightly. Isabel Irving, as usual. s,oke in
a monotone with a goodly gasp before
every sentence. Miss Conquest drawled
the autobiography mentioned as s-ould
have most actresses had they been at
tempting a Southern accent. Both were
net above adequacy in conform
ance with the above remark, is regrettable.
As was TO have been expected confidently,
Olga Nethersole's production OF 'Sappho"
has caused no end of rumpus in New
York. The result of this disturbance, as
was TO have been expected also. is the
prospect of the greatest business that Eng
lish woman ever has done in this country
Already seats are said 10 have been sold
four weeks in advance. and one can imagine
the ld-blooded Louis Nethersole, who
probably cares not a whit how much the
piece is condemned II only 1t continues
profitable grinning broadly with pure de-
light. Despite efforts TO that end on the
part of the Journal" there is not the re-
hottest likelihood that the police will make
any attempt to stop the performance OF the
play. and. resultanIy. Alan Dale may be