New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-24
THE DRAMA.
VICE AT THE CRITERION THEATRE.
Mr.. PINERO's IRIS"

The Movement contnues--the Movement as
defined by Henry Arthur Jones Ito treat the Great
Realities of modern life upon the stage rive
years ago. according TO Mr.. Joness record II was
scotched or gagged otherwise ops1ra cue"
needing some of those remedial aids that are per
tinently suggested by Macbeth; but it was not ao
soiutely stopped. Various resolute persons as
| noted by Mr.. Jones. sweating in its ser
vice, and he declared that they would continue 10
sweat, in the sangune. not TO say humid oeilei
That. sooner or later through liberal expendl-
tlre of perspiratio it would again get started
mat belief has been iustfied-mainly through the
lerV1o Industry OF Mr. Pinero, who appears 10 De
the chief sweater of the whole devoted band ana
Win Mr. Pnero's drama of Iris, which last
night was revealed. in all its naked vulgarity at
Ile Criterion Theatre,-the Movement makes q.
spCrt which ought 70 carry it we'll forward II not
actually to the goal
Inc Great Realities Of modern life, 1t ap-
pears. are courtesans and blackguards- sexual
passions and sexual crimes, inf1detes both IN the
sta'e OF marriage and of it, and general stew
OF pesuaty and Corruption These great reah-
ues extend through all classes of society dominate
al worldly affairs and overshadow and controi
everything There Is no goodness in human nature
there is no honesty in human life; there is no
virtue IN woman; there is no honor in man All
places that the eye Of Heaven visits reek with
ihlqnltF- Hereditary disease has infected every
pody. and the human is merely a pestllent
congregation of moral lepers. These being the
means OF the acted drama. TO edfy this race OF
Nlpers with everla sting panoramic photograph
OF IFS own depravity and 1lth-'to hold as tWere
the mirror up TO Nature. with the understanding
'hat Nature is cesspool. and that there IS
holhng in this world so "vire." true. so
ecstatically delightful and so fraught with exem-
Plefy precept. to its inha btaftts, literal re-
production of that typical emblem. Thus loom the
GREAT Realities and thus shows the Movement. re
I!acted through the mist of many of the dramas OF
the last ten wears
In Iris the great realities Of our modern life
are oernirep an ass and blsckguard-Iris Bel
lamy, Lawrence Trentwith and Frederick Nal
oohsIdo. Iris Bellamy Is young widow, who from
her deceased husband has inherited ample fort
une' which she can hold only long she re-
mains single, and with which she cannot under
any circumstances. bear TO part Trentwfth is
lhpecunious, but Maldonaldo is rich Both these
men love" Iris, and both propose marriage to her
her Love responds 70 Trentwith, but her Money
prefers Maldonaldo: It is case Of cupidty against
cupid In this dilemma she first accepts MaIdo-
naldo; then rejects him; and finally compromises
ny becoming Trentwith's paramour, pending the
happy day when he shall have made a fortune in
America. and she be married to him without
mourning the dreaded blight of poverty. That
blight however. suddenly comes upon her. through
the dishonesty Of her business agent and she is
left with but barely pittance: yet. SO. she
declines 10 marry Trentwith, and this donkey de-
parts from her to seek for wealth. Then. of course
the rubcund Nationwide appears. with plenty Of
money and. equally of course. Iris becomes his
mistress. In due time Trentwth returns 10 find
his former paramour in her sin and shame with
another man, express his amazement at this
astounding posture of affairs and Notwithstanding
her fervid assurances OF devoted fidelity. to re-
pudiate and repel her. Ultimately Nationwide dis
the Of her affections, and that he has
been only playing second Middle. and in frenzy
of Jealous rage.-deportng himself like the brutal
and loathsome ruff1an that he s.he turns her into
the street and then proceeds to smash her furni-
turc. That in substance, il the play, a play in
which not a single important incident is clean.
and scarce a single character worthy of respect a
play I'm which people talk and ACT a. Il there were
no such thing earth as moral principle or physi-
cal purity. and As II they were living In society
hereft alike Of virtue deccncy, and common sense
Worse compounds OF Hbertinsm and carnaltty have
unhappily. more than been seen upon our
stage; but compound OF those ingredients quite
pretcntious in form. or quite so specious IN It's
pretenson. has hitherto been exhibited: FOR IRIS
with her beauty. her impulse, her passion, her
vacuty of principle her fabby character, and all
the rest Of her baeful freight of weakness and sih
is the crystaIization OF those multitudinous beings
who make most of the trouble in the world, the
great company of erotic and vicious Fools
II is always said. in excavation Of the offence OF
dramas Of this kind that they teach "a lesson
Perhaps they do. But it is invariably, a trlte ana
trivial lesson and completely superhuous flre
will burn BE virtuous and YOU will be happy
Twice two is four That is the substance of the
lesson" IN the name Of the Prophet-tlSS.
Neither man nor woman needs to be warned against
a life of vice and shame. Neither man nor woman
not naturally unchaste needs any ehilshlei'e''' do
10 the Importance of chastity. Ana. as a matter
of fact dramas Of this kind are not presented from
any moral impulse or with any ethical purpose
They can easily be made for the reason that hicit
love which IS their invariable theme'-ln us
action and reaction upon human character Ill the
existing social environment readily operates 50 a9
to create effective dramatic situations ana these
,s .,.ra made and presented because these situ-
atoms commonly impress the atniaoie iiiDi'i'uuo'
IA .ra therefore remunerative In money. NO
enecta,or ever prohted by any one or then' or
ever will. Their only practical erect IL " ,'' e
mind of the observer with images OF lilliioiai
tr and njctlres Of ncentous life; to set the I'M
animation broodinE upon iniduites and 10 saooeh
- -, Nth an almost despairng sense of human
frailtv and vIckedness. Amateur critics OF IRE ana
Of the stage are always tremendously hi0'e" ~
Them declaring them 10 be strong DO i" d va
tain sense. they are; but so Is an oioii' " "
ct .Tat MS said DR.. Johnson, free our mlnds
- ut Tho true motive of all such plays as
LIE, &c eordid shopkeeping craft. ana the ACTUAL
io,o,co of all of them is the sophlsticauoh OF
reason the defilement OF morality anu ''e PEI
tr -, taeto They operate upon III" inin' very
much as bad water operates upon '7
cases the result is disease . ,.
rb ,nbI;ctst who takes this view OF tins SUBJECT
ts Of course sttgmatized as the N'c'ih u mural
Mysteries That is a part Oh 'i'e G -
p.oesear,, mart Of II. The Mysteries however ar
-, - ~ ether side To any man who knows me
an Va 80, , = ..1ris' is not only tainted but dull
>-a.t,, i, II rises above tho level OF a 'ardln
NI.biue intrigue or a barroom row us ForuaEai
of vice Is not even moderately novel "1i - ~
eenius-thero is not even audaclty-'n ''I' 7
Of a srouu Of scamps ana tools di Jun
c.ns.,ese nerverse misguided. ill-regulateo no
F,so The thing is commonplace and
.aio,s The dAriction of Cyprian IN hel aiia'o!S
tah,n aoas not offend a sane judgment 1t ohiS