New-York tribune., 1902-01-19

Mr.. Ben Webster and Miss Beatrice Ferrar In
the cast there is good acting in the minor parts,
and there is graceful dancing by Miss Ethel
Ross-Selwicke. The play is completely success
full on the dramatic side whatever may be the
literary defects and blemishes.
Two excellent curtain raisers have been staged
within a week. One is Mr.. L. N. Parker's THE
Sequel" at the Criterion, I'm which Miss Alma
Murray is to great advantage. and the
other is "A Patched-Up Affair" by Florence
Warden, at the St. James's with Madge
Mcintosh in admirable form Mr.. George Alex
ander has followed up Liberty Hall" with a re-
vival of THE Importance of Being Eearnest"
but has unnecessarily suppressed Oscar Wildes
name under the thin guise of "the author of
Lady Windermere's Fan" Reticence may have
been dictated by commercial reasons. but the
play warmly received at the St. Jamess
last night that the actOr-manager must have
regretted a slight to the memory of a dead
playwright of exceptional brilliance and wit.
Ample amends were made, however. in Mr..
AleXander's own impersOnation of John Worth
ing. j. P, which was in his best comedy style.
and admirable for lexibilty and instructive
sense of ludicrous situation Mr.. Alexander
well supported. especially by Miss Lillian
BraithwaIte. Miss Margaret Halstan. Mr.. GTa-
ham Browne and Mr.. Lyall Swete. a most
cOmplished actor. with marked individuality OF
style, who followed for long period the fortunes
of Mr.. Benson's Shakespearian company. The
main triumph of the evening. well as the actors
did their work, the dead playwright's,
whose blighted career ended obscureIy and mis-
erably In Paris. critical audience was
vulsed with merriment from beginning to end.
There was not dull line in the three acts and
the play of wit, drollery and farcicaI humor
was incessant Candid playgoers only needed to
follow DR.. JohrsOn's advice and to rid their
minds OF cant in order to separate a really
brilliant work from baleful memories of the
authors career and to enjoy it for it's distinctive
merits.
Happily. the most Objectionable play of the
year has tAen reserved for a single per-
formance under the auspices of the Stage So
ciety at the theatre of the New Lyric Club
This was Mrs. Warren's Profession" by Mr.
Bernard Shaw. 1t piqued prurient curiosity and
attracted matinee audience largely made up of
women. who avoided recognition and found rea-
son for being ashamed of their inquisitiveRess
before the final fall OF the curtain. The parts
were we'll taken by Miss Fanny Brough
Madge Mcintosh and four men, and there was
no lack of acrid and sardOnic humor in the
piece: but the author. with whimsical insiu-
cerity and cynical fightiness of mind had
wasted his wit and original talent upon a dis
agreeable and obnoxious theme. IL was the
story of a practical business woman who sup
ported herself by a lucrative but disreputabIe
trade. and kept her daughter in Ignorance of it
while educating her at Cambridge and attempt
Ing 10 make fine lady of her When the cur
tain fell nothing could be said in justification
of the unwholesome play. No ethical motive
could be discerned; every auditor was the worse
for having shifted for nearly three hours the
foul odors; nothing had been accomplished be-
yond Mr.. Shaw's satisfaction in having
vent for his dsordered socialist opinions in a
series of cynical attacks upon society, religion.
education. current manners and existing insti-
tutions, and In proving In his own artificial and
whimsical way that whatever is is wrong
l. y. F.