The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-20
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.

l
| Archibald Kane. ne............,.. Stanley Dark
| Colonel wynning g........,,......R r. Neill
| servant. ........................Hd Harry Lewis
| Servant Lawrence Eddinger
At the Providence Opera House for the
| week with a matinee only on Saturday.
Virginia Harmed in Iris" drama by
| A. w. Pinero.
| Another Pinero woman IN an intensified
| Pinero play.
| Iris Bellamy is not a woman with a past
in the play. When the play begins she is
woman with a future. an interesting
| future. as subsequently proves When
| the play ends. she is indeed n woman with
| a past. and we guess she goes down 20
| the irredeemable depths when Maldonado
| drives her from the cosy fiat where he
has been guarding her. prompted both by
love and desire for revenge.
The problem OF Iris seems 10 be ad-
| dressed tn several characters One phase
OF II is the private selhshness ~ the
| passion OF love. The motives OF the char
| acters are intensely human albeit
strongly theatrical I'm their range. And Il
| appears that out Of promptings ~ the
most estimable sort nothing but wrong
and wretchedness develops in the end.
n
lot Of people in the play that Iris Bel
lamys husband left her a widow al 26.
young and beautiful. and that further
more he attached a clause 70 his will that
her income from his estate should cease
i'm event of her marrying again.
We gather that the late Mr.. Bellamy
did not put this clause into his will be-
cause OF any dog In the manger spirit or
10 oppress unduy his beautiful wife
whom he could not take with him 10 the
next world. Rather did he seek 10 pro-
tect her in her youth and silessness from
the solicitations OF a1venturers, the bet
ter 10 preserve her peace and happiness
after his own protecting arm was re-
moved from her.
II may be observed In passing that
never did well meant design for the in
terests OF another go farther sstray.
That clause in the will made matters
extremely bad for Iris even before the
curtain rose on the first set, as the dia-
logue imparts. Suitors good and true hes
itated 10 pay court to her not caring to
assume responsibility for separating her
from her wealth in event Of the success
OF their suit AS 20 men OF millions. she
was compelled 10 bar them from consid-
GRAFTON since the world would be disposed
10 explain that she was looking for one
OF that kind 10 make up the millions Of
her own that would he dropped at the
chancel rail. Finally marriage with the
poor but honest was wholly out Of the
question since she could not consent to
give herself Impoverished 10 one al
ready burdened and besides, 10 tell the
truth. Iris was fond Of luxury and she
shied at housework.
II is the latter contingency that Is the
source OF concern when the play opens.
Iris and a poor young man love one an
other and that IL so plain TO her social
world that there is some scandalous talk
al ha Oft herself
from further bother. Iris consents 10
wed Maldonado an extremely rich and
quite determined man. But a last inter-
view with the younger and poorer lover
results In her throwing over Maldonado
and she goes 10 Italy, whence the lover
follows.
There they two live an ideal. II some
what unconventional life until the oper-
ations OF her trustee In London destroy
her fortunes when tho lover leaves 10
make a career for himself and fortune
for his wife-to-be and Maldonado comes
into the scene with a devilish plan 10
conquer Iris I'm his absence. Maldonado
succeeds so well that when the other
lover returns to claim her he promptly
throws her over.
Maldonado who is stIll dying TO marry
her. discovers the meeting OF the two
and I'm rage he also discards her and
the play comes 20 an end with Maldonado
smashing the furniture In their fiat as
symbolic OF the final confusion or pas
sion and the general havoc that the hap
less Iris has made OF his life and every
body elsc's.
In word. here is very decent sort
Of a woman, who truly loves n decent
sort Of a mans truly loved by him, IL
devotedly loved by still another-and the
lives Of all three are simply wrecked be-
yond recovery by reason Of circumstances
over which none Of them are allowed TO
have any control Verify. the Fate of
the Greek drama has strong part IN
this new Plnero play.
Resides there are others involved I'm the
general ruin. for every one, men and vo-
men. loves Iris And the wreck OF that
banking house coupled with the wreck of
the woman's life. affects I'm a serious way
about every character IN the play
From all which IL Is 10 be inferred that
Iris" IL not q cheerful play.
II Is a house OF trouble from the earliest
episodes Blt it Is a nightly interest
ing play and curious,y enough IL is inter-
estlng I'm just tho way that book Is
that U.s. unless You have read the story OF
Il somewhere. YOU can hardly grasp q
conception of how it is 10 come out
until the last curtain falls.
He l. y bold playwright indeed who
undertakes TO carry his audience along
without giving them an inumation of how
he Is going 10 dispose OF his characters
and his story Rut Mr. Pinero Is bold
Iris represents his most
highly developed talent and is a product
as wonderfully finished as u is unusual Tn
theme and audacious in treatment.
Miss Harmed. as tho plea sure loving wo-
man. who frst won't give up her wealth
for her love. then won't embarrass her
love with her poverty. then won't give
up her love for more wealth. and ends by
losing everything, presents n chsracter of
many shadings in way 20 command the
attention ~ her audience.
IN is most thoroushgoing piece of act
ing that Miss Harmed does in this elab-
orate play Of elaborate emotions and
strongly coutrasted effects.
To the distinction and charm with |
which she has always invested whatever |
parts she essays. she adds In this Iris a \
surprising display of the emotional in I
many moods Elaborate not 10 say COM 4
plicated as this latest Pinero woman H.. /
Nftsg ITarued'a study Of IA H. finished tO a 4