New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08
DRAMA IN ENGLAND.
Ne,r Comedies By Mrs. Craigic and
,fr Corfon-Honest John Coleman.
London. April %.

I
-, DESPERATELY romantic, but merely be-
.5o wishes II 10 be understood az the out
,4st +. is not a comedy OF manners OF the
"a French school, but an unconventional and
--,ecial drama Of sentiment. There is nothing
aI.ss,oal about the piece except the title. which
:. ,orrov.d from a picture painted by the hero.
,r.are fs neither passion nor action in II. but
- &c q good deal Of bright and sparkling
-. There seems al first 10 be fair promise
:, fantasy for there is a Princess Of SiguI1a,
-. NJ court etiquette and proprieties: and
,hera Is young English ncbleman. who has
-, soldier. but has found refuge in a yens-
.i,r stuGio and is striving 10 carry out his
sr,,stir ideals The flute Of Pan pipes few
rorra,ric notes. and is mufled by the rumble Of
6r,,rns. The Princess needs 4 general TO lead
10, armies. ard consequently she marries the
,s.siS+ who paints Pan and talks about pas
,o-al music She carries him back 10 court with
hsr but when they have gone from Venice 10
e,ruria by way Of Florence they are separated
nv court iealousies and intrigues. The trouble
could he explained away by two or three direct
cpestious and plain answers but Mrs. Craigie
Is bent upon sending the lovers back 70 Venice
80 the Princess Indicates the throne when the
re,ersl returns victorious from the field Of bat
lie and t IS not until they are again IN the
studio that their misunderstandings are cleared
fu
fl,te Mines up anew with a faint wheeling ncte.
and then IS silent again. Mrs. Crsigie cannot
leave the lovers within a league OF Arcadia.
The usurpirg dynasty IS overthrow and the
nrncess Is restored 10 the throne. with her lover
et hand 10 fight her coUntry's battles.
Pan was Z mischievous god who was con
stantly playing pranks upon travellers and IN
sDir,rg searching OF heart when there was no
oarse FOR alarm. Possibly the Princess and
the nobleman are the victims Of the whimsical
eisturters intrigues at court. for they are con
,,antly iourneyinR. and are bewildered and
frightened when there is much ado about moth
iDg. Pan was also a merry sprite. with HIS
pug nose horns and goats feet. and Mrs.
Craigie Is not a dull writer % dialogue, but has
vivaclty and charm, this is not n serious play,
but agreeable and mirthful. Comedy is not.
however. put together for the literary purpose
Of justifytng a fancifu title. There may be the
brightest dialogue and the most subtle treat
merit OF character; hut unless there he the
requisite degree Of Conference IN the plot the
laughter OF the audience Will be hollow and
thoughtless. The Flute OF Pan" is a house OF
rar6s falling apart with the faintest breath
n rests upon the hiInsiest possible device fo-
exciting Jealousy and the lovers are kept apart 4
without any better reason than the necessity T.
for proongiug the play until the audience has /
full value for It's money in long evenings en- F.
tertainment. The situations are as artificial as
the sentiment and the dialogue. and when an I
emotional actress Ike Miss Nethersole attempts I
10 make dramatic points by exaggerating the I
effects OF certain passages she is playing with .
delicate china and is likely TO smash it. It is
most refreshing. however, 10 see that handsome 4
actress playing in q different class OF plays I
from "Sapho" and 'Magda." and she ought TO 4
be grateful 70 Mrs. Craigie for supplying her I
with part so agreeable and winsome as the I
Princess in The Flute of Pan"
Mr.. r. c. Carton accepts the current English I
view that audiences ought 10 be amused when I
they go 10 the theatre. He has provided Mr.. 4
Frohmans company al the Duke OF York's 4
Theatre with an eccentric comedy sparkling /
with Nit and entertaining passages. The Rich /
Mrs Repton" written for and around Miss
Compton, is the story OF a whimsical woman.
who instead OF being hardened and ernbittered /
by painfGl past. IS softened and sweetened lJy !
H. She spends her time and money in doing
good secretly takes disappointed men under her /
protection has a clubroop in her house as a
shelter Tor struggling genius, and is Indifferent f
70 The means employed so long IS practical re- (
suits are secured. One OF her proteges is a .
oTanatist who has written a masterpiece. but
cannot induce any manager 10 look ~ H.
Another is Lord Charles Dorchester. who is
heavily in debt and at the mer:y Of his credit
ors' but thinks that he can win 4 small fortune /
et d horSeraco. She supplies the money re-
CURED Tor staging the play, and allows the rae /
ing lord 10 announce that she has consented to I
H'fTy nm The play has successful run, the /
creditors are temporarily appeased and the right
morse wins the race. Incidentally. both men are
f1i n the way Of proposing TO the same girl.
moran Lamonhy. The racing lord is finally res
Cuea from the clutches Of pair Of blacknlailers:
Nut mrs. Repton is recognized and threatened /
Nth a scancalous exposure, and Norah'. uncle,
WHO is bishop, IS informed Of the engagement.
-liS hepicn frankly tells her own story. de-
zines the grateful lords offer 10 marry her. and
restores Norah 10 his arms. There are need /
tssSly unpleasant passages at the close. and the
D'Sl0ps dignity is not respected but the play Is
ingenious In construction and is Ilunlned with |
the comic s18rfr
y -dts Cra!gies play suffers from lack OF
A'ustpiot and surplus OF talk Mr. Cartons IS /
SHe''oaoed with side issues ana "reminiscences OF
.A's Hepton's past life If Mrs. CraIgie's fan
'.s0c !aY degenerates into an artificial drama !
- cou't intrigue, Mr.. Cartons comedy abounds
- .Nsatfloal effects, and supplies all the actors
~ me opportunities for acting. Miss Comp
- 7'seAI' as Mrs ReptOn. is q thoroughly con-
icing parsonage. generous. genial and synpn-
80. 80 when her plans for the amelioration OF
- 4eilow creatures are in progress. and cool.
Vu'oetul and imperturbable when her own
S1'1loh Is In jeopardy. Perhaps she is on the
100 often and too long: but while she is
- she fills It with her presence and her
---.1Nl comedy style. Mr.. Dion Boucicault is
amusing as the nervous dramatist i'm
.esSso with the greatness OF his own work; and
81 "a T. Matthews gives a most effective i'm
S0Hst4on Of the racing lord. Mr.. Eric Lewis
az excellent part; the various members OF
i'sp'on club are brilliantly represented: