New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-01
LONDON DRAMA.
Il Scandalmongers Play at the Hs~
market, Nth Touches of Sot;r.
Londen. January n

O"H uidHldS- 1hey are not puppets of a.,
Iniasination' worked By cunningly devised -.
IN 'he Horary. Ihey are creatures OF r..s a..
SIood' Whims and affectations weaknes,,. -
naOl's- IheS nave the breath of life. and }, !.
8 pleasure to hear them talk. becau,, -"
acquaintance who are to be met arv a..
the London clubs and the world Of fash,o, a.. "a
new play. Joseph Entangled." which :.
miraoy produced al the Haynarkst rh..,..
defective In construction since Their. Ia 80,
lead in the opening scene. and the .o,,,,.N
brought about by a device as old a.
sSreeabIe-the presence OF eavesdroopar, 49,.
a screen; but the dialogue "a crtsp ant -
tanning, there is a vivid sense os charscr.r -.
the tOlles OF smart society. "whers uoho1x =
anybody and everybody is somebody
irized with a light touch in a genuine oor,,.
spirit The play is slightly reminiscent O. .-r,.
Liars perhaps the best OF Mr.. Jones's r.c.,.
works. and there Is a chorus Of scandainonr,-,
al men. with single exception. tndussr,o,.s,
bent upon huShing up story about which ,s..
are constantly chatterins This Is the th.u.. !.
an amusing play of manners. with soma v.n
salted satire.
The plot is extremely sirnpIe. During tss m.
sence OF HardOIph Mayue IN Scotland. m, v,,.
Lady Verona, makes an unexpected Icurn.v !.
London from OxfOrdshire. to prevent the .lo,.-
ment Of her sister, Lady Joyce Fanmers VIZ,
a military officer. She succeeds in her .rr.,s
surprises the caretaker In her town hons. a,
the evening. and orders breakfast for the uor,.
ing. with a view 20 returning TO the countr, 10
early train When the caretaker has so,.
Quoted her 20 a room. put out the IiSht, .ps
gone 10 bed herself. the butler returns from !,
public house and throws open the window O, N.
morning room. Sir Joseph Lacy. a tascin,t,,
hgrHeIor nd fri Of
from the street and explains that he has Iost n,
luggage on the way 70 the Continent and tos.D.,
like to go to q hotel He IS admitted bv N.
butter. who was formerly IN hts employ. ana |.
provided with sleeping accommodation for II,
right The next day Lady Verona and Sir 10
seph meet Unexpectedly In the morning ruor,
to the establishment Of butler and caretaker a,A
breakfast together. and the situation IS rendered
more embarrassing. first. by the fact that HEN
IN love with her. and. second. that thsy ara N
te-Tup:ed by Harry Lavender and bis vita who
have received instructions by wire from Scot
land 10 meet the husband there that morning.
AS Lady Verona IS anxious to protect her sister
whose eiopement has been frustrated she
pledges the visitors ard the TWO servants %
secrecy. and Sir Joseph's efforts 20 have ira
whole matter promptly explained to the husband
are unavaiIins. While the principals are In
nocent and merely the victims Of sOincIdencs
and a drou adventure. appearances are against
them. Sir Joseph returns two months afterward
from the Continent % his chambers. 70 ind that
the scandalmonsers have been busy. that there
has been q scene in a club. and that the Jealous
husband Is threatening 20 bring suit for d.
vorcs He visits the husband In the las, act
and emphatically cOrrooorates Lady Vsronas
assertion that she IS innocent The husband
does not believe theur-snd angrily retires from
the room. but returns. after listening oenine
curtain to their talk. and Apologies TO his Wtfs
and her disappointed lover. who. meanwhile
has been vainly proposing a runaway marrisSs
The eavesdropplng solution Is not only offensive
but unnecessary. since Lady verOna's sister %
brought in at the last moment IN ample time to
explain away the eoincidsucs OF the first act
The plot not being ingenious. counts for iirtis'
but the characters ara Sharply defined and brill
family sketched There Is Harry Lavender.
fsatherheaded dude. who spends his tine In
talking over scandals with hts suspicious and
ire1e wife. IS always ready 70 believe ths worse
about everybody. cannot keep secret and en-
barrasses his friends with offers Of assistance n
flushing things up There Is Gerald Fannsra
y hose own wife Is irresponsible and indiscres-
a. indicated BY the frustrated eiopement Yes
who Is blind 20 everything going on at noms
and eager 70 bIurt out every scandalous SOY
about other people. and efficient only IN ~
venting a settlement Of their affairs oy III
srupid diplomacy and extreme business Tiers
4. the preposterous To5in TOheld. Joosonas
professor OF moral philosophy at Oxford *n'
discrimfnates between theory and practices "a
scandal cases. and Is convinced that "nat''''
is is wrong To this group Is added SermSA
Pvecroft. q cynical ciubma1. who plunes aH''
SELF upou his candor and common sense S0H-
siders 10 idle to assume that any man or woman
In good society can ever be Innocent ana o"@,'
that he has no sense OF honor. and consequently
Is SHARED the trouble Of defending elmer ni"'eA
or any woman. or OF deceiving any oooy wy"
windy talk All these people are types 'a'-,
rscornized In the clubs Of Ptccadily and -
James's, ard they are amusing IN me" -
sIstsnt chatter. IN their conviction that ns
PRINCIPALS IN the stor- are dull liars ana u -
absurd attempts 10 hush Up scandal 'or VIZ ,
-. tr.,,ssrvss responsibls The butler ana
The cartaker are equally suspicious ana - -
r,ssc,t-, the vacuovs talk and habits OF 'holeA
and lfvtne Of the people above them. ard sa'"'.
,-,practicebIe In efforts 20 protect an hal0S~'
wonan's reputation
r.. ~-,,.,,,,t rartz are strongly drawn By nv
.-,-,at,s, and admirably enacted on tho Ha'
r,,rte4 sfars Mr.. cyril MaUde. who $ w
s+a,tlv improving his methods and oro@'''. -.
hi, range. Is delightful as the easy so'u'
Joseph Lacy He is humorous taselna'',' -. ,,-.
tfmentaI. frank and genial and. WINE "-. -.
r,sr servant and his friends give him inc
ton OF being an irresistbls lady Si'sr' - .Or.
81 vnaTeetedIy and with such a ssIS ., a.
v,ction that the audience Is constr@'' "a.
cent his professions Of love a. SIN ,,.n.
comedy scenes with Lady Verona anu : s,,roor
sarrrongers are acted with wniins.-'- -, ,-ra-
ard charm. ard. while his eonduS' = :. v,r.
proachabIe. he makes an nonsS' - ,,t.r-
- -. e ,,,tatptsd by cynicsn- VIA J,