New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-05

, domestic Piece, aeith Reminis-
.,,ces of 'The Mil on the Floss
london. Novemher 1s.

IN require either Shakespeare or poeuc
sss with nobility Of purpose Mr.. Forbes
-+son is an artist TO the tips of his fingers.
Roue. Zen his austere face and melodious voice.
sno' aads drama OF real distinction. There is a
$50 .o,,sness Of wasted opportunity when a
GOES .nectator finds himself in so splendid a
flli.e ard watches SO intellectual and so well
ihee5 an actor as he toys with the senti-
sa at of a quiet, inoffensive, domestic
- This feeIing-and ii is general among
als'.~ n,avgoers-that Mr.. Forbes Robertson
:. always TO be seen in superior stage work
=. finest tribute that can be paid to him;
oueht not to create prejudice against
y ,boesorne domestic pieces for which
larger and more trustworthy public
80 than for masterpieces of the Eliza
-, stage or for poetic drama illumined with
s,ation This actor-manager had tried one
of,er another with meagre financial re-
Pa. when Mice and Men" proved the turning
". :, his fortunes and attracted playgoers by
po-', harm of its sentiment. its tender pathos
~ ace whimsical humor. Hence, it has been
~ -, for him to appeal TO Mrs. Ryley for
- 5ounestic play when other works of a
~ -,bitious character were not proving suf-
nv J., attractive Mrs. Grundy' is the new
- ond while it is study Of village scandal
.bs strenuous effort made by country
an - nrotect an indiscreet but innocent girl.
nure and decent play, like the romance OF
- ornban asylum. It opens less briskly, has
90. anil moments and misses the final note or
-. and while the actor-rnanager is as well
- IN one play as in the other Miss Gertrude
80, has g less attractive part in the new
-. IN the old drama It is that OF a piquant
~ ~ the world who in order to keep
s.a-e and fortune hunters at q distance, af-
60 The style OF a grass widow and reserves
he r1TiK
= IMAGINARY husband and going into highly be-
,n,inR mourning for him
1ta central theme calls up lively reminis-
,os of well known romances. Kittie Barson,
.rresrv governess employed by rich, snobWsh
-,,,+ions the Jevons family, runs away with
- cousfn's fance, instead Of going TO evening
ssrzice TO hear the new vicar preach, and atter
lang railway journey to Scotland, takes the
s-st train back from the remote station where
she had intended to marry her lover. Elfrioe
Svsnecurt III "a Pair of Blue Eyes" acted In
-. same yyay when she went from Lower Wes-
cav IN London with her lover, Stephen Smith,
.,d returned by the first train from Waterloo
v5tbor,t leaving the station. Before Mr.. Hardy
wrote that powerful novel George Eliot had told
The story OF Maggie TuIlivers voyage down the
Foss with Stephen Guest to Hull, and her re-
turn to ST Oggs to find herself misunderstood,
barshly Judged and victim of scandalmongers.
Kttie Parsons is Maggie over again, for not
only does she run away with her friends lover
but she also takes refuge with the vicar
whoever and teaches his children until the hue
and cry of the scandalmongers is too strong for
her Mrs. Grundy is as potent in Woiverins as
she was in st. Oggs. and the vicar is forced to
propose marriage as the only effective measure
for setting the Door girl right in community of
nraa -iSfa 10 nm
charitable as the other and the parson is
warned by conservative churchwarden and
dw.ndling congregation that it is highly danger
81s to champion a woman in distress The
mriation comes when the story is to be wound
p on the Floss the brother and sister, united
n the onrush OF the flood, perish together. and
he rival lovers, when the contest between pas
sion and duty is over stealthily visit poor Mag
gie's grave. In Wolvering the persistent Kittie
advertses for a place as a nursery governess,
and leaves the quixotic parson free to marry the
fascinating lady who has been masquerading as
q grass widow. The divergence between the
two stories could hardly be sharper after the
parallel has been carried a long way.
Nothing so strenuous as either the St Oggs
food or the race of the rival lovers for the
Cornish funeral in a Pair Of Blue Eyes" is
wanted in purely domestic drama. happy
ending there must be, with nG surprise in reserve
more startling than the disclosure that the &c
centric wears only ally IN the protectorate over
slandered womanhood is not already provided
with husband and is eager to have one. These
matters satisfactorily arranged and the
curtain is brought down without tremor of
excitement The unconventional elopement. in
which the girl falls asleep on the way north and
when the terminus is reached asks the guard
now soon the next train will start for the south,
is followed by as conventional sequel can
be devised. fresh engagement as governess
when it is time to take herself out of the way
and 10 leave the real lovers TO themselves. Do
nestle drama so nnocuous Is not exhilarating,
even if The first night audience be generous In
applause and eager to bespeak for it a long and
prosperous run. Moreover, the sentiment is
stage made as the humor. Poor Kittie does not
care for tie lover with whom she elopes, nor
Tor the vicar who agrees to marry her because
here Is no other way Of silencing Mrs Grundy.
The parson is an equally dubious romantic fig
ure He is willing TO marry the governess when
re is not in love with her and when he is in
h1uated with the audacious young heiress, who
puts on mourning and drops her character as
married woman when she wants a husband
There is no real sentiment in the play, and 1T is
utterly lacking in pathos.
TIE only clever character study in the play
sS MI Syoney Broughs 1mpersonallon OF the
years servant-a blunt and crusty old soldier
me hve Jevonses, young and old, were thin
NFicatures of Ill bred. overbearing people, revel-
ing in opportunities for humiliating poor rela-
ions and Interiors Miss June Van Buskirk
light have made more of the part Of the SEN
AuFe, penitent governess, but certainly Miss
Oefrude Elliott could not have improved upon
ael performance as the sparkling, fascinating
Hs'ress. nor could there have been a better bit
u child acting than Master Herbert Hollom's as
ne Wears SON. AS for the vicar himself, Mr.
horoes-R Robertson looked and acted like manly
amy Chaplain who had seen service in the field
elo vas ready to make a strenuoes fight with all
me gossps and snobs IN the village. The clerical