New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-31
SHAW PLAY CONDEMNED.
M'4DOO DELAYS ACTION.
Seats Bring $g5-Comstock arrests
EUpected-House Sold for Weeks.

In the presence of Police Commissioner McAdoo
Inspector Brooks and crowd of persons who filled
the Garrick Theatre to the doors. some of them
paying as high as SIS for seat Arnold Daily
showed G. B. Shaws drama of Mrs Warren's
Profession to New-York last night. By o'clock
in the evening the theatre lobby was so crowded
that the police reserves were sent for and at s
o'clock S5th-st was packed with persons from curb
to curb in front Of the theatre. The Spectators
did a wonderful business, but the box office had to
close in selfpreservation. though before 1t closed
every seat was disposed of for last night, and
tickets sold for four weeks ahead. And yet
Mr.. DAILY said he intended to abide by the verdict
OF the newspapers. Perhaps he felt what the
verdict would be.
What the verdict should be the performance last
night left no doubt. Advertised as the play has
been by the most glazing and exciting methods.
bearing the ban of two censors-the royal play
reader of England and the Mayor of New Haven't
decried indecent by those who knew and (nost
loudly, perhaps by those who did not, the audi
ence which entered the theatre last night was not
of the kind properly to appreciate the serious drift
Of the drama, and before such audience it should
never have been presented. Such will be the audi
ences of the next week if the performances go
on. and the continuation Of Mrs Warrens Pro-
fession' before them can do no possible good to
anybody. 1t is an affront to decency and blot on
the theatre That the play before properly
lected audience might be productive Of other things
than i'll timed laughter and rbald suggestion is
other question which need not be discussed here
Such an audience, under present conditions. cannot
be assembled. Mr. DAILY owes 1t to his profession
and the public to remove the drama from the
boards.
The play, presented last night. expurgated
only In a few spots: eXpurgation, anyway. is i'm
possible. for the offence lies in the central theme,
the general drift of the drama. Miss Mary Shaw
played the part of Mrs. Warren Miss Crystal
Herne that Of Vivie, her daughter. and Mr.. Daily
that Of Frank Gardner. John Findlay rather carl
catured the character of the Rev. Samuel Gardner,
and Fred Tyler the villain, Sir George-for Mr..
Shaw's mechanism is old the hills, disguise it
though he may. The performance was dsappoint
ing from the point of view of acting, and further
comment on it is needless. v-s-
Commissioner McAdoo said that he could not give
a verdict on the play last night. Had it been a
question of costumes pictorial effect he said he
would have been in doubt, but when the Ques-
ton of immortality hung dialogue and situation
he would need to consult with others. Captain
Dooey, however said that he had no intention of
closing the theatre without orders from above and
the house manager Mr.. Gumpertz, asserted that
Commissioner McAdoo told him he would not close
the show unless he had orders from the Supreme
Court. However, Mr.. Gumpertz expects arrest to-
day at Mr.. Constocks instgation. He has his bail
arranged for, is prepared to obtain a. counter in
junction against closing his theatre, and stands
ready to fight the case in the courts. And tickets
are being sold four weeks in advance