The sun., 1906-10-23
"HOUSEOF MTRTH" AS DRAMA
AN ABLE DECENTRALIZATION BUT
AN INEFFECTIVE PLAY.
Fay Davis ~ Lilly Bart" Ia IntenIgen t.
Poignantly Emotional ana Admirably
Distinguished. Yet writes Her Part On
water Mrs. Wharton Bows to Audience.

PolEnantly Emotional ana Admirably
distinguished. Yet Writes Her Part On
water Mrs. wharton Bows to Audience.
By far the most distinguished assem-
blaRe Of the season-to use the reportorial
vernacular Of social functions-assisted,
last evening at the Savoy, in the metro
politan presentation Of Mrs. Wharton and
Clyde Fitch's stage version of The House
Of Mirth." Almost every one there, in fact,
was among those present. That may have
been one reason why the reception Of the
performance was at once so courteous and
90 restrained. But IL there is any truth in
the manners Of smart New York as pre-
ssnted on the stage, different interpreta-
ton is permissible.
The fact is that the collaboration Of the
most intelligent OF those who have written
novels Of society with the ablest Of those
Who have made plays on similar subjects
rcsulted in perhaps the best dranlatiSation
on record. and one OF the least effective
plays II the intention had been to make
q pieoe with strong and popular dramatic
appeal several courses were open.
Mrs. Wharton and Mr.. Fitch might have
gwen the career OF Liip Bart happy end
ing after the sadly familiar manner. Or
they might have given her CGniLle-Gke
death full OF romantic Q motion nalism-whioh
would have been almost as familiar and very
much sadder. But their obvious intent was
70 get maximum Of the atmosphere Of the
book before the footlights with a minimum
Of sacrifice to the demands Of the playgoing
public. Granted that the book was to be
put on the stage at all. such an intention
has It's merits. But among these will hardly
be reckoned the merit OF any truly dramatic
appeal.
The action is comprised in four acts
with five scenes II begins on the terrace
Of Bellomont, overlooking the Hudson.
The third act and dramatic climax is on
board the Dorsets yacht OF Monte Carlo.
The last act IL in the miIliner's shop, the
final curtain falling on Lily as she sinks
% sleep under her overdose Of chloral.
The amount Of the atmosphere of the book
which is suggested in this brief compass
IL astonishing; and, considering z the matei-
ala at hand in the way OF actors and ac-
tresees, the verisimilitude Of Il all is amaz-
ing. There was no noticeable lack OF dis
tin otion Of manner, and no OVERRIDING OF
the essential rawness OF the conduct Of the
q rotagonists OF the house Of mirth.
First and last, however, the develop
ment of character and the action was the
precise negation of the effect dramatic.
few scenes, II il true, had a momentary
theatric appeal-as Lilv's encounter with
Que Trenor when she was Mred to his house
alone at midnight, the scene in which
Berthd Dorset denounces her on theiyacht.
ana the yfinal concatenation OF circum-
stance which leads to herKdespair land
death.
But instead Of the clearcut dramatic
struggle Of wills there was only the
blind working Of subtle circumstance
as unconvincing on the stage as it was COM
pelling in the book. It Is probable that
any spectator who had not read what it
was all about would be in the deepest mid
night Of obfuscation.
Lily Bart. in short, seemed a more than
ordinarily dollike puppet OF fate. AS for
GeIden, his repeated utilities eliminated
in the absurd In the novel his repeated
doubts and vacillations were trial to pa
tlence, II not a damper to belief. On the
stage they ended by being almost comic.
With such negative stun to work in 1t
was not in the scope OF possibility that the
actors should make any really dynamic
appeal. The rare and potent talents Of
Miss Fay Davis have never been more fully
In evidence since she played Iris in London.
Her intelligence was keen and fine; her
emotional quality was deep and poignant;
she had all Of Lily's sweetness, gentility
and distinction OF heart and OF manner.
The moment in which she rspulSed TrenOr
had the thrill Of rsal cha rlcter and nobility
The fol titude with which she received
Bertha Dorset cowardly blow was the acme
Os the thoroughbred, anu Jno DuTsI OF ndlI
hysterical and half humorous laughter into
which she lapsed when she was left alone
was as heartrending and as inspiring as IT
was truthful to the person and to the m o.
ment The final hour Of her despair was
as poignant as it was restrained. Yet il
all failed to give the eject Of really reat
and notable peri Her Lily Bdrt
was written fine, strong and true, but, lac X
ing the background Of real drama, IL was
written In water.
In the novel there was one positive and
forcible character, Simon ROseddte; and In
the play Roseddle made the single vital i'm
preston. II has been said that Mrs. Whar.
ton herself has questioned the wisdom Of
making her heroine die. What the alter
native ending might have been the deponent
gossip sayeth not; but last night it woulo
have seemed fitting for Lily to marry thii
Jewish narvenu. None Of his darker
traits was slurred. There was nothing II
the whole play more admirable than the
fineness, the restrained truth and humol
the commercialism Of his race he had alsC
the power. and the stanch.. practical ef
ficiency. Ably, even exquisitely, inter
preted by Albert Bruening. RoseddIe was
the most salient character IN the piece anC
the most hkeable man.
In response to enduring il subdued ap
plause Mrs. Wharton appeared upon th'
stage hand in hand with Mr.. Fitch anC
made her bow. II was not the least signi
flcant feature OF the occasion that he
finely tempered and distinguished presenc
seemed, in the glow OF the footlights, jus
a trifie timid and sbashed. 1t was as
ahe did not quite know how she came ther
or how she should get away; Henry saY ysme tSine
In its dramatic form The House OF Mirth
rs the real thing.