New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-28
LONDON DRAMA.
Fine Performance By Miss Marion
TERN al Wyndham'S.
London. September -.


man" Mrs Humphrv Ward has given ia
Edward Manisty q hard. realistic study OF a
common typo Of educated Erslishmar. refined.
seif-absorb~6 and insensible . The sacrifices
and sufTerings OF others: and Mrs. Henry De Ia
Pasture. who Is a playwright well a nov
elist. has repeated the process in The new play
at wyndham's Theatre, entitled Peters
Mother" Not satisfied with drawing the por-
trait OF & self-centred. narrow-minded and
heartless Devonshire squire. as deficient in
natural feeling and consideration for his wife as
he is full Of pomp and ceremony she has
brought IN the law OF heredity and reproduced
the fathers faults in equally priggish son.
The drawing OF each portrait Is as hard ana
strong ii is subtle and each IS vital as
the terrible Velasquez bust portrait OF Philip ~
in the National Gallery. which Mr. Watts used
70 describe a perfect example OF painting
what was behind the mask OF human face.
Between Sir Timothy Crewys. the elderly guard
ian. whom Lady Mary married when she was
IL her teens. and her thoughtless, selfish son. to
whom she is bound by tender maternal devotion,
the gracious lady Of thrty-hve is condemned TO
whip thistles in a field OF tares when Nature
intended her 20 gather roses all the way. De-
hverance comes 10 her when In her wtdowhood
the light Of love. softened and refined illumines
her lonely path. What might have been the
tragedy OF a wasted ana empty life IS averted.
and what is ostensibly comedy OF manners
ends happily enough. Yet. throughout the even
ing the dissecting knife has been piled remorse-
lsssly and a selfish priggishness common enough
among has been scientifically probed.
The success OF a domestic play like Peters
Mother" with its slender plot and it's undertone
OF sentiment. must depend upon the actress who
takes the part OF the middle-aged heroine and
the risks are not serious when she is Miss
Marion Terry. with charming personality,
true sense OF character and a sympathetic ap
probation OF the value OF ideas. There is no
other actress the English stage Of such
Quisite sensibility when womanly tenderness
and sweetness required and this is one OF
her most delightful and artistic representations.
She plays the part we'll that the most CEN
serious critic is grateful TO the author for writ
ing the drama and is not disposed 10 complain
OF the minimum of action OF any faults of
dramatic form She is vital figure 10
put the breath OF life into Of the Quietest
and most unsophisticated pictures of country
house interior. Her restrained art suits the
authors purpose which is thoughtful delinea-
tion OF character rather than the stirring move
nent OF dramatic story. Certainly the play
commanded success on the opening night at
wyndhaul's when the audience was most en-
thusiastic in welcoming so clean and wholesome
q work. II also set the key for a series Of un-
usually fine representations by Mr.. Norman Nc
Kinnel. Mr.. Frederick Kerr. Mr.. A Z. Matthews
Miss Hilda Trevelyan and the other members of
the company.
A widows romance after a loveless marriage
Is a theme that requires the most delicate,
artistic treatment II It is TO be kept outside
the border Of farce and burlesque With wom-
anly instinct the author opens the way for the
second love affair by realistic picture of the
first home. where the wife Is starving for sym
pathy and is the victim OF selhshness. The
pompous baronet does not take her into his con-
idence when he has fatal malady and his life
hangs upon the chances Of a surgical operation,
and. with his TWO fussy elderly sisters and sleek
Canon Birch In the background there is as I'm
sympathetic group the Ridgeleys in His
House in. Order" The only one who under
stands her is the baronets cousin. John Crewys
barrister. and II is 10 him that she turns for
counsel when the crisis Of the first act arises
Her headstrong boy, Peter has suddenly Joined
q corps for the Boer War in defiance of his
fathers will, and she is bent upon going to the
ship TO see him of. Her husband with the sur
gical operation impending, coldly Restraints her
maternal devotion without explaining his rea-
sons. and she reluctantly acquiesces. The sec
ond act opens after an interval of thirty months
when she is widow and her son is back from
the war with an empty sleeve and an
equally vacuous heart, treating his devoted
mother with as little consideration as his father
has shown She is in love with the barrister
but considers It her duty TO sacrifice her happi-
ness 20 thu convenience and comfort Of her die
tatorial son. who classes her with his elderly
eunts as one Of the family properties and ex-
poets her 20 keep house for him until he makes
al leisure a belated marriage. like his father be-
- HIM This result Is obviated before the
end OF the third act through the sterling good
sense OF the barrister and the sprightlv inter
venSon OF Miss Sarah Howell, who is in love
with the young soldier and objects TO having q
mother-tn-law IN the house after marriage So
the play ends happily. with Lady Mary in fair
way to meet with the tender sympathy and IN
tenigent appreciation which she has lacked in
her relations with her first husband and her
thoughtless son
Peters Mother" while a quiet md ,,n,ro-
tentious work is well constructed, with charac-
ters clearly defined. exceedingly natural d,a-
logue and not a little humor 1t IS not a stage
MADE drama, busting with movement and
sparkling with artificial brilancy Yet in its
way IL Is most thoughtful and searching stu5v
OF life, and fully employs not only Miss Marion
Terry but her associates as well in the denote
Inent OF character. Less powerful than Mr.
Pineros His House in Order" which I. re-
senbles without suggestion OF plagiarism - 60
less satirical and more agreeably wholesome
Public taste is so tickle and capricious that
forecasts are hazardous, but on IT'S merits r.
ought 10 have a prosperous career. II e belned
out in the programme by remarkably strn,o
ano effective curtain raiser, The Sixth Com,
Tnandment," by Mr.. Cosnlo Hamilton which :;
thrillingly enacted by Mr.. Walker IIampden and
Miss Madge Mcintosh. iNF
RFSENTS "GOO.GO0v Eyrc