The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-04

In "A Tortured PinerO woman -WIas
Margaret Ellington At Her Best.
II q. serious minded people have said,
,'.ro lansed from the headship Of the FAM
IL, o, English play wrights in -The Wife
WWtbout a Smile" in his new play, which
I,hp Drew produced last night at the Empire
Ha has nut his own house in order. The
.iocs back. the tragic intensity OF the SEQ
rDd Mrs. Tanaueray," tho crushing pAthos
- .Ir, and the mordant brilliancy OF
,hs, astonishing comedy in realism The
BENEFIT Of the Doubt
RIM # centres in the dramatic portrait OF
woman painted with no leSs searching
hvination and knowledge, and II deserves
an honorable place beside the best he has
done A. wa remarked on h occasion
If ia London production, it shows that
for dramas Of the largest order and surest
,cchniral grasp we have still to look beyond
,he brilliant new talents in the English
C.cbool IF comedy to its founders.
From the popular point OF view Il sur
Oas.es It's more powerful predecessors,
Sor it Is inspired by ripe and warm human
sympathy, and has a justihably nhppy
ending. The performance last night was
an indubta h success, Mr.. John Drew being
recalled again and again. The piece comes
with the reputation Of being IN n notable
resrlt Of the last English season and be-
void doubt il will sustain that reputation.
III is what the Germans would call a
family niece, and il deals with the trials
hi a Young wife, the second Mrs.. JssSoH,
in conflict with her husband. who lives
under the dominance of the family OF his
6rt spouse. The whole household retail ms
the first Mrs. lesson in sainted memory
and uses the odor OF her sanctity to cast her
impulsive but innocent and essentially
right hearted Successor into bad odor.
Nv n deliciously effective, yet perfectly
natural device in comedy, Jesson, shortly
after the death 81 his first wife, is made
ia have vowed to testow upon the town
apIblic mark in her memory. By the time
the mark Is finished and ready TO lie dedi-
Gated, the opening Of the action. the second
Mrs.. lesson II on the scene, and in feminine
revolt. The difficulties Of her position in
Inc ceremony bring tho family disorder
to a crisis. and with the aid OF lessons
brother Hil1ry MIR. John Drew the truth
\ -about the first Mrs. lesson is brought TO
light. i,
conscientious helpmeet, the first Mrs. lesson
has been a woman of passionate impulse,
and when she met a sudden and violen end,
was on the point of clipping with her lover.
Her boldoir has been retained as she lett
4 II. Ike a CndDPl 10 tue HeInOTy On nCT NT-
tues. But with the opening u thep play II ls
turned into the schOolroom Of her son and
a packet Of letters comes to light which re-
veals her shameful intrigue n the fact
that the son Ia illegltimate.
The right minded and liberal Htld nv
lesson makes se of ths discovery to put
his narrow and severe brother right. The
n play ends with the disposition OF the false
n saint and the establishment Of the true
woman. Incidentally the over serious and
tyrannical family Of the first Mrs. JesSoIe
Is quietly turned out of doors.
4 In the portraits of these mortuATy and,
in effect, hypocritical relatives IL IL said
that Pinero is indebted to a play OF the
past generation, The Serious Family"
II so the factiSto be regretted, for although
they are the occasion Of some sharp satiric
strokes az middle class uncoguidness and
lend an effective dramatic background
they are in the literary sense the weakest
feature Of the play, being drawn, or rather
Overdrawn, In a manner now obsolete
And il may he added that last night they
suffered from further caricature in the
acting.
The real interest centres in Nina JesSon
and her hrother-in-aw, Hilary. Like all
the great Pinero heroines, Nina is a woman
Of devious impulse, whose suffering IL not
so much a matter Of emotion AZ Of nerves
But she is portrayed with astonishing sub
" uetY, scope and power.
~ Not for a moment is she idealized or sen
tiInentalized, What one sees first, in fact
isher irresponsible whims, her suicidal strug'
Al giles against the bars Of fate-a bad house.
keeper, a capriciOus and ungovemec
stepmother, and an impatient wife. But
step by step, with the evidences OF he
tralty, Pinero shows the cause OF 1.-THE
determination of the family OF the first
Mrs. Jesson to retain their place and power
1.-THE household by exasperating and humil'
iatlng her. When she determines to reven9s
hnEaOIN an 49, 49, A- A,Wa- - AnNr
part IN the ceremonies in ono OF his frs
wife, calling public attention TO his essen
tally ridiculous p~redicament, she com
mands full sympathy, il not approval.
IL II upon the discovery OF the letters
that the deeper springs of her nature we
81 10 the surface. With an admirable PinerS
touch she directs her revenge. not agains
her husband. but against the late Mrs.
vessons sister, who Ia installed as house
n Keeper; As il happens. however. the rig
minded Hilary il her first confidant, and "
an admirably constructed scene he per-
SHADES her TO give the letters over to hin
81 and to oblivion.
"A Then comes the most surprising stroke II
II per portraiture. and the truest. With tn
inward sense Of her righteousness, she
s~oandons her intention Of absenting herself
from the ceremonies. and with new hu
millty submits herself to the puritanica
corrections of the Rid0eiey family. Sh
citation.
n But Hilary does not stop with savinJ
her from herself. When she becomes re
N Ientant, he takes up the cudgels for he
WIN her husband. Having driven the love
OF the late Mrs. lesson from the house
ne Is a constant inmate, and devoted 10 hi
81 CUCKOO child he shows the letters to FilmeT
ahn' IN a second and more admirably rite
~ scene prevails upon that narrow weaklint
# Obut ms house in order.
mere are POINTS in which the play is Ope
u criticism. The Rid0eleys. as has beea
l saii, verge upon carioature, and stale carica
~ IIre; even Hidru's preachments are no
upltogether free Of insinceTity-clap traU
olt the fact remains that a. a dram0ti
NJ whole, and in the portrayal OF the leadin
ri ccnaracters, il is the work Of n master -un
nlnchingly true, intimate. subtle, flexible
i,hl 81 dlvInation ~ mood and OF flnesse i
us Presentation.
Miss Margaret Ellington is not yet quit
. 55nnefnate 10 such a role as that OF NiRC
throughout she lacks deIicacy and poiR
nancy yet she has a full measure OF youth
lul charm; her intentions are always righl
ann IN the simpler moments Of drama sh
mas great sincerity and strength. By Ion
NJ oIds ~ Is the hest thing abe has done.
MT' Drew IL a. his best, and that IN YER
PoDd indeed. He has manly simplicity a
TI'ays, manlv delioacy and crisp humoI
ne speaks his lines with distinction an
acts with hlwless technical mastery. ThOe
me audience who saw George AleEande