New-York tribune., 1906-09-21

HILDA SPoNG's NEW PLAY.
Weber's Theatre.

In wsber's Theatre last night new play. called
John HudsOn's Wife, produced. under the
management of Mr.. Walter n. Lawrence. and Miss
Hda SDOng acted the principal part IN T. AS
often a play Is presented observers are aD-
prised that they are expected 70 commend Il be-
cause its producer IL trying to accomplish some
thing worth doing. and Is very much IN earnest
Appreciation should rest on a ground more relative
than that-On the ground. for example. that the
play Is good one and is well acted There ara all
sorts OF ideals Of merit IN play, but probably all
persons would agree that play which pretsnds
20 depict actual contemporary life and manners
should show picture resembling the things that
IL pretends 20 represent; in other words. should
be truthful and credible This play is neither nor
other. IL would be pleasure 10 praise it. Nothing
affords much satisfaction 10 a writer as the I'M
partment OF hearty and intelligent Drsise-but It
ought to be intelligent II IL is worth either giving
OF receiving. Here is a play about and
woman who married. but who rot really
husband and wife. and in whose experience there
are troublesome occurrences. The main posture OF
circumstances is absolutely impossible. as some
men know, and any woman cannot help know
Ing. The woman loves her husband and, that be-
ing true. IL would take about hfteen minutes. or
less. for them 10 adjust the whole difficulty and
put an end all the complications that the dram
atist has arranged. Nothing could be more false
70 nature than the situation that this person has
devised. The people impossible: the contract
made between the man and the woman s imDos-
sibls: the whole fabric is forced. distorted, and
absurd: and for that reasOn-bscGCse human
nature and social fact untruthfuIy represented
the play IS bad Here and there in the OF the
development OF very old story there are mo-
rnents OF ingenuity and stage effect! and likewise
there are bits Of Characterization: but. whole.
the piece is cOnglOmeratiOn OF old claP-traP de-
vices and hackneyed cOliOqUy. The situation. with
difference. Is that Of The IrOnmaster." The spec
tatOr observes the gradual gravitRtiOn OF husband
and wife toward an affectionate communion. Miss
Hilda SDOng tmpersOnated the wife. She Is
a.
most miserable woman in the world, everything
about her indicates that she Is very much mis-
taken Her attempt at passion and misery
is very creditable. but absolutely useless.
Mr.. w. 3. Hawtrey appeared humbus.
and. since the part is very snowy. he
made a mirthful impression But Mr. Hawtrey. as
an actor, is bad imitation Of his brother Charles
He gives reflex OF Charles's lar from the ''Saucy
Sally and Charles's selhsh sybarite. from the
Messenger from Mars" His humbug Is exceed
Ingy transparent but that Is In part the fault OF
the author, whose drawing Of character 10 at al
points crude and at points silly The best
acting In the representation is that OF 1fr Charles
Rowan. as a wise. kindly, accomplished. elderly
statesman That performance had the qualities
OF repOss, fselins.-or. at least. sentmsnt.-sracs
Eenueness, refinement. and discretion. The audi
encs was small. but 1t seemed to be interested
W. W.
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