New-York tribune., 1907-12-16
THE DRAMA.
A NEW PLAY kT THE LYRIC.
The Secret Orchard"


In the discussion OF a new play the duty of a
reviewer his readers can, usually, be fulfilled
by the giving of answer to these two questions:
First What does il contain? Secondly What does
il mean: The new play called The Secret Or
ard.''-Inade by Charming Pollock, the basis
Of novel, bearing that title, by Agnes and Eyer
ton Caste,-contains story relative TO the
morse Of husband who has been false 10 his mar
riase vow. and whose agony of repentance impels
him 10 every TO keep his secret from
his wife's knowledge. That husband is a French
nobleInan, the Duke of Cluny, and somewhat
ludcrous intination is given that the remote i'm
pulse of his sinful conduct is hereditary weak
ness proceeding of his descent from the royal
house OF Stuart II scarcely needful to
the period of Charles III in order to account for
liccniious gallantry. The Duke has misled a girl
whom his virtuous and excellent Duchess. an
American beauty, subsequently and precipitately
adopts. only knowing her to be the daughter of
Old acquaintance, deceased The noble Iber-
IiDe deeply regrets his misconduct. and determines
that he viii lead a vTtuous ife.-letting the dead
past bury its dead" An excellent resolution! But,
unhappily the CT sin TO result IL shame
and sorrow and likewise the nature Of every guilty
secret 20 struggle toward the light: the inexorabe
moral law OF the universe-operating slowly inces-
sanity. sternly, without anger and without pity
attends that. ClGny's endeayor to conceal his
fniquify proves intellectual. and after houndering
IN falsehood, he is constrained to make a confes-
sion TO his wife and ask 10 be forgiven. The
details Of the story would be trivial In the novel
the end is accordant with that Justice from which
no human being escapes In the play the repentant
sinner appears he forgiven. The play according
~ means.-in so far as clearly means anything
that is unpardonable; and. incidentally, the
dramatist suggests. by implication. that if man
be forgiven for the sin committed by Cluny.
a guilty woman, when repentant, is entitled 10
she same exoneration.
few years ago ingenious device was much
used by persons wishfu TO escape the tedious repe
tticn Of old stories II little trnket that
could Re worn beneath the lapel of a coat. and.
when lightly touched by means of spring. it gave
N,.-, a1laS
the Chestnut Bell 1t exercised a kindly and ben
ehcial influence. and the disappearance Of it is
somewhat TO be regretted Perhaps if somebody
had rung that little bell. the benefit of Chan
ming Pollock. while he writing his Play of The
Secret Orchard the public might have been spared
another. and quite unnecessary, exposition OF the
results Of marital ircontinence. The presentnent
of that old. tfreadbare. tedious subject is not. n
Mr.. Pollocks drama. commended TO acceptance by
any acceutrement of dramatic novelty; while OBJ
viously it obtrudes ethical question. of a most
unpleasant character. that nobody wishes 10 cis-
cuss and that. surely. ought not to be prof1eTed
for discussion theatre II infdelity in the mar
-ied state known to be epidemic. or even
widely prevalent in the community. might he
some need missionary labor to cure the evil; bur-
even then. il would not be 10 the theatre that So
cety would look for relief: nor does II seem prooa-
ble that relief would be afforded by theatrical
counsel whether express implied. that husbands
& nd wives should, under any circumstances en-
courage a 1nushy propitiousness Of MIND toward
breach Of an obligation perhaps the most saereo
that human beings assume. There Is nuch
loose thnking,-if thinking il can be called--on
that subject and il has been much promoted by
many Of the plays Of recent years For the rest
This theme is well dismissed in the wonderfnhy
pathetic and beautiful words with which the poet
Tennyson causes King Arthur TO take his leave OF
the wretched Cssinevere- There Is more pTaclcdi
wisdom in them as well more humanity. than
could be found IN a whole hecatofno OF such pays
as The Secret Orchard
Mr.. Pollock, however. has extracted rom tIis
Castle novel as much, alike Of character incueh''
and language, il could be made 10 ylelu lor d
theatrical PURPOSE There are four SITUATIONS t-e
meeting of Cuny and the girl, JOY. whom ms we
has adopted when Joy first appears in the hoIne'
: he d,scjostre fy Favereau made Cluny. of his
lifelong devotion the Duchess disclosure maze
in order 10 ~explain and justify his counsel 10
brave the matter and lavor lie marriage
of joy to one the Dukes kirsrlen; ana
the volrbe frenzied declaration made by the gri
when being sought in marriage ny an honoraoie
,,a, che is driven 70 reveal the secret or her
shame and abruptly paUses, upon perception that
another spoken word will wreck the happiness OF
the affectionate woman by whom she mas neeIl
sdopted; and the husbands avowal 10 his wife OF
the sin with which his soul IS burdened Those SIT
ustiens. though trite. moderately effective: IN
-be hands Of consurnmare actors they might he
made even powerful The finest acting was cone
7,y ar- Edward r. Mawsor. whose sincerity
dignity repcse. informative bEPiay, ana rare
discretion zfforGed strong contrast NTH the pro-
f41se artifce OF most Of the associated players
Miss Adelaide Prince provided conspicuous e1-
srnIe a, mechanical precision, without one par
,ic,. NJ feeling while Miss Josephine Victor Illus
rated the porentiality OF wIic-eyeo' noohy NY
t.rics aIr. Courtensy proved oo1n2letely uhel"ai
the reo5Iirernents of Clany. who soulo certainty
pessess authority and charm piacksuard as 10 "
in character and detestably weak in conduct