New-York tribune., 1907-12-30
LONDON DRAMA.
Another Marriage Play-The HoE-
day Classic.
London. December 16

There is method in the marriage plays with
which London has been surfeited for many
months. Incidents vary, but there is a single
motive. In place of problem more or less
awkward for discussion at table or in drawing
roorn there is a moral to be emphasized oy
discontented and critical women: and this Is the
bounden duty of the husband to remain COM
panionable and interesting after marriage In
one play after another appears the neglected.
wife bored with household cares. distracted
with the management of children and servants
and left to an1use herself while her husband Is
preoccupied with business anxieties. profess
sionaI Iabors or literary drudgery; and since
she must have sympathy and entertainment
from some source she invariably firts with
some other man and falls I'm love with him.
Her indiscretions involve situations more or less
compromising and exciting; and In the nnai
act she comes to her senses, is rescued from
disastrous innnrudence and Is reconciled to her
husband who has been taught by unpleasant
consequences how unsettling it is 70 the peace
of the household to neglect sentimental Wife,
There is a happy ending. with better unoer-
standing between husband and wife. and the
auatory interloper disappears from the scene
as a mischief maker without leg LETT TO stand
unon This is the typical marriage play Of
the wear and it is apparently designed to at
tract women and to enable them to discipline
their husbands When the curtain Is runs
down after the heroine has been extrieated from
folly and restored to the affections or her
rightfuI lord. the moral renains-husoands
must not only honor but anuse their wfvesl
s~The Tenth OF August" by Alexander Won
Herder at the New Theatre, follows this gen
eraI scheme, and with charming Miss Nina
Bouccault as the neglected wife there IS httis
sympathy for the priggsh husband who is writ
inc
exceedingly dfsagreeable. The situation in the
O1droyd household is disclosed methodically
and with cumulative force The wife is the
household drudge, making peace between noisy.
ouarreIsoune children subjected to constant IN
terruptfons from nurse. parlormaid and cook
when she is playing waltzes and sentimental
ditties on the piano. and goaded on TO revolt oy
her selfish husband. who is complaining OF III
health and cannot get outside the proofsheets
OF an astronomical treatise She has ambition
TO be known as a composer of popular songs,
but he is cold and unsympathetic and insists
upon making her literary hack and proof
reader, and is equally indifferent to her tan
trums and penitence. She reveals her discon-
tent TO the family doctor, and has sudden
revuIsion OF spirits when her highlands young
stenbrother returns and takes an interest IN
her music On the night Of the Tenth OF
August" when shooting stars are expected.
the brothers are in front OF the telescope in the
observatory; but the astronomer faints and IS
unable 10 make the observations which are es-
sential to the success of the unfinished book
The younger brother agrees to watch the SKY
for him and nesIects the serious work because
the wife IS at the window and draws him into
a whirllng waltz to the accompaniment OF
hurdy-gurdy. falling at last into his arms IN a
passionate embrace. The astronomer. returning
from his bed, finds that no observations have
been taken. and after paroxysm Of rage rolls
over on the floor senseless- The penitent wife
IS rudeiy thrust aside. the lover declaring thar
she alone is at fault and that she has ruined
both him and her husband
II ia a theatrical situation. but not even the
dulIest and most credUlous spectator IS deceived
The lover is not only much younger than the
wife but he is also a brother-in-iaw; and whlIe
a man, by recent act Of Parliament. can marry
the deceased wife's sister. a widow cannot De-
come the wife of her dead husbands brother,
not even If he be only stepbrother. The as
tronomer of course, viii come out Of the faint
ing fit In the final act. especially as the part IS
taken by Mr.. Jerrold Robertshaw, the producer
OF the play; and the only matter In doubt Is the
method of reconciliation The family physician
solves the problem. not by prescribing drugs or
supplying bag OF oxygen, but by producing a
full set of photographs of the meteors CT the
previous night; and the astronomer is so over
joyed over the prospect of completing the scien-
tific book that he readily forgiveS his step
brother and absentmindedly kisses his wife.
after the doctor has reminded him that she IS
there awaiting forgiveness The reconciha-
ton which is Indispensable to the marriage play
of the period is brought about. but the moral
for listess cold -blooded husbands Is less eIrec-
tive than usual The heroine when the men
have left her 10 herself. rattles or her music
hall songs, sobs convulsively and means over
the love passage that has ended The ecsratic
romance with the impressionable young man
has been like shooting star The sky IS again
dull and she is the household drudge and proof
reader: for while her husband has forgiven her,
the moral that he must be nice to his wife has
not been rubbed In sufficiently The spectator
leaves the theatre with foreboding OF another
Tenth OF August" when the meteoric lover VIII
be older and-not brother-in-law-
Memories" Mr.. George wiIding's curtain
raiser for this matinee play at the New Thea
tire. is an interesting adaptation OF oldtfne
Christmas pantomme- 1t opens with the antics
of q cockney picture hanger. who Is decorating
the office of a theatrical manager near the
Strand and carrying on a desultory conversa-
ton with a charwonYan. who tries to convince
him that she has once been G. famous actress
Invigorated by a glass OF brandy. she retires
with box of properties to array herself Tor q
series Of practical demonstrations; and. after ths
theatrical manager has received the from
the picture-hanger and concealed himself behind
a screen. she dances pantoratrne fairy N
light pink makes a quick change TO romantio
Juliet in white and winds up her series OF refn.-
nscences as a comedy heavy" The rehearsal
ends when she upsets the screen and Is brought