New-York tribune., 1908-05-24
PINERO'S SATIRE
The Middle Glass Passion for Money
Mastery Technique.
London, May 13.


The master dramatist Of the English stage has
astonished and puzzled first night audience.
That is the best explanation Of the title The
Thunderbolt' which Mr. Pinero has chosen for
his new play at ST. Jamess Theatre. Other
wise one has to halt between alternatives Inc
provincial family of Mortimore. assembling IN
haste with two solicitors after the sudden death
of wealthy bachelor relative. is informed that
there is no will and that the entire fortune OF
the deceased, who was a brewer, will natu-
rally be divided among the next OF Kim
The first surprise the entrance Of the million
aires natural daughter, whose existence mas
been concealed from the family by the father
That may be the thunderbolt. although II
startles only one of the spectators at the con-
ference-the solicitor Valance, who has been
employed to look after the interests of the next
of kin The four Mortimores-three brothers
and a sster-have been informed Of 1t twenty
four hours before the opening scene. and conse-
ouently are not astonished when the girl ap-
pears In the second act Phyllis. the wife of
the least prosperous Mortimore, confesses to her
husband that she has read and destroyed the
Will by which the entire property is left to the
natural daughter. That may be the thunder
bolt 1t strikes Thaddeus Mortimore first with
the effect of stunning him; and when, In the
third act, he assumes his wife's guilt and is
convicted of mendacity the amazing intelli-
gence paralyzes the combined energies Of a
sordid family, until the generous daughter ar
ranges a compromise terms OF equality
Either the startling crime or the unlocked Tor
heir may be the thunderbolt.
Now Mr. Pinero has a cynical way Of laugh
ing at an audience behind his sleeve. He has
the reputation of writing either problem plays
or exceedingly earnest drama on the relations OF
men and women, and the playgoers on the first
night expected thunderboit which would wreck
the peace of one more households. There
b,,tit Inst n
There was not a trace of the kind cf immortality
for which the spectators were looking. In place
of it there was q lucid and exceedingly power
ful exposition of the sordidness baseness, hypoc-
risv and meanness of a middle class family in
shopkeeping country where money was the root
of all evil Mr. Pinero was in the pulpit preach
ing practical hard hitting sermon on the self
isbness narrowness and materialism of we'll
to-do people in ordinary life. and the thunder
holt ont Of clear sky was hitting everybody In
stalls or galleries Naturally there were signs
of resentment the opening night III the
aetonisbed playgoers could have found a spokes-
man he might have exclaimed: This is not
Sunday morning. but Saturday night! we nave
NOT come to church to be scourged for our SINS
bu- 10 a theatre to be either amused or excited
Mt Pfnero has never been eager to be known as
a rooralist and he has taken an unfair ad-
vantage of us, Why has he not given US some
thing naughtier, more equivocal, IL not some
,bing downright immoral, that men would
ba,-e found il awkward to talk to women. about
/, between the acts?" Mr.. Pinero's real thun-
derholt NAV have been his hard hitting morality
on the debasing effects of inordinate lust OF
money.
This view of the matter is confirmed when the
Nortirnores are critically examined In detail
rbera is lanes the pushful contractor and
builder coarse aggressive. vulgar and over
hearing with dull tiresome wife. There is
s-enben the editor of newspaper, vainglorious
a,,6 ,,nscrupulous with silly loquacious wife
,7l,ere ie Rose their sister, who has social pre-
,areions TO smartness, and has belligerent
hao,orinp husband retired army officer One
Knows them all before the first act is half over
"a sharn,v are their characteristics and mean
nesses accumulated They are all fairly pros
,arous vet are consumed with passion for get
inc more money and living more ostenta-
,ionelv They are utterly Indifferent to The fate
of the Young girl who has been left penniless
,hrousb the apparent lack of will. although
h.r Gather had been most afrectionste and gen.
.rous. they are heartlessy planning land pur-
oboeee the erection of newspaper offices and
ohanpes of residence to more fashionable quar-
,.re and they are scornful and wantonly un-
ble in their judgment OF the Tads. the
"fajIures'' Of the family-Thaddeus because he
is = moor music master, and Phyllis because she
is q tradesmans daughter. The satire is bit
80, and renorseless in the contrast between the
,,asnecta bility of these middle class figures and
tbeir c,lpidity and shamelessness In snatchins at
wealth even if its possession Involves perjury
and robbery Of an innocent girl.
out of this background OF gloomy and -