New-York tribune., 1908-02-06
LONDON DRAMA.
Nr. Esmond's Nesr Irish Comedu
at the Playhouse.


from the box Office point OF view. and it is con-
e,vnad bv recent experience There are constant
,ha,res Of programme. and one play is produced
..er another when failure is inevitable from the
.5rs, night: and the practical explanation Of the
,sd 5rdsTnent displaH Hed is the current method Of
5nancing drama. with contributions from play
,--ight actors outside syndicates. In this way
,nserior plays staged for short runs precisely
:. rntr-,1sortar1t books are published with large
b.re Of the expense guaranteed privately from
,.e outset on thSother hand, plays with hard
o,- of realism or with inherent strength Of con-
x---,ctiou succeed whether the authors are ex-
-,e-fenced unknown
-.T.e Nolusc" at the Criterion: The Thief,
=. .he St Iames's and Irene wycherley.~ at the
r-,nrevrsv. have had continuous drawing power
hsceuse they have the realism which the Lon
49, -rhlic likes: and The House." at the Court
,,b Nr Albert Chexalier-s wonderful imper-
ons+,on IF the senile workhouse lodger. prom
;sae n have a similar triumph Air. Manghan's
,-,e5,- Lady Frederick is not a masterpiece
- construction bat Miss Ethel Irving. ny her
es-rfrs bic acting. has commanded success for
hundred nights, and may do SO for a year Miss
Alexandra Carlisle at the Playhouse may be
eopaDv fortunate in securing q prolonged
fer Cyril Msude's new Veyture' which was we'll
recefved last night
.snrv fer rustic f6yls In a stage made com
s,, The OLrindles" at the Playhouse. the ro-
~a,-fc erfsodes have vivid freshness and are
selirht4rl One finds compensation in them for
The conventional plot and familiar stage devices,
,uS- IS he reveIs in the scent OF white volets
.,s the pure sunlight Of romance in Mr.. Hew-
yer.s political novel Of the Regency, The Stoop
ngIsdy.- The play deals with the same period
ss that adraira bic bit of fetion-the first decade
g the Nineteenth Centurv-but the action is
transferred 70 ireland, starting at crossroads
with q hays1ack and going on in the drawing
-oorn ard dining room Of Castle OGrindle.
There are three O'Grindles-Sir Harry. proud
sr,-7-ed impoverished and overfond of port;
his elder sen. Harding. dependent upon a rich
English wife and carrying secret intrigue
with pretty peasant girl. Nan Brian: and Jim.
The younger son soldier returning from the
reninsular war. with q rollfcking affabiiity
which predsposes him TO pay attentions TO
every woman in sight, but with heart devoted
10 The fair Kathleen, the daughter OF General
Fitzgerald. his fathers intimate friend The
first Of the idyilic passages is a love scene be-
.7reen the naischierous Nan and the cool calcu-
lsriaE Harding, which is witnessed by another
sdmirer AZ intriguing Irish attorney. This is
followed by farcicai hurly- burly. Jim having
been forced 70 fight duel for kissing an old
raid, Miss NcEee. and refusing TO marry her.
He has not been wounded, but the village doctor
and the seconds have swathed him in bandages
End induced the challenger, Major MCGEE. to be
seTe that II has been a fatal shot and take
refuge N flight When the enemy has gone jim
IS released from lint and flannel. and there is a
medley Of Irish merriment and buffoonery
worthy Of Charles Lever.
TIE first curtain has not been reached, for
gin. as unprecedented by Cyril Maude. formerly
IT.
Bsrge" has still 20 help handsome Nan through
hedge. Her hair is entangied in briars, and
while he kissing her carelessly up comes
Kathleen on a horse, and bewitching she is for
The riding costume IS most becoming TO Miss
Alexandra Carlisle and she with vivacity
and charm Nan sneaks away, while Jim seizes
the horse by the bride and makes passionate
declaration of devotion TO the rider; but she is
scornful and resentful and there is q spirited
struggle, in which the horse prances and curvets
around the crossroads until the persistent lover
Is struck with the whip OFF dashes the defiant
girl. finging a refusal behind her at the dis
eonsolate lover, and down comes the first
tain a wllirl OF applause, for MI Maude is a
fervent and persuasive lover and Miss Alexandra
Carlisle is a beautiful woman and knows how to
manage a horse. With the rising of the curtain
there is q reversion from vivid romance 10 arti-
hcal drama. Sir Harry O'Grindle is drinking
port and matchmaking with General Fitzgerald
st the castle and the henpecked Harding is
holding yarn and waiting subrnissively and with
crushed spirit upon his English wife, and is not
entitled 70 sympathy when the domestic tyrant
Is in1personated by SO charming actress
Miss Winilred Emery. Kathleen is still vexed
with jim over the briar bush ENHANCEMENT with
Nan and the situation is improved when
inc eF7izar
pears and falls into his arms from sheer joy
over his recovery from the imaginary wounds
received IN the duel. When the young people
are eft u themselves they quarrel and are rec
"hclled ia bright and amusing love scene SYM
faihetica.ly written and enacted with natural
ness and charm
Ihe second curtain is still q long way removed.
IoF there Is the rascally lawyers letter about
Nsn TO come with its demand of FIVE hundred
Pounds hush money Sir Harry receives il and
inieTprets your SON as duplicating Jim in
Al amour with Nan: and the guilty Harding,
instead cf setting him right, promises 70 obtain
'ie money from the rich English wife. This he
E7es 10 CO b. various devices. ranging from
os2alng cajolery 10 paroKysTns of temper: but
enc refuses 10 supply the money until she is in
'orned what use is to be made of il. When the
'ener is shown 20 her. she agrees 20 nay the
hush money. hut insists upon telling Kathleen
~hat sor' II man "JiGa" is. This she does, and
ne engagement is broken of. The second act
coses after Harding has whispered his own guilt
x us h-otheris ear and crayed protection This
1s sale elo6rerla without trace OF Originality
rsEgoers q any experience find il trying 20
s1llesx Lae production Of the ambiguous black
fnslliE- letter. whies has been worn yellow IN
We service of dramatists. II takes away their
zest for the final act with the inevitable read
ltstrnent of responsibility and the feiicitous