New-York tribune., 1908-10-20
THE DRAMA.
MR.. GILLETTE AT THE CRITERION.
Samson -


a numerous and friendly assemolage at the Cri-
terion Theatre,divests the incident pleasure
and Of legitimate interest. The play called Sam
SON. which comes from French Mr.. H.
Bernstein author OF The Thief" tells a noxious
story which hovers around sexual sin end rsbid
malevolence, and exhibits human nature in some
of its most repulsive aspects. The theme is a
pound os deceit. treachery frenzy. Illicit passion
and revenge and that theme.-from the contempla-
ton of which no spectator derive anything
except a sense OF degradation and shame
is set forth with only the most ordinary
thea4rical talent and with a brutal frankness
productive OF contemptuous disgust. The story
lstes that a rich speculator becoming convinced
that hts wife false to him, revenge on
her suspected Tzramour,-another speculator, also
richly causing panic in the Stock Exchange
sno thus precipitating the financial ruin OF his sup
posed wronger and. incidentally, of himself. The
treacherous wife and the libertne nonentlties.
representative OF nothing more important than
proniEate frfvolity- The avenger.-ndicated a s
Samson" because he effects his own obstruction
SIS well as that OF his enemy. after the manner OF
the Biblical Samson at the Gates Of Gaza,-is
commonplace person whom treachery and evil
treatment have goaded into condition OF sup
pressed fury cold insanity. There is in
Of Poe's stories, THE Cask Of AmontiladO,' man
who typifes that mental condition-entcing into
wiue-vault deceitful acquaintance who has in
.ure6 him and whom he hates and waIling
him up. alive TO perish by starvation.
& mural tomb. the transmission from French
INTO I-hSilSl play HAS
and been. to some extent, deodoriZed-though the
scent Of depraylty hangs round If still. The wife,
IL Is intimated, has not actually committed adul-
tery. hut has only intended To do SO, and the
furious husband therefore (vvhatever he may think
does not possess the last and conclusive for
the act of vengeance that he performs in his
rihce Of eighty thousand francs TO ruin his false
friend and detested foe. That is the old we'll
device. bring in the uncean subject and Vet
have specious ground Of denial that it has been
introduced. There telling incidents in the piece
when the husband confronts the wife, after
her return from the brothel TO which her lover
had lured her and from which she is supposed TO
have escaped unstained: and. whole, it is
fairly effective. though very gross and probably
exaggerated. picture OF manners in the more cor
Tupt circles OF Partisan society.
The fact that the vulgar and offensive subject Of
.ncontinence is continually obtruded the stage
must have been observed 10y all persons who bestOw
thoughtful attention upon theatrical proceedings.
This play Of Samson" has been concocted for the
sole purpose OF making q theatrical situation
that IS both painful and vie.-the situation in
which the husband, having entrapped and con-
Ened his Creacherous friend avenges hinself,-by
the expedent Of fnanc:al panic. supplemented
with personal assault,-upon the liCentious de-
spoier Of h,s domestic peace The theme is rank;
the public mind is polluted by the incessant pre-
sentnent OF plays Of this order. and the extrpaton
them from the stage has long been essential for
the welfare of society. II IS monstTous that stuff
OF kind should be continuously thrust into the
theatre. and that the press should be, as it is,
compelled, in measure. to observe and dis
,-ss IL: for no influence could be worse than that
which constrains attention 70 a subject already
rs- too prevalent in the contemplation Of mankind.
a trustworthy medical and philosophical writer
lis declared. after careful computation that about
oae-thrd Of the lifetime OF average human being
Is occupied with consideration Of matters Of sex.
That being true,-as, without doubt it is,-human-
i-v Possesses all the knowledge Of this theme that
IS essential TO its wellbeing, and, indeed, con-
sf3era'Iy more than is conducive TO the promotion
of GOOD living and good manners Emerson, in his
wise way. noticed that one Of the universal in
s.57rts Is largely overfreighted." It might be
supposed accordingly. that Intellectual PERSONS
the authors Of books plays and other works Of art,
the mentors and guides of popular thought ano
taste and therefore Of civilization,-would take
Fae5 Of their duty and strive to direct the public
mind 70 higher and better things Yet as eX-
rerience shows. the theory Of many authors.
a-f especially Of many dramatic authors
,-7on which theory they do not scruple to
s--l assumes that you are justified, and entitled
10 admiration no matter what course you take
= only you create "a sensation; and 1t seems also
10 h thought that e you are only coarse enough
I'm YOUR continuance Of situation or in your treat
rrent Of it. you VIII exhibit noble audacity and
defiant power. In such cases the result is fire.
ouenfly proclaimed strong, virile, the prod
net IF IDEAS the glorious consummaton OF
new thought" The fact, meantime, is that those
ebuitions OF "viriltty' are nothing more than
the SYMBOLS Of weakness and tokens Of mental
disease That able and thoughtful dramatist
Henry Arthur Jones while extenuating the prev
afe7ce Of the sexual drama by asserting
rfat the general public demands a love-story
and insists that It shall be the main theme OF the
-e,.. (Which is an error adds this significant
mark. u do not shut my eyes TO the 1act thaI
rs-, of The greatest concerns Of human life lie, TO
CREST extent, outside of the sexual question; ana
rr-~v great plays have been, and can be, written
without touching upon these matters at all Those
words announce important truth, and II Is great
v 40 be desired the writer's Of plays would act
upon
Nr Gillette gave a sustained, powerful, and i'm
rreesjye performance Of Maurice Brachard, called
81 the rlayhiIls "a self-made man. IN passages
sentiment and of pathos his voice fails him; but
in moments OF irony and TRADES Of vehement IN
dgnaton he is amply effective and ne Is 1ehclt0us
ln the assumption Of nOnchalance, to cover a
se-;of;s pu-pose and IN quick transitions Of feeling
and expression He has the hard vlsage OF q man
o. action and he also has the haggard vIsage OF a
man who suffers. The scene between tracilaTd ana
Goyain acted by Mr. Gillette and Mf- -ArthuT
Byron was carried il such way as TO create anu
sustain illusion and at its close those actors were
loudly cheered and repeatedly recalled ne"
actress Miss Constance Collier. making her ilrst
appearance here gave evidence of capacity ana
power for characters of the heavy melodraInatc
order. She OF the dark Egyptian ORDER OF DeA'S-
The part Of the dlscontented wife Is weak ana uh-
grateful Cor the purposes ot acting At the eno OF
the play Brachard, apparently persuaded OF ms
vife's innocence. accepts the assurance that she
loves him. and all IS well
CAST OF SAMSON
MARQUIS 5Andeline Fredertc de BSle{iiee
7eTorne = S;oIan ATtaur Byron ron
Maurice Erachard " tIry I..t %srviII
3tsT ns5oel de Fontenay Bennett Il.lPaok
Emmett It. Iass htass
|si-n9., -. Constance Collier
r+,3e 1,; .aFs' =. Marie wainwright