The sun., 1908-05-24

George had come 70 Know lot about men
Of all sorts, and 10 made her interesting and
developed her common sense: A..
oonfesses. with pride that she 10 n regular old
maid and glad OF it.. She would like TO
have children, but az ths country bells her
she can't have children about the, house
without great hulking man also about
the house, she would rather do without
them, though 1t would pay he country to
pay her TO have childreny &c.
Her devoted admirer, UeNerdl Bri =
north. 10 greatly shocked Rt these ,e.s
and somewhere along here the Bishop
himself intereoses and and has g. bis ,nn turn al at
devil fair play, which he nov 81 gets In Eng.
land, and az far as polygany is concerned
a. the great majority of l,is fellow subjects
are polygaInists he cant insult them by
M taking against polyganmy oensraf Fridge. .,s.
the discussion becomes so animated that
Lesbia asks the two brothers IN they can
nevor meet without qllarrelling.
This 10 not quarrelling. replies the
Bishop, 1this 10 English family life
The humorous Bishop enjoying his own
wit apparently goes on y toll Of his letters
from adorng ladies' who have heard his
sermons, patonio love letters, aud how
he has told four Prime Ministers that II
they don't make marriage laws more rea-
sonable there wall be strike against the
custom.
II wonder he muses.. who will begin
the stand against marriagei'
He is promptly answered by his daughter,
Edith and Cyril Svkss. the bride and bride
groom elect who have been reading pamph-
decided that thcy want to be let OF their
bargain and not marry ~ ell
Marriage has already had VI drawbacks
In the Brid0snortk family, for y younger
brother. Regiwald, hao married q girl much
49, - 49, A.I i'll
with a certain S.. John Hotchlriss and has
arranged to get . divorce. So the Bishop
10 sympathetic With his daughter and mar
iage 10 assailed on all sides, exc ept by
Wilidm ColliNe. who says II is good enough
in its way 4 you are easygoing and don't knt
thinking about.
Some one suggests that they draw up a
model marriage contract or agreement, but
no one Of them agrees with any one else OF,
the terms or whether II shall be for long
or a short period. More disoussion en-
sues, which e interrupted BY the entrance
OF Mrs. George ColIins. Of the many affairs.
who Of all these battling individuals Is the
most baffiing.
Every one hoped fog something definite
and deoisivie from lrs. George. The
faith on her power to settle all their diff
oulties and as they talked Of hor oonsta ntly
the audience too hoped abe would be
help; but no. she made q fine. striking en-
trance, and alasl that was all.
The discussion on marriage agreements
is interrupted for a private interview be-
tween her and 81. John Hotchksss, who
Notwithstanding the Bridgenorth divorce
episode Ia in love with Mrs. George. They
have a brilliant epigrammatio conversa-
ton. which ends in their agreeing to see
each other. but no sentiment Ia to be al
lowed--at least not yet.
After this the lady has another long
conversation, this time with the Bishop.
in which she oonfesses to being the lady
who sent him the platonio love letters and
finally she Gaps the climax by going of nto
a sort of conversational trance in which
she gives her views on life and marriage in
prose, poetry and Gospel and voices such
mixture OF brilliant and hopeiessly oon-
fusing and confused ideas as only Shaw
could perpetrate. The curtain goes down
on a last aot which leaves the situation un-
solved and every one still in the dark as to
Shaw's real views.
The play was we'll acted by an able COM
pany among whom were Fanny Brough
as Mrs. George Colifns, Henry Ainly as
as 81. John Hotckliss. but even they could
not lend conviction to the theme.
The attitude of the critics was much the
same as that of the audience. They felt
that they were being laughed at. Some
said that surely g. b. Il mft aNs bis oyer nsv
meant nothing at all; and some insinuated
thew were little tired Of this being laughed
at and all agreed that: tho play was too long
and absolutelyen conclusion was reached
as to shaw's views or those OF any OF his
The conversation in the piece was brill
liant and varied indeed. The science OF
comparative religion, the creed OF asceticism.
the disadvantages Of self-oontrol, the
British army, the English gentleman and
the peculiar functions OF the modern Bishop
with rare insight. and humor but the give
and take'.o words, words. words re-
minded one, as Mr. Courtney said in the
Daily Telegraph. Of sort OF intellectual
Christy's Minstrels entertainment with
several OF the characters gravely pro-
poundinR conundrums which the others
MI. shaw was quite undieturbed by the
critics wrath and said in his imperturbable
fashion after he had read all they had to
For once the critics have done exactly
az I said they would and said exactly
what thought they would in respect to
Getting Married or course they should
not have come to see it. They should ha We
sent their wives, for it is really good play
any when q people have seen Getting Married
over and over again they will have the
greatest admiration for it. The only trouble
"a il is too short. Any sensible playgoer
will notice that mistake. Howsver. they
can go and see 1t again and again. They
have that resource.
aThe whole explanation OF their criticism
of the play is this: They were unanimous
in liking the first act best, the second act
much less and the third act not at all.
They want to know what | mean by the
third act Well, the first act is farcioal
comedy which they understand and like,
the second act is sociological comedy,
which they do not understand or like, and
the third act is dramatic poetry, which is
simply Chinese to them"