The sun., 1908-05-24
SHAW PUZZLES THE CRITICS
WRAT DOES HIS PLAY "GETTENG
MARRIED" MEAN, THEY ASK.
Described as Merely Brilliant Cow ersaticn
on the stage-But shaw says IL Ii q
Good Play and Tells why ineros
The Tnunderbolt" q disappointment.

Good Play and Tells why Up inero's
The Tnunderboit" q Disappointment.
LONDON, May 1e.-The greatest dramatist
and the greatest oonversationalist In Eng
land each treated the public TO new play
this week. The dramatist disappointed
one audience and his critics, and the oon-
versationalist alternately perplexed and
enraged the other which Ii probably just
wh@ he intended to do. A play from the
pen Of that master Of stagecraft Pinero
and series of brilliant ideas and epigrains
from that mental gymnast Bernard Shaw
make an eventful dramatic week, even
though both efforts fell far below the stand
ard hoped for by the followers OF their
orfginators.
In Pineros play "The Thunderbolt,' pro-
duced at George Alexander's Theatre, the
drama In built around a provincial family
in a small town. This is becoming favor
ite theme Of his, though he has never yet
achieved the marvellous picture Of narrow
minded English provincial life which Gran
vile Barker produced in his "Voysey In
heritance."
Pinero locates his family in Sipglehamp-
ton In place of the hypocrisy and Phar-
isaism OF the Ridoievs in His House in
Order" greed of gold and consequently Of
social advancement are characteristics OF
the Moriimores in -The Thunderbolt." All
the principal characters are etched deep in
acid. From the first moment when they
are gathered together in front Of US we know
what manner Of people they are.
First there is Brother JONES' the Oldest
and most important member. in his own
opinion: a purse proud, domineering man.
the Napoleon OF Singlehampton. whose
horizon is bounded by the borders Of that
painfully respectable borough. Then there
is Anne his wife. whose outlook is still
narrower since it does not extend beyond
the four walls OF Ivanhoe Villa. Next
there is Stephen Mortimore. the editor and
proprietor Of the Singlehampton Times and
Mirror, whose sole interest IN life is summed
up in his feud with his rival quill driver
of the Courier. His wife Louise is q shrewish
woman whose waspishness IL only limited
by the narrow radius OF her sphere for
making mischief and trouble.
There is also Rose, who since her mar
rage to Col. Pointing has posed as a woman
Of fashion in London, but has retained with
singular tenacity all the smallnesses and
pettinesses of her provincial mind and her
unbounded family pride. Finally there Is
Thdddeus Mortimore. an amiable, weak
kneed man who has affronted the family
dignity by marrying the daughter Of
grocer and further lowers his prestige
by pursuing the humble calling OF teacher
Of music, and Phyllis. his wife, who though
CLEVER and accomplished has not been able
TO live down the stigma Of the paternal
store and who through sixteen years Of
married life has had to bear constant
daily slights from the estimable Motimores
and reminders that she has ruined the
life and career OF Thaddeus who is abso-
lutely In love with her and as happy as
constant privstion and struggles with
poverty win allow person to be.
To this family group has come the news
that still another brother somewhat ,es-
tranged from the rest has died intestste,,
leaving q large fortune, or rather thats a
Supposed will In favor Of his illegitimate
daughter, Helen Thornhiu, cannot be
found. The family eyes are distended with
greed at the thoughts Of further fatness
of purses.
To this edifying assemblage is intro
duced Helen Thornhit whose grief for the
loss Of her father Ia sincere and whose
regret Ia not that he should have neglected
did not think Of her at the last The dram
atist's skill Is much at fault here. for one
realizes from tho first that there was will
and Just who has made away with it.
Mrs. Thnddeus and the girl become firm
friends and in q passion Of remorse and
shame Thaddeus's wife confesses to him
that she stole the will in the hope OF better
ing their fortune, as she cannot endure the
scorn Of his family any longer. Horri-
fed at her disclosure he decides to shoulder
the burden Of guilt himself, and at the next
family -conclave to divide the spoils OF the
dead brothers inheritance, he hurls a
thunderbolt by declaring that there was
crepancies in his story and under the search
ing cross-eSamination OF Miss Thornhdfs
solicitor he breaks down and cannot help
the crime being brought home to- his wife.
The Nortimores behave under this blow
til, the generosity OF Helen ThornhW which
racates their vindictiveness: She pro
ro,ei a scheme of share and share alike
rnd saves Mrs. Th1ddens Mortimore from
csving the, legal penalty OF her crime. rim
tie httleneeses Of life, not with it's great
ism ,es Interest centres in the behavior
# this family under either extreme OF
fortune. But there is an exaggeration in
tnacllracter drawing and in every situation
Which leaves one unmoved in the biggest
scenes. -,
Mr.. George Alexander as Thdddeus Morti-
more vaciated between strong tendency
I, preach and pirate and an equally strong
ten iency toward violent Mysteries when
lie heard his wife's confession and when he
took her guilt upon himself :.
Mss Mabel Hackney made the erring
wife very human in her sensitiveness and
weakness There was an echo OF The
Thief in the scsne between husband and
wife and an echo of Mrs. Danes Defence
in the crcss-examinstion scene.
The play had very mixed reception
cn1 though the author had sufficient ap
riauss to bring him before the curtain. he
faced boos and Kisses from various parts
II the house as well.
The critics for the most part showed dis
appointment at the play end recalled the
days Of Iris" and Lefty But the cast
iron contract for three months run OF his
play which Mr.. Pinero has will necessitate
the continuance of the production even
though public and critics do not care for
Mr.. Bernard Shaw's Getting Married.
Conversation first saw the light OF pub
licity in matinee production at the Hay
market Theatre on Tuesday. The first
ect deli ighted the audience. the second
perplexed them, while the third infuriated
them, for il made them realize that this
v tba RrapCh ha rallad