New-York tribune., 1908-01-21

| out loss of self-respect: and often he rehes III
vain. 1t is for that reason that a great part VI
the best audience in this city,-by which Is meant
the family audience-has been alienated from Ies1-
! lar attendance at the Theatre.
Nothing but absolute conviction of the bad ehecI
| caused by such plays Irene Wycheriey "oulu
justify explicit condemnation of them The respon
sibty for the discussion of such subjects does ho-
| rest with the reviewer, who is compelled to con-
slider them in the OF his public duty II lies
with the persons who obtrude such subjects In the
theatre. Miss Viola Allen is capital actress anu
| one Of the best and most amiable of women. 10
! recognize her merit and sustain her endeaVor IN
every worthy enterprise is privilege. Her pro-
ducton of Irene Wycherley" is not worthy enter
prise, and it cannot be commended and will not BE-
by any person who desires her professional welfare
Ii the acting of Irene Wycheriey Miss Allen meets
every reasonable requirement. She has syIlpa-
thetic voice. she possesses intensity, and
she is unusually face in the expression of tumultu
emotion She is free from the silly affectatons
concerning feeling, SO frequently obvious at TINS
time. She has studied the emotions that she Is re-
quired to portray. Whether she feels them or not
on the stage is unl1nown-probably she does not;
for, if she did TO any considerable extent, that
would njure her expression. She makes her audi
ence feel them Her plan is definite and right: her
fuflment of it ample and exact. In physical as
pect she is somewhat solid for the part The dark
hair, however the soft. brown eyes. the gentle
smile, the sensitive mouth, the peculiar little ner-
vous. tremulous movement OF the lips. all ap-
propriate and effective. But there Is something
about the clear cut nose the chin. the thought
ful, strong brow, and certain Deep hard note
that comes occasionally in her voice, does not
accord with the a woman who would
submit. for any reason, the biackguard Wycher-
leys beasty ill-treatment, refrain from putting
him. at once and forever of her life. From
such woman Miss Allen indicated sMr. Wych-
erley would have been likely to receive in return
Tor the Oliver of his riding whip, a Roland in the
shape of the carving knife. The merit of Miss
Aliens Characterization is in the expression not in
the creation of the personality She Is an actress
10 whom action is "a property OF easiness." but
whom the indication OF condition is not. The part
is overloaded with long speeches. 1t was In the
delivery of several of the more important of them
which are almost hysercal and expressive of bitter
sarcasm. that Miss Allen at her best.
The acting in the auxiliar parts is jealous and
generally commendabe. air Grant Stuart as Sir
Peter Nycherley. skilfully and thoroughly embodied
an elderly, cynical. plausible man of the world
That actor possesses an eccentric personality IN
temperament more than in manner and he has
acquired remarkable dexterty in giving a humor-
Gus expression TO that eccentricity. He never
lapses from character and he knows precisely when
to stop. AIR Arden as Wycherley. impaired
adequate sense Of that persons innate depravity.
but In extcrnals was. usual. correct His method
is fnfexible. touch Of sprightlness was impaired
to the general gloom of the proceedings by Miss
Nelly Thorne and a touch Of manly sincerity
provided by Mr.. John Glendinning: but a man
whose suferngs are such drive him to murder
and suicide would be likely to evince something
like emotion in his countenance Grief usually
ravages the human form and face.
There is erroneous notion that dramatic criti-
cism is provided for the benefit Of theatrical man.
ayers. actors and playwrters. Criticism is written
for the information and If possible for the guild
ance of readers. The newspaper press is under no
obligation 70 furnish instruction acting play
writing. stage-manaeement. The acted drama
becomes important TO the public and therefore TO
the press. only at the point where II affects the
public mind The interests of catricai managers
and the vanity OF actors do not provide q reason
Tor dramatic criticism, nor can criticism do more
than recognize achievement and encourage merit.
Art originates and expands not from outward In
stlation. but from inward impulse. The moral
aspect. the intellectual quality. the spiritual drift.
the artistic and industrial conduct and prosperity
of the Stage, as they tend TO color and influence
the public mind. supply the justification ot dra-
matc criticism. Its legitimate object is the sd-
vaHcement OF civilization, the development. in the
public mind. of all that is fine and right and 1t
ought forever 10 oppose all that Is base and de-
grading. all that is detrimental To right feeling.
good taste end rectitude. II the writer OF criticism
who follows that course reinforce his critical
reviews with wide knowledge OF drama. Of lltera-
turc and human life, with sympathetic, expert
knowledge OF dramatic construction theatrical his
tory and the technical expedients Of dramatic art.
much the better for readers. actors, and him
self. But criticism which Is written merely
fuous. The public does require IT, and. more
over merely technical questions Of acting there
many good reviewers Of plays who could ad
vantegeously be instructed by any good utility
performer. II the production of such plays
Irene Wycherley' involved nothing but questions
of dramatic construction and representation It
would be right and pleasant 10 pass the sub
tect with only word OF record But that play is
representative of contemporary perversion Of the
Theatre: a perversOn tending TO the debasement
of and thus 70 the degradation of morals:
perversion indicative because of its frequency, Of
some deep-seated propensity 10 wrong thinking and
wrong conduct Writers who of intel
lectual obligation to the time I'm which they live
cannot rightly let such plays pass without exam
inatlon and protest. The town has had liberal
allowance of moral lessons TO sexual iniquty
and its dire resultg-which everybody knows. and
about which nobody needs any information: and the
public has reason to be very weary of this subject
weary of being told about either aduterers
blackguards weary OF those pragmatc moral
mongers who continuously blathering. with the
old Irish balladst
Il have scanned the motives WAYS Of
And the skeleton grtns through them ALL
AT OTHER THEATRES