The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-16
TYPEWRITER LEAPS TO FAME
royDON CRITICS PRAISE 4
rOLNG WOMAN'S FIRST PLAY.
arnulns," by Miss Elizabeth Baker,
Dramatic Surprise-FOur Much Adj
,ertlsed Plays Eal-Another Satire
op yellow Journalism s Amusing.

m lpIIOW JOuItlahtih 10 u
LONDON. May 5.-The theatrical event
81 m. week in London has been the sud-
dan withdrawal Of four much advertised
nlsvs. The most meteorio of them was
sTIe Conquest a drama based on Bal
,ac,s -Duchesse de L~angeais" and adapted
a. the English palate by Miss Constance
t,lotcher. All that none and art could
do TO present beautiful stage pictures
and exquisite costumes was done, but
snparently the London public wants
more than ms. .
Balzac would never have recognized
hs duchess in her anglicized form as
r,aved by Miss Elliott. nor his gallant
Een.ral as presented by Lewis Waller,
and least Of all their owe affair as ar
,anred bv Miss Fletcher. OF course the
,uchess had to he made a widow in the
.,age version, so that English sensibili-
lies would not be wounded by n married
xoman's indiscretions. and OF course
Che rlay had to end with prospective
orange blossoms and wedding bells after
.hrce acts of MISUNDERSTANDING.
The papers we're enthusiastic in their
oraise of Miss Elliott's beauty and they
S,rhly commended Mr.. Walters acting,
IN, London will not have its handsome
Waller bearded like a pard and playing
middle aged and somewhat brutal Gen.
erals. so after six performances the
niece was withdrawn and "The Three
Kin ,ke;eers- replaced it, with Waller
"A MAGNIFICENT and dashing in the part
M D,Artagndn as all his admirers expect
sim TO be. As for his fair costar. her
future plans are uncertain.
Another ~actor-manager who has had
% acknowledge a crushing defeat is
George Alexander, who a week g pro-
a,ced a comedy called Colonel Smith.
A z. ". Mason, the novelist, was re-
,ponsible for the play. which he labelled
Epht comedy. 1t was indeed light,
In fact. had il not been beautifully acted
by such a company as Mr.. Alexander
sivavs gathers about him it is doubtful
If it could have survived its first per-
Torrance.
Mr.. Mason wove three acts around a
very old theme. The eldest sister OF a
large family to escape the criticisms and
;ests Of her brothers and sisters, who
think il is time she was married, declares
herself engaged TO an imaginary Col
smith in India. She writes long letters
10 him, and when the situation becomes
COMPLICATED she to her sym
nathetic family that he is dead.
II happens there are two or three
col. Smiths in the Indian army, and one
Of them finally gets her letters ana our
Of curiosity comes TO look her up IN
her country home, just when she is IN
mourning for her supposed fiance. lie
iepressnts himself as a friend Of the
deceased Smith. and complications deepen
SO that il takes a whole act TO straighten
them out, but all is settled Satisfactorily
and the hanoee Of the imaginary Col. Smith
finally accepts the real Smith. This piece
had seven performances before it retired
into oblivion. 1t too was replaced by
a revival. That good old standby OF
Ir. Alexander. Old Heidelberg sue
sBeyis.a by Hubert Henry Davies, has
been struggling along at the Haynarket,
but this week it gave up the ghost. The
Artf,ii Miss bearing" shared the same
tate. The public would have none OF
her. and she withdrew from the Londo
arena to try her luek IN the provinces, -
by a very new dramatist, is still being
talked OF. 1t was produces by the
Plsygoers Society last Sunday week
and was a great surprise TO critics ana
non-critics alike.
Written by MISS ElGaDetn DdhSr. a
Young typewriter, Chains has all the
hallmarks Of a great play. A practised
dramatist could easily point out to Miss
Baker where her work needs compression
and rearrangement to make ~ more
effective, but he could do very little to
improve it. and he might brush of some
Of the freshness and sincerity winch
form It's chief merit
The play deals with those whom Mr..
Wells's artilleryman calls damned little
clerks The vividness with which the
social atmosphere OF six or eight dollar
week black coated proletarian resPecta-
bilty is eau ght and presented Is re-
markable.
Leslie. the clerk with a reputation as
a humorist. which he sedulously lives up
to; Still Frost. the suburban belle clad
in resplendant Jul OF the primary
colors, who tells all men that they are
such leases and ~passionately protests
oh, ! can't sins, hrst' Fac Fen u,ek, the
elderly clerk pathetically accompanying.
always counselling submission-are all
drawn by a master hand.
The story Of the play ID soon. told.
Charlie Wilson, a clerk, is married TO q
dutiful and afIectionate wife and Is con-
irving To keep up a home for her ! the
suburbs with the help Of a paying guest.
The boarder, Fred Tenant. Is also a
clerk. but being unmarried and without
responsibilities he has come to the sudden
resolution to chuck up his wretched
starched collar existence and e his
fortune in Australia.
This decision strikes a responsive note
In the breast Of Charlie, who feels he also
would like to confront the open road
and the bright eyes of danger" But he
q tied and his wife is loving, sympathetic.
Nnselish and prudent-only she cannot
understand his longing. or course she
wins.
Charities rebellion comes TO nothing,
and we see him dressing for the city.
putting on the high white collar that irri-
tates bis chin. i suppose" he says
ironically, that a clerk has no right to
have a neck that does not fit his collar
1t is some time since any play has 30
appealed TO an audience as this simple
picture Of English suburbia did. Critics
unanimously extolled it and its produc-
,ion at a West End theatre is assured.
In fact there are rumors Of an American
representation also. The little type
writer who wrote II has awakened to find
herself famous.
AAolher treat for the public which
pstronizes the Sunday night perform
snces was Arnold Benefits play What
the Public Wants" which the Stage So
Getty gave three days ago. Mr.. Bennett,
who is often mentioned as the ~cleverest
literary workman in England. evidently
wrote this play TO amuse himself. with no
thought Of its ever running at any well
tnown theatre. As drama it is impossi-