The Washington herald., 1909-05-02

speeaai CcrTsspondencs The WashinEt0E Head
New York, Nay lit is a relief 10 90 to
the playhouse ard come face 10 face with
the work of a playwright who does not
taEe himself so mortally serious Our
younger dramatists have developed a re-
marksble fervor for problems Eight out
Of ten pieces that are not musical come
dies are blrdened with a message TO the
world, usually from the pens Of melan-
ch0iy young men who are tired Of life
before they have begun 10 live. and who
write as though they feared their mes
sage would come too late. This is the
sort OF play Olga Nethersole gave US on
Monday evening az the Savoy in The
Writing on the Wall" by William J. Hurl-
but; and because Edward Locke was wise
enough not to take himself too seriously
''The Climax" was gladly accepted by the
poor. tired public, and The Incubus was
richly enjoyed by those who had the
good fortune to see Il.
The Incubus IS from the pen OF Eu-
gene BrieLx. one OF the French acade-
miclans. L was translated and presented
az a special matinee a. the Haclzett Tues
day afternoon by Laurence lrving-son
OF the late Sir Henry-assisted by his
wife. Mabel Hackney. The two have
been playing 4 popular tabloid version OF
Louis XI' IN vaudeville for some time.
and arranged a production for two special
naa6nees this week, just 10 try il on an
American audience. for 7 believe 1t has
been presented in London
shall be greatly mistaken if New York
does not register It's approval OF the
piece, so fa- as its opportunities within
the prescribed limits Of two performances
AFFORD a chance for expression And the
reason people enjoyed il was because II
gave them a chance 10 see a serious prob
lem dealt with in 2 laughable manner II
Is another Of those simple little PLAYS
which catches the popular taste, as The
Climax did.
IN The Incubus" UT. Irving takes the
role Of a gray-haired, sedate, but only
middie-aged professor who Is conducting
a menage a deux with a shTewish but
very piQuant young woman named Char
lOtte. They quarrel daily, their bicker-
ings keep the neighbors in stew She
tyrannizes him ike a Russian corporal
He is a henpecked husband, indeed. With
out being married Remember. We are
seeing the comedy through French spec
tacles He is indulgent. she is fascinat-
ing They have tried TO break the bonds.
but in vain Both would rejoice n en-
Cumstances separated them. and such a
circumstance arises when the professor
discovers that Charlotte has been visited
during his absence by a certain friend Of
his youth, one BrOchat. a veterinarian.
and the neighbors believe that something
Is wrong between the two. Then comes
the usual daily quarrel. mutual protesta-
tons OF indifference and temper, and
Charlotte picks Up her things. takes her
dog. and leaves Pierre 20 rejoice in his
recovered liberty.
And poor Pierre IS indeed happy 10 be
rid OF his incubus. when Charlotte stages
q sensational coup especially TO work on
his sentiments. She casts herself into
the river. after writing notes 10 all her
friends, giving the exact time ard place
Of hev heroic farewell plunge and wait
Ing an extra hour TO see II her solemn
death notices would bring her friends u
her resCue-thOUgh the fact is that these
good friends mistook the hour Of for
and save themselves TOO much latitude.
But 2 brave old boatman was al hand
with q hook. He fshed Charlotte out Of
the water, handed her over to her friends.
who took her 10 Pierres lodgings. and
vel. the force Of habit is greater than
any sense Of injury OF anything else.
Pierre once more bends his back 20 the
sCouTge Of his Xantippe. and Is even 7e-
joiced that she Is with him again
The object Of the comedy is TO illus
ITate that habit rules Us completely and
that even when We may escape an iTk-
some and oppressive fate. II viii draw
Us down into the vortex with an ire
sistIbIe fatality Il was delightfully."- played
by the two principals and their support.
and Miss Hackney was so clever as Char
lotte that she left an indeli0le impress
sion.