New-York tribune., 1909-07-25
LONDON NOTES
an American Seaso1t--Nrs. Vests
Plag-Christie'S.
London, july 10.

| them the empire would have a dun in place Of
! brilliant capital The King takes the lead in
! converting the courts and balls at Buckingham
Palace into magnificent functions and since the
| redecoration Of the white and gold ballroom
/ with the Gobelin tapestry panels there have not
| been more gorgeous royal functions anywhere on
the Continent. The American hostesses have
| been more conspicuous this year than ever be-
fore. There are sometimes as many as dozen
! dinner parties for single American ball. but
| tha entertaining, while as costly as the hospl-
tslity in the great English houses. is by no
! means ostentations. The society papers have
almost as much to say about American about
English entertaining, and the names OF the
weslthiest visitors from New York, Philadelphia
and Boston are as familiar here the most
distinguished of the titled class \ season with
out American hostesses and with American
faces at the opera would be dull and stsgnant
Mrs. George CornwalIis West has been prompt
in explaining that her play written in q
single week two years ago and was based on
true story This bit Of exposition was neces-s
! sary since the essential idea of His Borrowed
Plunes" closely resembled the central situation
of What Every Woman Knows" In NJ. Bar
rie's play tho wife rewrote the speeches OF the
| Scottish Member Of Parliament, who was firt-
! ing with another woman incapable Of supplying
him with inspiration. In Mrs. Vests drama
| the wife writes the book which the husband
dramatzes without being aware of the real
source Of authorship lie also is flirting with
another woman. who cannot invent plot, but
can make use Of g mislaid manuscript and pro
tend that she IS assisting the amateur drama
tist. The espondence between the two pieces
is so close that it has been necessary for the
author Of the play on plagiarism 70 offer proof
that she is not herself wearing Borrowed
P1unaes" whether she wrote her drama in
single week at a country house, or frequently
revised it, is not important 1t is more scr
yiceable for her TO be able TO assert that tho
chief situation was taken from life and that the
drama vvas written before the production OF Mr..
Rarrie's comedy There is so much in the
phrasinC construction and character studies
that is fresh and original that the author viii
he readily acquitted Of the charge of plasiar-
ism Her book OF "reminiscences revealed power
Of observation and literary cleverness. The
play while not a masterr.eoe.' dscloses the
same qualities. with the additional Eifts Of
sense Of character and the art Of writing dia-
logue that is dull although st may not be
brilliant
Mrs Vests drama has been enacted 10y most
accom- plished players at the Hicks Theatre
Mrs. Patrick Campbell was the wife. q popular
novelist devotcdIy attached - the Jealous hus-
hand. whom she surpassed in clevernoss and
Intellectual gifts. The actress lent her own
fascination and individuality 20 ths part and
succeeded in making Il definite and interesting
iuapersonation. Mr.. Mi1ward was the husband.
a retired ma ior. writing bad poetry which his
wife scornfulIv condemned without knowing
that It was his. aud following b. with q play
which. without his knowledgs was grounded
upon ono OF her unpublished novels Hs acting
is excellent. and also is Miss Gertrude King
ston's n the ir1pe~so17ff3u - on adventures.
who fngs herself 81 tho husband and seeks 20
estranEc him from the wife. Coming acci-
dentallv upon tho manuscript when her pride
has been touched she Yields rrrself % tha
temptation Of approprstiuE tie plot and coach
ing the major iu dramatic authorship. suI De. in
his turn readily persuades himself that his
compjce IS too iusistent upon cola borati7n. and
ths, the essential scheme IS bis own invention.
Both parts are PLAYED with close approach 20
plausibuity- II Mr. AiHley bc less successful
as the harrister. who uses letters obtained IN
the course or his practice and practically black
malls the adventures. IL IL because conduct 80
unprofessonal renders tho part quite impossible.
Miss Annie Hughes has a specialt, OF ter own
in the overdressed artiacer a. epigrams At an
afternoon tea: Miss Stella Campbell IS q vIvac-
ious young actress. Miss Fraser IS a patient
secretary. and tho other minor parts are ad-
mirably taken.
The drama eliminates in a scene behind the
royal box at the National Theatre. The wife
has thrown the manuscript into tho fire IN order
10 allow her husband 70 plume himself on bis
borrowed feathers. The play has been produced
before an appreciative audience ana has proved
highly successful. The theatre is ringing with
plaudits when the manager rushes in 20 pro-
claim the dramatist's triumph and 70 insist on
his answering the frantic calls for the author.
He is crestfallen because the adventures has
barely told him the truth about the stolen man
uscript but he pulls himself together and bold
" announces 10 the audience that the play is
not his own but his wife's. There is no Jest
about the funny-bone. but the conclusion is
virtually replica Of the moral Of Mr. Barrie's
comedy The superior Wit OF the affeotionate
wife is acknowledged. and the curtain falls upon
an agreeable forecast Of the National Theatre.
which is TO reform the tastes Of playgoers and
the methods of actors. Smart society. with the
King al the outerrnost line has done everything
in it's power to lend social patronage and pres
tige TO the rise OF new playwright As such
things go, His Borrowed Plumes" IS a success
and may have run. If transferred from the
afternoon TO the evening stage. 1t contains not
a little Of the talk to be heard in the best draw
ing rooms of London. The epigrams are not so
neat as the lamented Mrs. Craigie's used TO be-
but there is more action than she considered
necessary In a comedy Of manners of the old
French type.
The seasons sales at Christie's are closing
with job lots Of all sorts from various sources
There will be q jewel day next week. with a
dred and fifty pearls. with a dozen drop shaped
briIIiants in the clasp. the most precious
nament. Another day will be ratified of a
0f lin md