New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-26
THE PLAYG0ER
NEW PIECES and THEIR
PERFORMERS.
Bad Taste and Good Taste and
Errors of Judgment.

blotches It The botches were brought over
from Paris, where they are esteemed as Jewels OF
the first water. The brilliancy was brought from
Paris. too but by way Of London Miss GLADYS
Unger adapted the play It seems to be Miss
fingers fate 10 adapt plays that need washing be-
fore they reach this country. This play needed
washing. and got it, but did not get enough Of IT,
Perhaps Miss Unger thought that more washing
would have the effect of bleaching Or perhaps
the manager thought Somebody thought so.
Or after so much cleansing. the present stains
would not have been left I'm. Perhaps the manager.
or the managers reader, did not regard these 'ef-
receive bits" as stains and blotches good deal
depends upon the managers readers. When a mon
arch or management produces score, or fifty. or
hundred plays in season he must depend upon
other judgments than his own But the RESPONSE
hty is his in double sense. There is some re-
sponsibnity somewhere for these bIotches John
Drew's opinion Of them would be interesting But
1t may be that he has TO take things as they come
even blotches
There has been q GOOD deal oP +allx in tbis co,,n
try about tainted money There has been very
little effective opposition tainted plays. 'Incon-
slant George is a tainted play. The faint is
necessary. 1t actually hampers the players in the
object they aim at because It depresses II does not
enhven the audience. The faint is thrown. in gra-
tuitously. SO far American audiences are con-
cerned This was not so in Paris, where the origi-
nal play reeked with salaciousness. 1t was not
thrown in there IN spots The play was Owed
with H. Here the play should die II it suffered
10 remain unaltered. So much was scrubbed out of
II IN the adaptation that the few broad features
now remaining cannot have been left where they
are by accident So much was done to spare the
snsceptibities OF the American multitude that
more should have been done with the same prr-
pose in view The play would have been helped.
Now it is endangered.
Brilliant. brilliant, BRILLIANT That one word comes
up again in connection with much of the writing
IN Ills play. Then why stain it? IT is no easv
TASK 10 translate the hrilliancy of French NAV
INTO English Many adapters have failed at it.
genious, the Frenchmen whose comedies she
turns into English. Obviously then she does not
need TO drag in motives and incidents which how
ever pleasing in Paris, displeasing to sef-re-
specting English-speaking audiences. Does she in
sist upon it, or does the MANAGEMENT which en-
cages her conspicuous talent? She could omit
much and gain more
In the French theatre the people love clever dia-
iosue, enective conversation, the literary art. In
me English and American theatres the people are
afraid Of all this. Usually they suspect the lit
erary quality OF dulness and dragginess. They
nave been told so often It IS so that they hava
come 10 believe It. They demand incident and
plot What there Is of attractive quality in en-
constant George" and there is a great deal If n
is less OF story and than Of pthy sparkling
Nrluhg ana clever acting. Two or three Of the
chier events disturb even constant playgoers who
are not prudish, because these incidents ara
dragged IN by the ears; they do not belong in the
Enghshed play, native though they were to +be
french one. II was poor judgment that put them
mo me Empire version; it was poorer judgment
that left them there
The music hall singer might have been kent op+
OF the second act 1t is easy enough to see why
enc was leIt IN II, IN spite OF Miss Ungers scour-
ing. And, by the way. since Miss Desmond Kelley
mas Deen much praised for what she does &c tha
music nail singer, II is be hoped that she viii
not at once begin 10 think Of starring Beautv
goes a long way In the making Of women stars
nowadays and Miss Kelley is very attractive Rut
she has much TO learn, both about facial express
sion and about the art of carrying herself Young
actresses are commonly faulty in these respects
but Miss Kelley seems ready to fall apart AT env
is pity. ~
One capital character in this play is also marrsd
by the anateurishness OF its player Iucian de-
Eefsahhes Is no tat all understood by Nj. Martin
Same Lucian should be given to an actor OF
pohshed manner and light touch. with a sugges-
ton or gravity. Mr.. Sabine is heavy hut he seems
10 think light touch is impaired by constant
smile which exhibits admirable and cleaning
teeth He is awkward. stands with arms akiubo
ana Ieet lar apart, and masks himself. Mr. Edeson
the other night, in his play 1.-The Noble Snan-
lard' masked himself nine times out of ten. Young
actors ana actresses nowadays do not appear 10
know what 1t means TO mask themselves. Even
the term Is likely TO be unfamiliar to them Al
any rate, they fall the bad habit of Restur4n9
with the arm that is nearer the footlights when
they stand Eidewse 20 the audience and Of keepinp
the nearer leg forward. There was a time when
stage managers would not permit this But stage
managers used TO know something q bout acting
The poor Judgment which mars the production OF
"Inconstant George by the retention Of incidents
which should have been omitted is further shown
by dragging in the OF a distinguished man
whom the world has delighted to honor When
Mcheline inVents the painful lie that she has been
wronged. and tells the wretched and foolish tale to
George Bullin, she shows him a photograph Of her
alleged lover. She has really bought it from a
dealer in photographs Of celebrities Bullin says
the face is familiar; he has the man some
where. in the best society," What is his name:"
he asks. Wilbur Wright" replies M,cheline. This
is the most atrOcious and objectionable use of the
name of an honorable Of which tho stage. as
II is managed nowadays. has been guilty. IT would
have been affront in burlesque, but at the En-
pire the audience Toared with laughter. unmindful
OF the fact that this Of name in slrch associa
ton was public insult to a man who has earned
public respect But such a pass has come the
stage Of 1903! IT is ptiful enough
The Englished French play at the Empire
Again, by the way, why French? Nobody in the
cast not even Mr.. Drew himself, remotely
suggests the nationality of the characters. The
French Atmosphere was lost In the transit across
the sea. The French names remain-that is all.
The scene purports 10 be Boulogne; It might well
be Brighton, yarmouth. Coronado Beach.
And some Of the yernacular is Englsh-as-she-is-
spoke in Pccadilly. Clever enough. but not French
tv twenty-five miles, the distance from Boulogne 10
Folkestone Does It matter IN Broadway? Appar-
emily not.
This Englished French play. SAsn. is not French.
English or American, unless Il 10 american 10
make constant sport OF marriage, many play
prights players and managers seem prone to do.
II IS quite the sport this season. Does IL really
reflect the American idea? The public can answer
,b,s question by the extent 10 which IL freQueltS
or ,ritbbolds itself from certain plays good deal
&c heard about the demand for American plays"
THAT demand II II exists. seems 20 produce
many plays which ridcUle marriage any other
demand" ever did is the celebrated moral up
lft, confined TO politics? The effect OF its lifting
,o,ra- e. nouy seldom visible in the theatre. The