New-York tribune., 1909-12-12
THE LONDON STAGE
A Dramatized Novel-Pince,.
Bm1atinsky.
London. DecAr,herf

IT..
A novelist takes a serious risk when 4.
drarnatizes a story OF psychological IN
t.rest. Mr.. Perceval LandOn. in Tn.
House Opposite" has tried TO reproduc,
the haunting horrors OF tortured
woman, who Is called upon 70 degraa.
herself In order 20 save the life OF a f.l.
low creature falsely accused OF murder
and II he does not wholly succeed, ths
fault Hes in the lack OF theatrical effect
Lover and mistress. a married woman.
have a love scene and quarrel After re-
turning frohl the opera. and raising sh.
window shades at the last moment, ths
man sees a murder in the house on.
posite. The next day the housekeeper os
the murdered man Is arrested. and a.
time goes on she is convicted and sen
fenced 10 death. t. lover cannot give
the testimony witch will set the hol,s-
keeper free. for IL will compo mise N.
honor of his mistrSSs. There is. futas
talk of dragging in French maid as
substitute, but in the end the wretchs3
wife forces herself to tell her husband
the truth He is rattling the leaves OF
newspaper. and most inattenttvs
listener. and he blurts out the matts-
with which he il preoccupied. namely,
the deathbed confession OF the real mur.
derer OF the house opposite. which deliv-
ers the housekeeper from the saIlows.
The husband shows no sign Of having
heard his wife's confession The meIan-
choly lovers part and the curtain falls
In the novel the resources Of uterary
art may suffice 10 supply illusion and to
lend reality 20 the torments of the lovers
but ON the stage the story is at no poIn.
dramatic Neither the subtle acting o.
H. r. Irving "a a cynical. worldly
rake with Pickering spark Of honor. nor
the remorseful. hysterical vagaries o,
Miss Eva Moore. as the ex-Home Sec-.-
tary's wife-and she plays her part NOS,
sympathetically and IL most effective in
her hesitating confession-produce tbs
results which were in the novelists mind
More than a little does not get over tbs
footlights. The curtains are drawn aside
and the lover stares vacantly az ths
Illuminated windows OF the house op-
poslte: but the audience does not know
what Is happening over the way. Tbs
murder is explained by the Under sscre-
tary OF the Home Office in the next act:
the housekeeper's conviction "a learned
at second hand. and there are numerous
| complications over a gay young woman.
brightly impersonated by Miss Mursl
Beaumont. and over a self-sacriicins
n ~. II.
/ Dora Barton: but when the chatter a.
the tea table rattles and complinen.
boxes has ceased the sudiencs retrss
without knowing whether the husband
/ has understood what his wife was av-
! ing with faltering tongue. OF whether tbs
/ lovers win meet again after an unds-
/ Tended divorce suit. Mystery and sub.
/ tIety. which may have been effective |,
/ the printed page. are battling and ssas-
/ perating in the dramatized version.
\ IT is unfortunate that Mr. Lannon's
/ play at the Queens Theatre is not pleas
anter and more dramatic than " is. Mr.
| Irving has been appearing so long N
/ oId-fashioned melodrama. such as eTrs
/ Bells and The Lyons Mail" that
reversion to more modern parts is an
/ agreeable surprise, Ten or twelve years
ago at the ST. Janes's Theatre he was
/ playing the cynical worldling and POI
ished villain. with the promise ot ,
brilliant career unerringIy revealed in
his painstaking stagecraft: and now hs
is doing the same work again. but with
matured art. increased dignity and self
restraint and a sustained grip upon his
audience. The promise of his early sp-
premiership at the 81. Jamess has been
largely fulfilled. for he has become
highly accomplished actor. with many
Of his fathers most CHARACTERISTIC meth
ods. but with fewer mannerisms. hs
TO be hoped that he will find speedily
better modern play than The Rois
Opposite for the display % his talents
real drama and not a bookish and ar
tificial substitute for II.