New-York tribune., 1910-02-01
DRAMA
Pinero,s PLdy, Mid-Channei,
at the Empire Theatre.

fsh delight quite worthy OF puplis III d
kindergarten. but wholly unlike the expires
sions of approval which might reasonably
he expected from grown and sophis'cateo
men and women. Monday nights audience
=. the Empire Theatre after the third act
OF Sir Arthur Pinero's new play. Mid
Channel" made both itself and Miss Ethei
Rsrrymore appear ridiculous. The silly
e1uheraace Of the crowd took the custom
srz stupid form OF a demand for speech
after il had kept Miss Barrymore chasing
bouquets which lodged furtively under the
furniture The effect Of the proceeding was
S-otesoue Did these clamorous persons
realize that they had been gazing at
work Of art. at a powerful and moving
scene IN 4 powerful and moving play AT
actors who had preserved remarkably 'he
illusions created by a master Drama 'lS'-
The illusion could have been nolhihs ~
these hoisterous. even If gloFeo' peISolls'
for they proceeded to destroy II as soon
as the curtain dropped speech. SPeecn-
they cried. as if anything could be added
70 the acting. or 10 Pinero's art, ny
speech, from a popular actress. Yet they
pfvs-ied with glee while she ran about for
-be fouers which. when over the foot
lights. rolled under the chairs. And all the
while Miss Barrymore. rather exhausted by
the strain Of the scene which had just
closed. vas moro in need OF a few min
utes' rest ere she changed for the next
scf than In need Of any such unsophlstl-
Gated demonstration OF public favor
II the prosperity Of Il tale lies In the
bearer how much more is the merit OF a
play a test % its audief2ceg A master
painting is a master painting Scli' al
though the museum he thronged with the
duIlest tntenects, 4 play with the quality
Of Pinero's 'rMid-ChanneI' is a strong,
clean and interesting work, although some
onlookers called il rotten. ''talky." and
spp1ied even SITTER epithets. according to
their lack o. capacity TO perceive what
.he dramatist was driving at Miss Barry
more had earned the applause which was
ls,=shed upon her She had performed
ne most important and most difficult part
i-st has ever come her way. and she had
done 50 with very great credit: she had re
vesled talents hitherto unsuspected; taken
forward stride hitherto considered beyond
h-r well known limitations And at this
point il Is to be said that "Mid-Channel'
is : better play than New York had been
led 70 expect Although the piece failed
in London. there is no good reason why
II should not succeed in New York
To be sure. Miss Ethel Barrymore is not
Miss Irene Eanhrugh. but il may be for
oeed here. Miss Barrymore softens just
Rha- Miss Tsnbrugh accentuated, the vui-
ssr1sms Of Zoe BlundeII: she deepens the
shadows which Miss Tanbrugh heightened.
Possibly Miss Yanbrugh st the ST. James's
was more like the English type on which
Pirero insisted than is Miss Barrymore At
the Empire A literal portrayal in America
OF that slangy. shallow, smart London
type Of woman might not be generally
understood here. And il is because this
character is softened by Miss Barrymore
rut not unduly softened. that the play is
HkelE 70 succeed with her instead Of fail
ing, as il did with Miss Vanbrugh. In the
Empire Zoe there are Tedeeming traits: in
the s. Jan1es's Zoe there was none One
ventures 10 say that with Miss Barrymore
1h4 play would have succeeded in London
Praise more 10 the point can scarcely Je
given.
IT Is not Sir Arthur Pinero's business to
reform society. il may be his business TO
show Society something Of its form and
pressure, its PASSIONS. its foIlies and fatal
falioWness, the bad manners and futter-
ing morals. the caddish conduct the utter
ear; r;niness q some Of its ''smartest'' and
Es-eSt tyres Pinero has been engaged
these many years in holding the English
middle class. the upper middle class if you
viii, and the lower fringes Of the aris-
rccracy. ID to the scorn Of the stage. II
rs has not improved the morals or the
manners of the social organism II Is be
cause ne has not attempted an impossi-
tle task. for he Is not dreamer, he
knows that il smart society is 70 be i'm
proved The Improvement must come from
7irhin. not from beyond the individuals
that compose Il. He is content with ex-
nihiting il with ell its dashing weaknesses
snd shortcomings. and he conducts his ez-
hfbi-ion with z skill and wiz and a certain
Encvingress unmatched By any dramatist
II this country or n his own
Pinero presents life as he sees II Tears
Ego he saw il differently. OF. put IL in an
Other way. he then preferred To contem-
plate and york with other forms Of life.
He uss then among the sentinentalists;
Re IS non. and long has been. chief cf The
roof and smiling moderpiSts depicting life
without ideals. dissecting folly with cruel
fsthfulness, sitting the mask of hypoc-
-fsv snd revealing the people Of his world
they are and as they know they are.
r you cali Pinsro 4 pessinlist he will re-
riv thai he lived SO long with the optiulisJs
NJ other END was possible
To his latest play, Channel" he
rss brought en his skill au his mastery Of
construction al his vivid. biting. cleaning
Iire-s-v ar. but he has also brought char
acrers 50 mean. 50 frivolous. base. british.
worldly. thai The result would repel rather
shan atrracr the spectator were the stage
5,resenta tion less admirable and discreet
Mid -Channef' * = powerful plav. II is as
candid as Clvje F1rch's city" and a. di-
rect IN its teaching
There IS one character for whom il is
possible 70 feel : liking. = M Peter Mot
tram. friend of the family peacemaker, d
conUon-sense. charming. easy-going man,
: stoca broSins partner q Bundell. the
british, jealous maddening husband of the
Diav. Nottram evUdes advice smooths
troubles and drops his 'g's" the latter
tain II tne Enziishry OF the hour Mr.. II.
Reeves Smith plays this part. ana plays il
admirably. In his endeavor to reconcile
Nr ard Mrs. BlUndell. who have got on
yorOe Nottram ~ounseIs his friends TO
patience; they are I'm md-channel, the
course viii soon be smoother Their ex-
perience. ne AYERS, IS common 10 marriage.
Mid Channel he says It's halfway
betReen FoIkestone and Boulogne.
There's a shoal- We call it the
Ridge. I've crossed it on d score
of the finest days Of the year. =
Everything's looked as enticin' as !: could
be; but we've neared the Ridge-mid-