New-York tribune., 1910-02-06
THE PLAYGOER
Uhy Pincro's Play Succeeds IN
Mex T0rk-Nc5c InfeT-
DrffatiOns.


TWO cities. and not because he piaN II act
ed better here al the Empire than II was
acted there AT the 81 .lauscS'S. but because
mo e its Characters are irnpersonaie3 here
ir a spirit which differs from that of Tire
English production II J. necessary -
understand tie tforouShneSs with which
F>snero plans every detail OF the business
and effect of a play before he submits Il
10 q rehearsal if voU would understand
r,.st What - meant bv the reference To
r.snsed spirit IN the New York portrayal
~ TWO Of his important characters in
..aIid-Chanuel.- E-uciJlly. and WIKI the at
most precision. Pincro makes the London
actors understand his conception Of his
Characters. and with absolute fivmoess he
5empels them 10 suit his action to their
word and their word 10 his action. and
for-e The spirit of their portrayal To the
pattern lie has prepared His great sue
,ess for many years has been due largely
70 his 3nsistence upon fidelity 10 his con
eeptions Of character ana 70 painstaking
care Of the business Of the scene
IN preparing "Mid-Channei' for the St
James's his insistence. one IS free 10 say,
went q step TOO far. He was right. 50
far as the presentation Of his conceptions
went. but he did not rightly estimate the
effect which such presentations would
Lave upon the audiences The 81 James ;
actors were faithful TO his requirements,
hut because Of this fidelity the play was
overwcighted with d:sagreeabIe personal
ities. and hence II failed 10 attract Il
needed sunniness, kindness, fresh air, in
order TO win the public, and these have
been admitted TO il in New York
Miss Ethel Barrymore is not q better
actress than Miss Irene Eanbrugh. but
rer personality was allowed TO play over
the character which Sir Arthur PineTo had
drawn. Miss Tanbrugh was compelled TO
insist upon certain qualities which the
author had most emphasized Just as Miss
Barrymore would have been compelled
had she played at the ST James's instead
Of At the Empire For Pinero is an auto
srat. And IN nine cases out OF ten he is
right Miss Barrymore reveals the quail
ity Of spontaneity; Miss Nanbrugh was,
TO put il gently, overtrained for Zoe Blum
dell Pinero insisted that she emphasize
the slanginess. The ''snartness." the fash
sorsble vuIgarity of Zoe; Miss Barrymore
was far distant from the unrelenting hand
and on that account she took The liberty
- soften the most disasreeable outlines
Of the character. Consequently, instead
IF repeIling her audience she won il, and
the play gains.
Peter Mottram, the family friend, VI
..rins aphorisrns as his constant coin, has
plSo undergone q CnanEe IN crossing lile
atlantic 1t is change for the better
Mr. Lowne, at the St James's :, acted cap
italy as Peter Notrranl There was no
fault 10 be found with him. But his Peter
was pompous, If cordial, parsonage,
Noicing homiIies for his own glory. His
function IN the smart world was TO md
drawing room audiences which he could
orench with good natured eloQuence; he
was the sort of man whose service was
Interference rather than assistance. He
was something OF an intruder, and a good
deal Of a bore. He liked TO hear himself
talk: he loved 70 be considered the god
Of the machine. All this accorded strict
" with Pinero's intention. But in New
York quite another Peter is beheld. Mr.
H. Reeves-Smith portrays him as z kindly
friendly, helpful. polished gentleman, al
ways welcome, always delight. There
IS no ponposity IN him, pose no off,
c:ousress. He is witty, wise in a way, not
sn intruder. not drawing room orator,
hut q skilfIl maker OF pleasing converse
ticu- His wit and pleasant nature brighten
the play. Pinero deliberately gave him
caddish quality. Mr.. H Reeves Smith
makes him gentleman And so the play
IS better balanced than it was in London,
for there the piece contained no character
with whom any one would care TO live for
half an hour.
The other persons in the play are shown
as they were IN London. Two Of the play
srs, Mr. Maturin. as Leonard Ferris. and
Miss Sevening. as Mrs. Annerly. were in
the London cast. But had all the charac-
ters been depicted here as they were de-
ric1ed there the result would have matched
the London end-in disaster. Pinero was
TOO faithful TO his purpose He wrote a
play IN which ell the principal persons
s-%o Ala Y
S7e pleased himself. Had he suffered the
play TO be acted IN ST. JaInes's II is
acted fn Broadway he would have pleased
his audiences. It may be heresy, but II
must be confessed that the play gains by
she sea change, gains IN artistic worth
well es in public favor. And one ventures
go say that Sir Arthur Pinero would ac-
knowledge this we're he 70 witness the per-
.<ormsnces Of Miss Barrymore and Mr..
Reeves Smith.
NJ. Reeves-SInith. by the way. has been
criticised for permitting Peter NIottram TO
drop his final ''g's." The objectors have
pointed out that al educated man would
rot fall into this habit But they overlook
the fact that in this habit Reeves-Smitll's
sPeter Mottram is faithful 20 Pinero. No
question OF -'education'' is involved here.
Peter has merely fallen in with a custom
+, affected by the London smart set in
(which he lives, moves and has his cheerful
Aoeing. IT Is the fashion IN that set 10 be
sIangy: IL Is smart 10 be brusqUe, even
had hammered, as Ferris is, although Fer
ais can't help it-'it is his nature to" The
very height Of caddishness is TO be found
IN the smart" world. When il comes 10
the Use OF the mother tongue the last touch
Of ''sulartness' Is given by clIppin' Of the
final 'igs." Pinero knew what he was
about and his instructions TO the actors Of
the Mottram part in London and New
York are, even ID this detail clearly set
forth Peters cIippin' is true 10 his type.
''M!d-Clannel" is one OF the strongest of
Pinero's plays From first TO last one
feels its compelling power. The more one
reflects upon IL the more one feels the
pressure Of the authors genius. 1t is not
necessary TO agree with him at all points
IN order TO realize the wonder Of his art.
1t has been said In these columns that the
later Pinero is not like the earlier Pinero,
q sentimentalist- And yet in ''Mid-ChaH-
mel" he drops. for minute or TWO. into
sentiment, old Wegg dropped into
poetry. He would have believe that
Zee, or Zoe herself would have US believe,
tnat she went wrong because she had no
children Now. II you put this matter in
Won, will [nf I1ar he mean