New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-01
ABOUT H|NDLE WAKES"
Londcn Reused Over a Realistic
Play Which Has a New Moral.

don by a play OF Stanley Houghton's,
which he has called "Hindle Wakes"
The piece is now running In London a.
the Playhouse. and is offered by the ex-
cellent repertory company Of Miss Horni-
man. the well known Manchester patron
Of the drama.
"Hiudle Wakes has for It's fearless
heroine a stalwart young weaver. who
works IN the Lancashire mills. Spending
IIndle Wakes at Blsckpool. she falls in
love with an easygoing young scamp soE
of the master OF the mill at which she
works. On a sudden impulse--whch Is
mutual-they so off together TO Llandudno
for a lark. This secret excursion is dis
covered by the parents Of the two and
marriage las remedy" is decided upon
by them without consulting the girl. This
novel heroine, however, refuses TO BE-
made IAN honest woman" She points
out that She can honestly earn % ehll-
lings week while a mill stands In Lam
cashire. and she Will not follow an I'M
premeditated folly by being made to
become the wife Of rich man who Will
always look upon her as unworthy and
upon his own career as wasted.
on this thrilling point OF view the play
rests and London rests no more.
Seldom has n play reused such a
breathless clamor Of public criticism.
Letters pour into the newspapers and
columns appear each day. The contro-
Yersy has developed one special feature
which Is a general debate as 20 whethe.
playing such a part as that of this youn.:
girl does not slowly and with wOrmlike
cunning undermine the character of the
actress. Some writer's ask II the actress
has no responsibility In the matter Of
putting forth doctrines which do thely
utmost to blast the foundations from be-
meath society.
Miss Edyth Goodali, quiet young
woman. whose work in the part Of the
weaver girl, as well as in many other
parts. has been pronounced Of extremely
tine artistic quality. finding herself thus
suddenly thrust, as II were, into the IN
dorworId by the indignant public, has
responded In one or two cases with let
ters to the papers In these she claims
In a mildly surprised tone, that she did
not go on the stage to express her own
views; her business as an actress made
II necessary for her 10 be the mouthpiece
for other peoples. and that she did not
find that the expression OF those views
proved a factor in forming her own char
acter. She refralned from giving her
opinion as TO whether she approved Of
the point OF view Of the plays heroine
or not.
Richard White;ng, IN THE Pail Mall
Gazette gave a criticism OF the play.
which reused another general upheaval.
in part he wrote
~ think 'Hindle Wakes is BIT OF real
realism, as distinguished from many an
other variety which has nothing real
about Il but the label It is not the real
ism OF Blake, which IS q realism true 70
imaginative conception. and 60 may pass
with the best. II is just bit Of down.
right character and life. The curious and
amusing objection TO it on the part OF
one Of your correspondents, az play
showing that young man and young
woman may misconduct themselves most
seriously without having 10 suffer for II,
is altogether beside the mark. The OBJ
Ject Of the play, take II, and fine one,
is 10 show that In our curious age we
sometimes 90 all this with very little OF
penitence or OF penalty. The two con-
cepts as TO purpose in literature, moral
On one side, on the other simply observ-
ant have stood In sharp contrast from
the beginning of time. The purpose OF
'TIindIe Wakes is OF the last named or
der. and IL seems 70 give the public e1-
actly what they want. Everything in the
piece seems true. or an attempt 10 get at
the truth. The characters are ali alive
7 .7n I a
play with more vitality in Il. The father
is perfection; the mother IN her. perhaps.
900 quiet way, only less so; the girl sim
ply a bit Of nature, II edifying only In
that way. The other young person be-
longs rather moro to the stage, but she
is good, too"
There is st!il a moral for those who
want IL, and we are obiigingly put on tho
track by the author in that one WORD,
amusement that comes In more than
once. We may think what We Ike about
the fact that such relations commend
themselves to these two only as ways OF
having a good time. That they are too
often so regarded in real life Is, think,
one thing the author wants 10 say. The
situation imports a new sort OF relation
ship between the sexes which, though IL
IS only very old one revived. is now
onco more on its trial Worse luck! Such
relationship Is Implicit in many theories
of the modern schools OF politics and So
GEOLOGY, and, of course, Il Is going to have
the most serious effects both for good ana
u. For one thing. II will finish OF what
Is left OF the old chivalry by giving the
woman the unrestricted freedom ana
eouelity which she claims, and so ieavins
her protector nothing to protect Inc
thing will prove itself In It's results III is
unite Instructive to see the contrasteu
nair in this play giving and taking IN
shear unitarian estimate OF eacn othe'
and Of their pleasures, without one single
so,ch NJ sentiment. One day, perhaps
tbe woman may have moro equality than
sha wants when she finds that her senti-
mental rights cannot remain unlmpaireu,
while the others take the new footine VI
go-as-you-please.
.rbe author of 'Hindle Wakes the A"-
,l,or of The Silver Box and STRIFE, are
,ho men 10 whom we have 20 look TOT
xDbst 5ve want. Miss HorDiman' as tne
promoter of the Manchester venture 10 IL
tbe. highest degree another of these heip-
IN, nereons. Masefleld is giving 10
IN poetry Masefeld. that second an"
move nowerful Crabbe. The author Of
.HiudIe Wakes completes the list 70 ua'e.
and Moro Power to. Him! Is tue p'a's'
with which conclude.
The very same day brought forth an an