New-York tribune., 1912-02-04
THE PLAYGOER
Margaret AngIin and Henry
Arthur IoneS'S New Play.


rather too much to ask of any actress that
she carry all the interest of a drama. But
'stars," perhaps, are expected 70 do that
much, and may desire to do it. Miss An
glin bears the load successfully But this
does not make the porterage any the more
desirable, from spectators point of view
for the reason that when Miss Anglin is
not on the scene the load drags and the
bonds which tie it together strain and
creak.
The first act is strong and moves rap
IDLY in the development of the story. 1t
is in those respects one of the strongest,
one Of the best first acts Of many seasons.
But there are points in it susceptible 10
innnrovement. The amorous Interview
which James Stracey oversees and over
hears. however necessary 70 the action, Is
incongruous as 10 place. 1t occurs in the
most conspicuous portion Of the house.
Everybody in the household in the nrst
act-family, dinner guests and servants
passes that way. The arrangement Of that
interview does not seem ingenious in so in
Cenious a playwright as Henry Arthur
Jones.
The first scene between Richard Benham
and Lydia Gilmore goes just a step too
line which separates valor from discretion
The criticism is not that this scene is inn
probable, is in any way unnatural but that
IL Is artistically ineffective. 1t has for one
thing been preceded by two love scenes. the
first between two youngsters in whom the
audience IS not, and does not become, mucn
interested; the second, between DR.. Gill
more and Mrs. Stracey. Now, this third
love scene, the one between Benham ana
lydia Gilmore, the one in which Benham
declares his love for Lydia Gilmore, would
be far stronger If it were less emphatic
because the emphasis OF it jars. Il is here
that suggestion would be more powerful
than the declaration of Benham that II he
stays in Chelmsbury he will make Lydia
Gilmore love him.
Dr. Gilmore, upon his return from the
assassination of Stracey, is too conVersa-
tional over his fatal adventure. No doubt
the object aimed at here is to supply Miss
Anglin with large opportunity TO express
a thousand shades of scorn, horror and re-
yulsion And she does express these with
truly wonderful skill. Nevertheless, her
husband is an unconscionable time telling
of his crime You feel that he would
really have used half as many words, or
half as many minutes, in producing upon
his wife the effect which is to be produced
upon the audience. Good as the first act
is, 1t would be bettered immensely by some
compression and quickening here.
The interval in stage action, not merely
in indicated time, between the effective
closing Of the first act and the opening OF
the trial scene is over long, and part OF
this length is due to the opening portion
of the third act All that goes before Ben
hams entrance in this scene retards the
action and holds back what the audience
feels must come-Benhams intercession-
Here again effect Is produced which might
be heightened. We do not hear or see
I,ydia's preparation for cross-examinaton.
The consequence is that the audience ex-
poets 10 see and hear the cross-exaIplna-
ton itself. But so little of this Is revealed
in the trial scene that the natural expecta-
ton is we shall hear Lydta's confession OF
her perjury and behold its effects upon the
fury and the prisoner In the dock. But
here again the audience, with its expecta-
tons raised, is baked Of its desire. IN
stead of Lydia's confession, the act stops
with her asonized promise to confess
Poignant as the effect is, II Is due rather
10 the superb acting of Margaret Anglin
than to the construction Of the scene, be-
cause the scene as a scene foils Itself.
The introduction OF the anonymous letter
is unfortunate because every ono in the
house is reminded at once Of the anony-
nous letter in the trial scene Of "A But
taray on the Wheel" Not only is there this
refhfnssr, but there is this further fact
the anonymous letter produced in the trial
scene OF "a Butterfly on the Wheel Is
written by one of the characters In the
play. the Jealous woman OF the play,
whereas the anonymous letter In Lydia
Gilmore" is written by somebody Of whom
the audience never heard before and never
hears Of afterward, a person altogether
outside the play and non-existent, so far as
the audience is concerned.
But with this reference to the trial scene
IN "A Butterfly on the Wheel" comparison
with that play may cease, unless 1t be re-
marked that the position of the witness
stand at the Lyceum Theatre prevents the
audience from seeing John Blair's face az
at the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre IL sees
Mr.. Valentines face throughout that
strong and interesting episode.
References to other trial scenes have
been made in various comments on Mr..
Jones's play, and further references are
OON16cS
have had trial scenes 10 no reason why Mr..
Joness latest play should not have one.
They are not such new and faddish things
rs some persons who seem for the moment
20 havo forgotten their dramatic literature
seem to suppose And az for citing the trial
scene in Madame X' you might as htly
cite the trial scene In '"The Merchant OF
Venice" There u no similarity whatever
between the trial scene in Lydia Gilmore"
and the trial scene In Madame X" Mad
anne x was sot. woman OF no princi-
ples whatever. and a murderess into the
bargain. She was on trial for her life.
She was defended by her son. who did not
know until the case was finished that the
prisoner was his mother. And II reference
must again be made 10 "A Butterfly on the
Wheel" II should at least be TO the effect
that the woman who in that play gives
testimony is defending her own honor in an
action for divorce which has been brought
against her, whereas in Mr.. Jensss play