New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-29
THE NEW PLAY
Stanley HoughtOn Pleads for
the Real in the Theatre.

London, Sept - (SpeciuD. The London
theatrical summer season has not been
DISTINGUISHED by any striking innovation
I'm dramatic art, with the possible eIcep-
ton of "Hindle Wakes" a drama OF in
tense human interest dealing with Lam
cash.re life and telling a romantic and
daring story OF an episode In the life OF
Lancashire cotton spinncrs. The Ameri-
can rights for this play have been Sc
cured by Mr.. william \. Brady. and II Is
10 be produced in New York about the
end OF November. To the American the
title conveys little. IL is peculiar TO Ian
cashire The word Wakes" is the name
given 10 the one great holiday week In
the cotton -pinners' year, when the In
dustrial classes abandon themselves 70
the wild holiday spirit. For ffty-one
weeks they Tellglously pay their contri-
buttons 10 tho thrift societies and the
savings clubs, and on the eve of the
holiday the money IL drawn out and, at
the seaside resorts, the artisan, his wife
and his children spend their pile with
lavish recklessness. IT is this spirit OF
utter abandonment which Justities tho
title. for the story Of the play Is OF the
type which somo English people call
daring For weeks after the produc-
ton Of "Hindle Wakes in London In
Vulnerable letters were written 20 the
newspapers concerning the morality Of
the theme expounded by the author,
Stanley Houshton, a young and COM
paratively unknown dramatist. IL tells
OF the amorous adventure Of a girl, the
child OF humble parents, and the son OF
a rich cotton manufacturer They spent
the Wake" week together at the sea-
side. and when this fact became known
10 the manufacturer he forced his son to
agree TO marry the girl and make her an
honorable woman. But they had reckoned
without the girl, stubborn, waNward and
advanced In her ideas of life. Point blank
she scorns the profcred marriage, laconi-
cally observing that she had merely gone
with the boy because it amused her. and
she was entitled to do so just as men
were pleased TO amusc themselves with
girls. It is a story that the ultra-respect-
able condemn, but they 90 to see the play
all the same.
Like SO many other successes IN drama.
the origin OF "Hlndlc Wakes" IS not
without romance. II is the first real sue
cess written by Mr.. Houghton, Though
thirty one years OF age, he is yet boyish
in appearance, and not at all eager 20
talk about his achievements IL is only
with the greatest diftldence that he told
a Tribune representative something about
his brief career I'm the dramatic world.
II Was In the cotton business with my
father" he said, and I was always
passionatoly fond OF the theatre. ] was
always student. and some four or five
years ago started writing plays. 'tilndle
Wakes followed many dsappointments,
and IL was accepted by Miss Horniman,
whose repertory oompany-or stock COM
pany, as they used to be called-plays
I'm Manchester during the greater part OF
the year.
The attitude taken up by so many
writer's ia the newspapers IN regard TO
my play" he said with every evidence or
nervousness--whlch, after ali. is rather
refreshing trait in the character Of the
modern successful playwright-'Is TO me
rather amusing. | know the Lancashire
people, and what the girl in my play does
is only what any girl would DO In similar
circumstances. The production was first
staged iu London by Miss iorniman's
company. and II IL hoped that the full
English cast will be able to go to New
York. am also very anxious to go. but
do not know II | shall be able to spare
the time, for another of my works-a
comedy, called The Younger Genera
tlons-is to be produced at the Haymar-
ket Theatre shortly, and I have other
plays to write.
"By the way. another OF my efforts, a
curtain raiser. called Fancy Free which
Is a success on the vaudeville stage, has
also been secured by Mr.. Brady, and will