New-York tribune., 1912-02-20
LONDON PLAYS
A Dull ROund-0ne Good Work
Two Jokes.
London. February :.

,narges Of programme" 1T the outset
,rs~s WAS THE Blindness Of Virtue" ~
The Little Theatre, with the author, Cos
mo Hamilton. trying for once 10 b" as
..r,ars as possible and TO enforce q
md moral for the benefit of society.
q, rroved 70 be p dun, badly constructed
5r-wa. with much that was unpleasant
90. srhiact and characters. and the etht-
o, r,,ofiy, was the advisa blitv Of telling
,o.z and girls some things which they
.,,.rr IN know Instead Of being i'm
,-ossed with the Importance of earnest
crana. the audience Went away with
porvicti5r that the theatre was not th"
r'sca where delicate questions of Sex
could be discussed TO any advantage.
The most exciting moment was when
rhetorical parson declared in frenzy of
excitement that a tragedy had happened
IN his peaceful and virtuous home. Their"
r,a, nothing to prevent = sugarN ending
and there was no real seriousness in the
rreatnent Of q delicate subject
1onn Galsworthy. rs tn" author "t
strife" and Justice" promised some
tnin- strenuous and artistic IN "Th"
pigeon" at the Royalty. but for once
his artistr,. seemed TO have lost IFS c'e'-
orrese. and there was drama without
iurpose and with little human interest.
The theme was misdireCted. rredulonS
charity. and the closest approach to
.erlous idea was the assumption that
.hrftlessness could not DO eradicated m
-o~fs0ert for soft hearted onlook"rs 10
r., 10 do f. The pigeon was . mla"I'
asa6 artist with d fad for Drom'>cuonS
rha~lt,. and he Was systemau'a'N
r.u-kea by the rocks swarming about
him IN his studio. There ""r" an ln-
temperate old cahman. 2 ragged ''unE
flower girl and other wastrels sronElnE
nm the si,lv philanthropist who could not
-er .rrr 20 any naman creature. ana
,-ni,r -e made his daughters 1f" mis-
eraa.s ny irving ~ help them. Do" En'"
how HOPELESS was his effort and "on'd
,,,r,. o,~rafr1. Bad lot Low type. NO
h,-.hon--uo stability" II was exceed
ir~r,. dull drama. ,vj'n nothing more
trorgrrful 10 take away than the IRE
rrairabIe +~amp's failure 80 h" amused
r,. the anxiety Of tho taruc birds 10
rlease themselves by trying I" "' 'n'
wild birds good.
=. r. Carton has written comedy "'
manners. The Rear leaders" 'u ".''h
the a~ztocratic business Of training
.ourg reople for polite soc.etv is play
.urrv sstlrized. II would he more 'i-
feo,ive m the COMEDY If there wer" an
agreement between the leading players
-o,necrirg the nature Of the piece. Miss
compton o. Mrs NolvneuX pumps for
straight comedy. and Mr.. Edmund Gwen
as Mr.. NIolyneuN is unable 10 resist the
temptations Of farce The trainers, after
rejoicing prematurelv over the death "t
q rich relation whose money they nope
n inherit. revert 70 their occupation as
nca~ leaders. and incidentally two ot
rho,r charges. the heir tn a dukcdom ara
the rranddaughter of an irascible dow
ager countess. elope in utter disregard
II the mercenary matrimonial plans
made for them by their elders, The con-
.tArration and wrangling caused nv ms
yreypected turn Of affairs would he more
amusing II there were not sharp con-
,rssts Of method in Mr.. Trevors senl'e
duke Mr.. Pearse's amorous physlclan'
Mr. Fred Lewiss family solicitor, Miss
Nav W~hittys shrewish countess and
Mics NIurieI Martin Harey's silly ana
gushing Lady Marjorie. Probably IN the
course Of a few nights there VIII pe
tnoYrbtless. boisterous farce and moth
,rg else. and possibly that has been Mr..
cartons intention from the first TO eN-
-erienced playgoers tho heUilderlng
comic without subtleties Of art soon be
ror0es unutterably wearisome.
The closest approach IN good play
made this week Is in Rutherford ana
San " enacted for q few matinees At the
.. court Theatre II is the work of ne"
PLAYWRIGHT. Miss Getha SOwerby, whose
childhood was spent in northumberland
among working people and factories. II
is the story Of an overbearing manufact-
urer who has sacrificed his children 70
his business ambitions. and when he IS
dtsgraced and deserted by them ana ie1'
alone with the wheels Of industry Whlrl-
ing all around him, he is entrapped nV
2 qh~evd. heartless daughter-in-law into
"a contract for training her little boy and
making him partner and sole heir. II -
we'll constructed. powerful drama the
.rsracters have the breath Of life and
The dialogue is incisive and natural
yo-rnar McKinneI, who when at his hest
,u N the front rank of English players
,s yerv. great as this terrible. brutal oid
man and Miss Edyth Olive supports him
With g splendid outburst of emotional
acting. 4 plav which has SO much real
ism and life in II will probably be car
-ied n another theatre and taken to the
uro,.inccs after d successful run. MISS
Soverbv has been writing childrens
tror'ss FOR her sister 70 illustrate, and
has kept this drama in an upper drawer
of her desk without having an idea that
& would ever be produced and hailed as
& work Of genuine dramatic power she
says that she hardly knows her own
characters on the stage, and cannot un-
derstand why the critics find 50 much
IN her dull, drab story.
The best jokes of the current LONDON
stage are the introduction Of the pronp-
Ter II the Garrick in front Of the foot
lights. where he can read the lines
7ord or two in advance Of the players
as i- done in French theatres ana the
revival Of Dear Old Charley at the
Prince OF Wales's Theatre. The hrst eN-
,.-g--.--. 4 ,,t-.I,- o. drive old fashioned