New-York tribune., 1913-12-29

lf9LN --.rNeld trnlta lSSce'les
|, GraF Zen Observation-Disclosures. Mary Isswton
hN OCpthbertson. n............-.W r. Staveley
iestpn NSov.n .................. Reginald Dance
icons .,o-s ..................Re Reginald BeSant
rr isE-avsn ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Muricl Reddall
s'R, -s....................E. ]. Ballartyne
aver green quality OF Shaw's wit
80 the fact that his humor az the
s'sr of the Ibsenites has lost some OF
.,rDslipess and the acting OF Gran
q. R.rker's English compaNy. made
Wv 'onrblv delightful evenings entertain
~ ..The Philanderer." presented at
...cisI performance on Saturday even
~ Winthrop Ames at his Little
Theatre.
g,su Of course, wrote the play 10 show
=. Derotesoue' relations that obtain be
-, men and women of some intellect
:, consciousness under the present sys-
-, ~ marriage and the resultant matri-
".,ial obligations implied. an institution
outsrown and antiquated. he points
=, ss 10 leave no other course open 10
=. advanced" individual but evasion.
On, while the authors purpose is quite
.,,4ous 10 the reader OF his play. a per
,.-,arce Of the satire. such as the ex-
.,u.rt presentation of Saturday night or
,.,t given some years ago at the Court
rhsatre London. hardly leaves the same
,noression. During the years that have
a,nsed since the play was written the
,srsnced individual. particularly the ad-
,,,c.d woman. has changed considerably.
nm. .xperiences certain difficulty in ac-
,.,.ne shaVs assurance that his char
,.,rs are typical In 1890 pair of
krckerbockers. a packet OF cigarettes
and an inexpensive scorn for matri-
-o,ial ties may have been the outward
,rS visible signs OF a young woman OF
Intellectual pretensions.
Now. however, when cock and hen"
dgbs are common and utilitarian and
thsn bust OF Shaw himself symbolzes
4 much more extrayagant state OF ad-
rsncsment than any number OF busts OF
lssen. who has by this time taken his
sr3psr place among the great dramatists
he type so brilliantly caricatured in The
Philanderer' has given place 10 a wholly
different woman. She is now a more or
l,s quiet and masterful person, who
ossss political convention or conducts
4 b1siness corporation with equal eff
asney. And il she considers the posi-
bity OF matrimony al all. it is a mere
3sall in a busy life. 10 be disposed OF
n the most convenient and expedient
tshion
What is most prominent in the present
1gformance IS rather the brilliance OF
he dialogue and the excellence OF the
-hsrseterization than any particularly
;.srcing thrust al the marriage laws. Es-
pscally. as the author has curbed 10 some
atent his impulse TO make all OF his
.aaracters talk like Shaw and act like
ttsmselves.
Jgis Craven is a wholly delightful and
nsinly consistent study Of that sort Of
Eoman who accepts new ideas" for
Ehateyer personal advantages may re-
silt, and when the acceptance suggests
responsibilities falls back on the 'Old
wder Of things" and has violent tan
runs until she gains her point A char
.tter somewhat similar TO but much more
0verfully drawn than Blanche in
WidoVers Houses" Grace Tranfield Is
N equally interesting picture, less ex-
rsyagant or more controlled. and sug-
resting IN a manner our modern woman
4 the world
In creating Dr. Paramore, that highly
eisstisfed scientific machine, Shaw
ketches in his must amusing vein what
= carried out more completely later on
! The Doctors Dilemma"-his quarrel
mn that fetish, the mystery Of medicine
md perhaps one Of the most delightful
sssages IN the play is Paramore's wild
lrst OF rage and subsequent detection
'sen ne finds that "his' disease, the fear
Z which has kept the colonel in gloomy
1pecIation of death for many months,
oes not exist lie blames # all on the
Niekedly sentimental laws Of the coun-
~ and vows that he will 90 to Italy
nd rediscoyer mis- disease. II he has 20
s1thment on every mortal animal
hats sot.'s liver. ~ ,s
moment or so later. most Shavian
ouch Of all. when the soldier holding
rs for the observation-disclosures remlnos
ne doctor that. Between ourselves. YOU
now, It's horribly cruel. You must ad-
~ that IT'S deuced nasty thing TO 90
pping up and crucifying camels ana
'onkeys. II must blunt all the hnef
eshDgs sooner or later" Psramore re-
'Fts: How many csmels and hoFfes
no men we're ripped up in that soudah
ampaisn where you won your victoria
ross, Colonel Craven"
Again, with Joseph Cuthbertson' th'
idealist who cultivates
a1tusily indignant manner. Shaw mas
ood deal Of his usual sort OF fun AT 'he
'Dtnse OF the dramatic critlcs-suD'ie
u delicious digs. which, alas! falied 10
'eate anything like their merted re-
Oonse from Saturday nights audience
mere every other person belonged 10
nat august and sublimely UNCONSCIOUS
ody
Granville Bankers company gave on the
Ihole, an admirable performance OF 'he
.sy although upon one or two Occasions
hey seemed to have difficulty win thei
nes-s defect easily remedied.
Charles Maude played Leonard Char-
'rs the philanderer with consideraDie
asfm and infused a deal OF sympathy
aio shaws portrait OF the irresponsible
alosopher who had more common sense
ran 10 take his own theories seriously
hsry LAwton, blond and colossal was
'isty chosen, as we learned from the 80,
snee notices she was by Shaw himsen
% the part OF Julia Craven. Physicany
sf Strengthened the csricature. ana hei
'oent and fearful scenes were cafrieu
Afough with spirit. Ernita Lascelles oio
Ith with the rather cold and unsympa-
Aetlc role n, Grace Tranneld. and Regi-