New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-24
PRINTED PLAYS.

PRINTED PLAYS.
r,,E FUGITIVE. A Play in Four Acts.
nv John GalsworthN. l-mo pp' 'S'
Charles Scribners Sons.
THE LABYRINTH \ Play in Five Acts.
IN Paul HerVieu. Authorized transid-
fion bv Barrett Il Clark and Lander
McClintock. l2mo. PIP l'2 IS. w
Huebsch.
THE MODERN DRAMA SERIES. Edited
hy Edwin Biorkman. limo Vols y
Mitchell Kennerley.
While he was in London last sum
mer Mr.. Charles Frohman made
striking observation. The European
dramatists." he said, ARE writing
PLAYS that read better than they act
the Americans are producing work that
acts far better than it reads The Oh
seryation is true from the American
point Of view. our theatre-goers de-
mand action. not discussion. Euro
mean audiences. on the other hand are
easily interested in static plays. pro-
1ided they pose an interesting prom
lem. and discuss it we'll They even do
not insist upon a solution, content to
carry the unsolved problem away with
them from the theatre for further cogi-
tation
Abroad and at home the contempt
rary drama is preoccupied with much
the same problems Of life. collective
and individual Big business, labor,
the changing position Of woman, mar
rage as it concerns both the individual
and society-these are the topics that
ere discussed again and again in the
current drama. whether it he of native
or foreign origin. All these plays re-
feet with striking unanimity the
strength Of the main currents oil
thought and purpose of contemporary
life the world over.
In The Fugitive which was pro-
duced in London earlier in the season
with but Indifferent success, Mr.. Gals
worthy deals with the problem, also
propounded by Brieux in La Femme
Seule." Of woman's economic indie
pendence. her opportunity and prepara-
ton for self-support outside the refuge
Of marriage. The Fugitive has not
been trained TO earn her own bread
therefore. when she leaves the con-
iueal roof that shelters her because It
has become a place of emotional tort
ure. she goes under. too fine and not
fine enough" Pinero already dealt
with this situation in Iris" but his
heroine. mot fine enough lived to be
come the Second Mrs. Tanqueray. the
Fugitive. too fine prefers death. Inc
comparison with Pinero's great drama
is unavoidable, not only on account OF
the similarity Of subject, but also be-
cauee The Fugitive" is an admirable
piece Of dramatic writing. The un-
deviating exposition Of the situation III
the first act is certainly the best thing
Mr.. Galsworthy has yet done in the
dramatic field.
The weakness Of Hervieus THE
Iabyrinth." as Of so many French
plays. is that IL requires the spectator
and the reader-to accept situation
so exceptional as 10 weaken the argu-
ment. Divorce brings with it many
perplexities; it leads TO many laby-
rinths. but the one in which NJ. Her
vieu entangles his heroine and her first
end second husbands is too arbitrarily
constructed to make potent appeal 10
American common sense. The play is
dramatic, but it IS not convincing.
Thanks are due 10 Mr.. Kennerley
and Mr.. Bj0rkman for the Modern
Drama Series" which promises TO be
come. which in a measure already is,
boon 10 students of the contemporary
drama, it's development and progress.
The series is planned on a vast scale,
with full knowledge of its wide field;
II begins with the transition from the
old-the "well-made play"-to the new.
under the influence Of 1bsen; and 1t
will serve TO make available 10 Ameri-
can students Of the drama that mass OF
meritorious foreign plays which, treat
ing. with local notifications Of the
same conditions and problems as our
own. are not likely ever TO be seen on
our stage.
Henri Becque marked in France the
transition from the old TO the new in
the theatre. His importance. what in
terest he has for us, is already chiefly
historical The volume devoted TO his
work in this Modern Drama Series
contains his best two plays, THE Nult-
ures" and THE Woman OF Paris" and.
in his lighter vein, a one-act comedy,
"The Merry Co Round" which is in
reality somewhat broad farce. The