New-York tribune., 1917-12-26
By ]. Alexander Pierce

A. first blush it might seem iniu-
dicious 20 confde the whole truth about
marriage TO the younger generation
while at the same time kindling the
blazing batteries Of their eyes by scenes
OF impassioned love, but, after all. the
upshot of the play does not leave the
time honored institution without leg
20 stand on. Besides, the thing has
been done before. "Why Marry is a
sort of laboratory Investigation OF
monogamy. with the aid OF five pairs OF
Of specimens, who are either IN the
tolls or on the ragged edge.
The inquiry has some freshness in
the handling, and is well interlarded
with comedy and epigram. Il Is KIND
Of Americanization of Shaw, which
means a lighter touch in place OF the
hard metallic lustre Of the Gael, and
less Of the feeling that the characters
are only puppets through which The
Snowman speaks. but at the same time
there is less Of the high metallic brill
fancy, and the source Of inspiration Is
far less copious.
Interest in tho subject Of love and
marriage is ineXbaustible, and even II
the contribution toward solution OF
their vexed problems is only slight
one the thesis iustiies itself. All that
the public can ask in addition is TO be
amused, and "Why Marry" truly meets
the requirement. There is a mixture
of moods in the play, however, which
appeared TO have slightly battling
effect on the first night audience. Ques-
tions Of money and property rights in
jected in the play. while being peril
/ nent 70 the subject. we're not entirely
relevant to the action.
The main story is that Of Helen, who
does not believe in marriage, but is in
| love with Ernest, a brilliant young
scientist with whom she has been as
sociated in meteorological research.
/ Her brother. John, owns the house IN
which she lives and imagines that ne
/ owns every one in it. The general ap-
/ proach TO the subject is suggestive
/ more Of "You Never Can Tell" than
I Of any other particular one Of Shaw's
plays, and John, in fact. is closely anal
/ ogous to the irascible Mr. Champion
/ OF that pitcc. having similarly re
/ pelling disposition, although lacking IN
/ the rich invention Of the Shavian
! character.
/ John proves rather worse thar
merely repulsive varlet, and the vIo-
+ lcnce Of his conjugal quarrel IS out
! OF the plane of comedy. IL make the
play a type OF hybrid, as if you had
+ inc hindouarters of Broadhursts
bought and Paid For" grated on the
trunk Of "You Never Can Tell" Then
there is a clergyman who serves as
an exponent of the church in It's IN
/ veterate quarrel with science. Inat Is
quite we'll, but his personal history is
an intrusion and bore.
There Is danger of overemphasizlnc
! these points by the mere mention OF
them. The amiable character OF
chatty and epigrammatic old Judge,
most winningly portrayed by Nat
Goodwin, is more profitable grist, and
he fortunately occupies place OF COR
/ tinued prominence. All the charsc-
/ ters of course, must serve as grlst
/ IN the mill Of the dramatist, and the
Judge. or Uncle Everett as he IS TO
/ Helen. illustrates his particular phase
/ of the central problem. Althpush
/ belonging to the older generation, he
understands the new and believes III
Uncle Everett explains that he per-
ritted his wife to 90 to Reno osteh-
siblv because she had broken the vow
,ybicb tbev had taken together. "be-
/ fore God and some of the incest peo-
nIc If the town." but really because ne
likes his club and regards home as
/ only place in which TO leave ones wlie'
He has kept all the kilograms whlcn
bis wife has sent every day, and re-
nIied 70 them voluminously IN most
affeetionate strain. and is overcome
+ With delight when he receives word
that she is coming back 10 MN.
Uelen's obduracy sustains the com
/ bined attack Of her brother, the latter
wife. Lucy, Uncle Everett ana the
| clergyman. She can see notning put
/ the evils of marriage, and DeleVeS Snde
/ a free relation would be sancIlhed py
nure and noble love. The opposing
| deals of the others are ineNtrlcaDly IN,
| volved with sordid and conven tlohal
aims. Free love seems TO have the pest
/ of il. but when Uncle Everett confesses
/ that matrimony has its advantages, ana
/ tbo difficulty OF Outfaclng society is
/ onlv too apparent, there seems to be
somc reason in the ceremonial mean
tatior.
! Egtelle WiRwood impersonated Helen
very charminply and convincingly, and
Beatrice Beckley was capital as "an
old-fsshioned wife in a new-fashioned
| home" Edmund Breese made John a
pretty hard man and vulgar, but that
/ NAV have been the idea of the author.
! shelley Hull. as the scientist, was an
/ ettractiye and headstrong lover, but
! bis unlined face did not not indicate
deem preoccupation with the problems
of science.