New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-13
Somerset Vaughan Writes
One Scene F ar Off Key and
Spells Our Betters
BY HAYWOOD BROUN

immortality on the stage becomes in
decent when it becomes overt 1t also
becomes bad art. which is more to our
concern. The second, or overt act. Of
Somerset Maugham's new play, "Our
Betters." just about ruins what would
otherwise be an amusing entertain
ment.
II may be that Mr.. Vaughan became
tired Of being twitted with the slight
ness Of his dramas and decided to write
strong play. but he should have made
that decision early in the evening and
not Just before the end of the second
act. Things were tripping along most
improperly, most entertainingly and in
the lightest possible vein, when sudden
ly. for no apparent reason, there were
kissing words of passion and a seduc-
ton, which, as far as we know, broke
all existing theatrical records along
Broadway for speed and frankness.
The author does not need the seduc-
tion scene as a matter of fact, and If
he did, he should handle it much more
tactfully. IL seemed unfortunate that
the heroine should yield herself not so
much TO the opportunities of her
lover, but merely to Mr.. Maugham's
passion for peripetia. We thought the
scene in question bad taste, bad art
and bad everything. As the duchess re-
marked about her lifetime friend, 1t
has not one redeeming virtue.
At his best moments in Our Betters"
Somerset Vaughan has caught the
spirit of restoration comedy. but it is
10, ba irft IF
and again in the manner of Wycherley.
II would be better if the author would
serve one master. Congreve would IN
doubtedly best suit his style.
The play is a satire on title hunting
American women and wealth hunting
English titleholders. Strict neutrality
is observed. They are all rotters.
They're not worth bothering about"
is the sensible deduction achieved by
the one decent person in the play at the
final curtain.
For all that, some of Mr.. Naugham's
rotters are highly amusing. The scenes
between Rose Coghlan. as an elderly
duchess, and Ronald Squire, as her
young and impecunious lover, are
about as funny as anything we have
seen in the theatre this year. The I'M
derlying idea might be unpleasant, but
the scenes are so well written and so
exquisitely played that all squeamish-
ness is disarmed We are not sure that
the trick does not consist in just that
delicate touch OF unreality which
brought Charles Lamb to the defence
of the immoral comedy Of his day. He
pointed out that the plays then popular
moved in a world of their own. Their
existence was in a rarehed ether which
was freed from the hampering moral
perplexities of everyday life. He be-
lieved that the secret Of gaining this
mood was TO allow no honest man or
woman to enter any one of the plays.
Mr.. Vaughan has not followed this ad-
vice literally. A few Of his characters
have moral moments.
/ Rose Coghlan has not played much
recently. we think, but she brought all
/ her well founded skill to the role of the
| Duchesse Of Surennes. 1t was mas
/ terly performance. Ronald Squire was
/ an excellent teammate. This young
English actor appeared here briefly in
Gamblers All" and attracted some at
tention even in that decrepit piece, but
last night he scintillated. He has a
lightness of touch which is a delight.
In fact. we think that his playing and
that of Rose Coghlan amply repay
( those whose artistic sense is sure to be
I shocked BY one scene Of "Our Betters,"
and whose moral sense may also be
Jared a little. Yes, the scene in which
the Young man acquaints the elderly