Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-02

/ Books" should hail vita particular
! satisfaction.
| Eighteen odd years ago. when the play
! was first presented here. the cry that
| " taught nothing" and meant nothing
was lamcntably common. II means this.
II means that the most skillful drama
tist OF the age was inspired to delneatc
human character with sure and vivid
clalrvoyance, that he made his person.
ages the mouthpieces for polished.
sparkling and veraclous colloquy, and
that his acute sense of form enabled
him to develop the interplay of motives
In n series of attentlon-rivetlng situa-
tions, illustrative Of the highest gifts In
modern stage technique.
True. II voices no message" but a
certain Stratford scrvener. whose works
have lately fled our boards. certain
prolific actor-manager-playwr who
penned that shocking "othello.' that
persistently grim Macbeth" that
| awfully melancholy Hamlet and that
really terrible "king Lear" and that un-
justly Joyous Twelfth Night" In which
an estimable Malvoio is so ''notorlously
abused once unmorally claimed for
the stage the mission OF rejecting
nature as with a dspassionato mirror
In spite of all the Pollyanras. Daniel
Voorhees, Pixies. Mother Careys and
Doctor Pendergrasses. certain sub
scuuent footlight craftsmen seem TO have
believed him. And on the strength Of
that standard there isn't even the least
little hit OF sermon in "The Gay Lord
Quex." 1t is pure drama.
ITO THE younger generation of au-
L dienccs the play should have the
! ar I ,fnpn
at the Globe Theatre occurred In 1890.
! with John Hare and Irene Nanbrugh IN
the leading roles. Success was int
mediate. The drama. with its COM
pact. dynamic dialogue, betraying
hand practiced in legitimate stage
artifce, delegated every one save those
subscribing to the budding Shavian type
of play in which situation Is sacrificed
for proliN conversation spinning The
sincerity of portraiturc was indis-
putable. the Interpretation marvelously
well attuned to the thematic content.
The SAVIOR of sophisticated cynIclsm,
frequently patent. was not. however. so
eagerly appreciated in this country as
in England. When Mr.. Hare Che IL
now baroneD and Miss Nanbrugh i'm
ported the piece here, it's rather sardonic
appeal did not encounter full response.
but failed to win widespread American
favor.
Since those days theatrical patronage
here has undergone n marked Change.
Increase in numerical proportions has
developed n group OF playhouse dew
otees eager for the aforementioned
"sappydoodle" class of offerings and
responsive to the triumphant vacuity OF
the average so-callei musical show"
Viewing the situation relatively.
audiences who hate 10 think are in
the dominating majority, as any i'm
rresario will aver. on the other hand.
the absolute quantity of the more dis
csrnlng has necessarily increased.
though at a slower rate, vita the
growth of population and the immense
expansion Of the theatrical business. II
may therefore be reasonably deduced
that. while ten "Pollyannas" may hold
the stage for a given season. one Cay
Lord Quex" has n much better chance
Of survival than II had two decades ago.
Mr.. Drew and Miss Ilington's success
In the Pinero revival would seem to
substantate the validity of this asser-
ton. They have restored "Quex" to
it's artistically deserved position before
gu" footl'glts.
Philadelphians should help TO sustain
that record, Those with memories of
the Hare days at the Chestnut Street
Opera House may proftabiy renew
acquaintance with n masterpiece Of its
genre, Newcomers are richly to he
envied. Crafty contrived surprise is
ono of the supremely vital elements of
tais comedy. The press agent who
dispa tched TO the newspapers a synopsis
of the action was guilty of n tactical
error. No hint OF the components of
the wonderful third-act climax win he
found on this page today. II would
spoil the fun. FL r G.