New-York tribune., 1920-09-26
London Season Starts
With Rush; American
Plays Are Popular


Continued from Dngo ono
third Offering, a two-act drama by
AndrS de Lourde and Alfred Binet,
lived up to its title, "The Hand Of
Death"
Professor Charter has perfected an
apparatus which, by electrical stimula-
tion Of the heart. is expected to re-
store the newly-dead to life. The pub
lie executioner promises the professor
the body Of his next victim as q sub
ject for experiment. and this gives
occasion for some grewsome dialogue.
But at this juncture the professors
daughter, who has been motoring, Is
brought in, apparently dead, as the re-
suit Of smash-up.
The professor at once rigs up his
apparatus, and in the presence Of the
executioner and Of the girls fanc6 be-
gins his wild endeavor to restore his
daughters life. A storm means and
crashes outdoors; the three men tense
ly watch the body of the girl. Then
suddenly, as the professor Is about to
give up in despair, the girls arm lifts
and her fingers convulsively clutch at
the throat Of her father, who Is bend
ing over her. Before he can tear her
arm away he Is strangled by the grip of
the arm in which the rigor mortis has
begun.
The drama has received a great deal
of applause, the acting Of George Beal-
by, as Professor Charter, being espe-
cially fine. The parts which were
barred by the Lord Chamberlain were
displays Of cleaning heaps Of surgical
instruments, made use of by the pro-
fessor-an attempt to approach the re-
ality Of the Paris Grand Guignol,
where, 1t Is said, working agreement
with butcher allows real blood to be
used when it is necessary.
The conclusion of the bill, skit en-
titled, ooh, He'll" proceeded on the
hypothesis that the Devil wished to re-
tire and was offering his business
good will. i'll will and bar" as o,
Henry would say-for sale. A film pro-
ducer and war minister were potential
purchasers, but the affair was compli-
Gated by the fact that hell still had
one inmate-a curate who, in defiance
o? law, had purchased chocolates in O
theater after 8 o'clock.
A handful OF new plays and revues
have also made their appearance of
late. Probably the most discussed is
Somerset Maugham'e "The Unknown u
at tn. Aldwych Theater. Based on
religion (Which surely must run the
triangle 8 close second as the
dramatists' favorite), this play allgns
the arguments for and against faith In
a manner which most Of the critics
have found very brilliant, but certainly
lacking in dramatic appeal. 1t con-
Germs the professed agnosticism Of one
Major Wharton, young man home on
leave after four years in France, and
the methods employed by his friends to
win him back to the faith. The con-
census Of the criticism Of Mr. Maug-
hams drama Is that his characters are
too much vehicles for his clever, but
scarcely novel, debates; and It Is not
felt that "The Unknown" will create
as play anything like the impressi on
which its authors "The Moon and Six
pence" did as q novel.
At Wyndhams there 10 1.-THE Prude's
FALL" One might think from the
posters and the reviews that the play
10 Gerald du Maurier and that Mr.. du
Maurier is the play. Anyhow, both
emphatically are "the thing" The play,
unfortunately. Is less so than the man
who takes its leading role. 1t ends in
anti~climax; but it's authors-Rudolf
Besier and May Edginton-have created
situation which nothing but anti
climax could save. II one overlooks this
fundamental (Yrom a structural point
OF view) weakness, there remains q
very charming evenings entertainment,
Mr.. du Maurier has the part Of Can
tain Andre 10 Briquet, explorer and
big-game hunter. He has come to
England to visit Beatrice Audley, now
war widow, whom he had met at AS
souan. But his afternoon at Norman
Arches is spoiled by the fact that the
delightful Beatrice refuses to receive
her guondam friend. Laura Westonry---
a lady who has "riskcd all for love"--
apd who incidentally has lost all.
This inspires the gallant captain to
teach the fair Beatrice u lesson. Forth
with he subjects her to what might
well be termed "rush," and at length
hears her declaration OF love for him.
When she mentions marriage. however,
as welcome TO him as O. Bolshevik Ia in
Warsaw.
Marriage, he explains patiently, 10
not for him; IL would bind his wild,
free nature. Forthwith the lady agrees
4a Assnanaa with &hia a.a Ill 4aaL a.sAii4..