"THE GIRL FROM RECTORS."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 887, 5 August 1910, Page 6

"THE GIRL FROM RECTORS."

'' .-' '■;■', .' J -.. A BUDGET OF LETTERS. DR. GIBB AND MR. NORTH ANALYSE THE POSITION. VARIOUS VIEWS. '! Wp have received a number- of letters from correspondents touching on different aspects-of the controversy concerning the, farce-comedy. "The Girl Prom Rector'si" Some aro too personal for publication, and offensivo references to church methods have- deleted from others. -.','.., ;.- .' [To the Editor.] Sir,—You state categorically in a footnote to a letter you published yesterday that Mr. Ward denied having altered his ; play as between-.tho Auckland and Wellington performances: . .We .did. not see the denial. We lake it from you that it was made. We ask you to publish the sketch of the play as presented in"Auckland and described by the theatrical, reporter of: the "Star" on July ,19, and the sketch, published iin your paper, last Tuesday, which agrees in all respects with the report of your . two ! contemporaries.-: ,',.', ■-.'. The'"Star" says:' The Dominion "To Dick's wedding says: "In the meanfestivities,' with time Dick is afraid whom loute; has lest-. Loute should been Hying as mis- -'give''him: away,' tress, are bidden va- but'she promises to ri.ous: guests, in- refrain from .doing eluding. Mrs. .Caper r .so on tho .condition, ton—who, of course, that 1 ho, will sup as" Loute, : is furi- with'her that night, bus at finding her-r-The plot is robbed self .supplanted by of all innuendo-by a'legitimate' wife, the'fact that'all are Willing ,to do any- in the.game except thing to close her Dick; indeed, each mouth, Dick agrees one assumes a charto take her to a acter'native to the restaurant' -for a restaurant, and hu-' farewell .'spree' and mor'ously deny their supper-on .his wed- identity to his face, ding night: Por Dick's ' admission farce reasons—too.\thafc 'the joke" is on. long him*!.' is' the one the other characters' which 'practically also turn up. .Ask- ends the . plaj'. Ed if -they -mean to ■ There is a comical stay the ■ nig h t,complication as to Dick - replies, 'Ask the rooms to-be thela'dy/'who-re- slept in by all conplies in the. affir- cerned,' but it ends .mative, and regis- in the husband's ters •:'■ as'■'■ Mr. and getting, their .wives Mi's. Newlywed: and the professor Others arrive, and losing his hat.", after an. 'amusing. .".'"'' scene, the ladies re-: ■'.'■.' tire. to. their,,bed-. '~ - ~. rooms.:.- .Lights are,. '•'. ... ' ■.■■'■. turned down. The . gentlemen'- the'n ■. "■'."' secretly return, one ■■'-*■■ by one, and. disap- •. pear in one or other..:-;.; . ;■'. of '-.- the rooms, " Judge Caperton.de-: •claring, .in,;a whis- ':..-, per to the audience,-,'• ■ his intention- of, •■'"!.-'. hiding behind 7 the': ' door of the pretty; ■; • •■'..'■ serving- maid's, room —to whom he has .'■'-;' :been broadly, 'flirt- ' ing'.during.the!pre-,. ; . : ; ' :.- yious, acts... ' Dick,: . comes' back,' Loute* '.; ■'. '-.' ;'■ wavers in. her'inten- '„•' tipn' to-keep him,' '•.''■' V'. "," ' and ..finally.': sends. ','■•,'•'''.";-.."■ him off to'kis wife's ■"'.'"''.>..".',": ' ropm, .;. and', after... : .' ;'," some;more mischief ,'-''.'.",-.-'.' ■-'■', suddenly ,;-. arouses;. ' 1 '. ''■.'•, the household', and I - ■ brings the party from, .out'.'..' their ~., ... ', rooms—with, in- her .',.',!.'.''.,:' husband's ease, em-:..': ; ::;.;•.. :• .-■•■ • barrassing .-. results'; .:.,■"'•'..-•■ and general.blushes .■•„:.;",':,. , all round.' And'so ' ■:.''•.::,'•„,• the,curtain."- ''.''■'■■-"-■• ■ ■"-* ;'■ ' o This' commen,ts ,| ,of'.the two' ; papers run as follows:— "'.''". .■':,..■ ■- , .The ."Star" says:—"ln the. last act innocent '■ laughter . is no longer, possible, and.rthe;half-ashamed ;| ,half' covert way in- which, the sophisticated; laugh, and the distinct sense'of restraint all over the ~house indicates that--'a; limit has' been, passed,-and, thSt the is becoming- .uncomfortably ■ sultry." . ■,: The.Dominion says:—"The 'Girl from ■Rector's' is. a' farce, by' Paul Potter (the 'author of' "Trilby','), arid, truth to ,6ay, is ■ amusing enough . to '■ keep everyone ]aughirig,'.with'o.tit,;.trehching on forbid-' den ground. . Indeed, as' Mr. Ward said at. the 'l conclusion" of . the play, . some apology seemed necessary, for' keeping the large, audience •in-suspense.--.for,- sensation -. wbich' never' came, but it'got its return in something- infinitely better— that of laughter' unc6nfihed". , ''■ Sir; if Mr.-Ward asserts that' lis renderings,of this play in Auckland and in Wellington are: identical,- then Ke ought to • have at once repudiated the "Star" report (and he'did:not), and have sued the paper for criminal slander. If the -renderings.', were..identical in the two cities, then the Auckland reporter (with- whom :the Christchurch 'leaderwriter. , to the "Evening News" agrees) is of different'flesh arid,blood from our local ■ reporters. -Either: our . local ..men are blind to what.; is grossly' indecent, or the Auckland meni are. malicious slanderers, who wickedly: import a lot of revolting bawdery into an innocent production; and if -neither; of these things is possible, the play.' has been .altered.We .cannot .solve these problems, perhaps you can. -Perhaps Mr. : Ward can.,.We submit that the gross posters with which the. city hoardings abound, suggest a play;the sort-.described by the Auckland "Star." But'-such posters, are'an insult to the . piece at which- Wellington has laughed, and look exactly like dishonest advertisement. ~'. .'..,■'.■■■ This letter ; is plain, and-has nothing that- Mr. Ward can. stumble .over., It deals .--with .a plain .fact,', to' which a plain explanation is urgently needed.— I am,, etc.,- .' .'-•'.■. •-■-■. ■■•"•-■ : JAMES. GIBB. ' '.. ■ •:'. j. j. north: undesirable; plays. : ..'-:':•'> [To the Editor;] Sir,—Even if the statements by persons , who. have sceh . this'play both herd and elsewhere,.as to its having been toned down in view of tho agitation against it, are credited, thcro is sufficient in The Dominion's own-account'of the plot, given in Tuesday's issue, to condemn the piece. • It. seems somewhat surprising that the local press, while exhorting us to pay. more reverence to motherhood, should at tho same time be commending a theatrical performance which,.-whatever else it does or , does', not do, admittedly holds conjugal fidelity up to .ridicule. .Although a section of tho public docs not appear to realise; it; the .community needs a :rest from plays of the "Oh, What-a Night!" "The Night of,tho Party," and this "Girl .from Rector's" typo; and, in the ■best interests'of this country it is to be hoped ' that in future theatrical managers will leave Rector's, the Bowery, and such like "undesirable immigrants" alongside Tammanyism, ' wherb they found' them. I am, etc., , " -■;:' - - v.. -. cmzENi . ; August i. : ': WHERE WOMENT ' [To the Editor.] ■ Sir,—What has astonished mo most in this outcry over' Mr.. Ward's play is'the fact that no woman's voice has been raised in protest against it. Wo have good women in our city, who can. speak j eloquently on the liquor question, > on ( gambling, and other dangers to tho community. Wo have women who can head deputations, and wa.v. eloquent over the health of our women and- children. Do they.forget that a "sound mind," as well as a "sound body," is essential in tho hto of a nation, and plays that present vicious life in nn alluring form, or oven as something to escite only laughter, cannot promote: "clean thinking," which is only the outcome, of a sound mind. Dr Gibb-has done, his duty, .which is to guard the morals of the people. If he has dore it according . to his temperamont, why' should be bo' reviled for it? My opinion is that the rest, of tho minister's have not done theirs in neglecting to join him in his'protest. As for Mr. Ward, if his strongest argument for tho'moralitr

of lits play.is that it pays, well we know what to expect—but it wiil not be something' Unit will'promote "clean living" or "clean thinking."—l itm, etc., .- • ■•; • - j.r. Murital. ' !•- ' ERRORS CORRECTED. 1 ' [To the Editor.] : Sir,—May .1, correct and -modify, tiio statements and inferences of, Messrs. Gibb and North, us set forth iu their letter to' the public press? Their first paragraph is absolutely inaccurate, i'irst jvliss Nethersolo is not. an American actress.at all,, but an English one, with a very high reputation for tragic, acting. The suggestion that shb makes harlotry a "subject for mirth" is also 'false, be.cause, not being a comic actress, she does hot play comic plays, and any impression her acting created would be a profoundly serious.and moving one. 1 do not know what is : meant by. lh» "liaTlol type of drama," any more than Messrs. Gibb and North would attach any senso to the phrase "harlot type of sermon." if, however,' the suggestion is that this eminent lady uses the medium of hw art to glority the prostitute,'l say this statement is as false as the others.. Her position ;oii the English-stage is n very nigh one, ami is totally -incompatiblewith the professional. reputation these gentlemen would fasten -upon her. Por myselfj I doubt whether 1 there is any tragedienne" at present in America- to "compare-with hei. ri'he would-be grouped With'.Mrs. Patrick Campbell and -Miss Lena' Ash-well as the',greatest of living English • actresses. Her, jepertojro is composed of. such, .play's as Pinero's "Second Mrs. Tanquery," and "Notori--ous Mrs. Ebbsmith"; Prosper Merrjniee's "Carmen," fjudermann'o "Magdu," anU Daudet's "Sappho.". It is true that this latter play Ims been the subject of public objection in America,' but although I'have not read or seen it, rinow the general drift of the story. None of the criticisms I.' have, seen justify the re-, marts of your clerical correspondents.' It certainly doesn't hold harlotry up to mirth or exalt it in- any, way.' That .a serious .woman should" grapple • with problems in a serious way, and that the drama, is certainly a'- more robust production than, it was . fifty years ago, I will not deny,: but am profoundly thankful for. Surely these gentlemen will admit the mental stimulation of "Sandford and Morton" can hardly be sufficient for. all time, .arid that when wo grow up our appetites require something more, than the mental equivalent of ."buns arid .tea"? In' conclusion:- Have not your correspondents a private dilemma of - their own?. Either they ought to institute a prosecution for indecency, or withdraw their remarks, proclaiming themselves either public-spirited gentlemen or demagogues. I enclose my card and beg to. remain, yours truly, THE NEW ZEALAND ' CORRESPOND- ■ '; ENT OP "THE ERA." MR. WARD'S GENEROUS OFFER. ',[To the, Editor.] / '. Sir,—l read -with 'great' pleasure 'the offer of Mr. Hugh Ward;'to'provide .£IOO, with tho' addition', of a matinee, towards the' Children's Hospital. : I should like ,to suggest that our reverend friends (the Kevs. Gibb and North) should offer something, say their next' Sunday's takings. Trusting that' the suggestion will meet, with your and their approval.—l am; etc.,; ...... . i :.:H. A. DAVIS. ... ; -''"[To tho Editor.] . ', ; Sir-Now' that: Mr. -Hugh Ward and Company have iriade> such ■ a generous offer to the citizens lof'; Wellington, it will be interesting "to see if the Kev. Dr. Gibb and the Rev. North will come to light with at least .£IOO each, which will then only mean, quarter of Mr. Ward's magnificent offer.—l-am, etc., . :'..' '■ A.' HARPER. [Our correspondents, H. A. Davis and A. Harper,' can hardly claim that their suggestions have anything to do -with the merits • of. the controversy concerning "The Girl from. Rector's." 'They have not tho slightest bearing on it.]