Great War Theatre

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

A melodrama which begins luridly and ends tamely. Jack Kenton is a wonderful musician who has fallen victim to a morphia habit. At the beginning of the play he is living in a squalid garret with a girl, Connie, who does not know he is married., and quarrels with her incessantly. His wife, his brother and an old servant come to tell him his father is dead and has left him a large fortune on condition he lives with his wife. In a painful scene in which Connie upbraids him for his cowardice and perfidy he leaves her. In the second act he is living opulently, but still taking morphia. Connie turns up, being now a marvellously successful dancer. Jack introduced her to one Col. Redfern as his cousin. Redfern falls in love with her and she - now become a good woman - debates whether she ought to tell him of the past or not. Finally in the last act, she does so and is forgiven. Jack, from jealousy, has tried to make love to her again but succumbs to the exhortations of his brother who has become a priest and preaches a good deal in private life. The first act is rather well done, the rest of the play drivel. It is only on the first act one needs to pause. The sordidness of the attick life is rather excessive, perhaps, but as there is nothing indecent in it. I see no reason for interfering: the "living in sin" of Jack and Connie has many precedents. A passage on p5, where Jack takes Morphia, might perhaps be toned down, but I should leave it alone. On p57 the priest brother enters "in vestments of the white Naza-rine": priestly vestments are rather out of place in melodrama, but I suppose must be allowed. The author obligingly himself cut out some plain-spoken passages, as well, it appears, as a scene in which Connie confessed in church. G. S. Street.

Licensed On: 25 Jul 1916

License Number: 367

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British Library Reference: LCP1916/17

British Library Classmark: Add MS 66138 L

Performances

Date Theatre Type
28 Jul 1916 Kingsway Theatre, London Unknown Licensed Performance