The Press. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1909. THE INVASION PLAY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13375, 17 March 1909, Page 6

The Press. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1909. THE INVASION PLAY.

Emphatically, when the last mail left I/ondon tha play was tho thing. All London was talking about "An Englishman's Home," tho play which is bringing before the British public the possibility of invasion and tho consequences of invasion. That in itself was no great matter —it does not tako a very important thing to set London or any other city talking, and if talk was to bo tho end of it, there would be little object in referring to it. Nor is tho fact that all London was rushing to nee tho play of great consequence by it■elf, for London would rush to see, say, "The Girls, of Grimsby," or any other *" musical comedy" if the principals inolucLed two or three picture-postcard actresses, who were supported by a bovy of pretty girls in pretty dresses. But London and England, there is *very reason to believe, were thinking of the new play and of its lesson, and thinking so hard that some of their thoughts found expression in action. It lias roused and moved England ns apparently no play has done for many years. Within a few days after tho first performance tho proprietors of iWyndbnm'a Theatre, nt which it wns produced, wore negotiating for another theatre in London, so that it could bo given in two houses nt onco, a thing that has not occurred for more than a generation. Managers of provincial theatres were telegraphing offers of dates for touring companies playing the* piece before the companies wero formed, find residents of small towns and villages wero offering to subucribo towards the cost of staging tbe* play for one night in order that the country people e-ould see it. Pt*ers nnd Cabinet Ministers jostled with ordinary' playgoers for seats at Wymlham's, and on one night the audience included all tho principal members of the Headquarters Staff of tho Army. It is not a great play, except so far as its pur- . pose is concern cd. From all one roads of it it appears to be crude anel melodramatic, and the last scene, writton subsequent to its acceptance so as to meet in some degree the conventional wish for a "happy ending," is Jicrribly inartistic—a mere sop to the British -self-esteem which it is tlie wnole purpose of the play to shock. -Some one has said it ia a stage revival

of that once celebrated eketeh—the forerunner of nil subsequent "invasion stone*''—-'The Cattle of Dorkins;."' Out it is much m-orc* than that. Im ronr;h.nes.s sn-1 crudity .ire the q'lalitirc of real Hf<*. In d.-pictint: the easy. solf-s,it : rficl confidence of too ma iy BritiVh bondholders, an-d tlie .silly, vainglorious snirit that thinks '■ maffiekinn'' the highest proof of patriotism, the author lias bef-u absolutely phrto.-rnphic. Tin-old Knjriishinan wno thinks his hrMTte is :in impregnable CTil>*. who disapprove*.; of vol n n tee rinn Iwrnii'v*. of its t-r.drr:-;.- to :r.!i- ;- ti'.rism, and who scoffs ai. the id"a of invasion; his son, tho devotee, as a sper-r.-iior. of f--otb.-.li, who crack.-* silly jokr:. at an yon.-* who v.r.st;-., tii::e in Jrnniii:i; t-> drferul !v = cr -intry — thr c are type.-. wbioh -,r.- are afra ,1 conk! bo r>j. :i:d in ti i - i-.;;::, 1. i -f r..-;t."-h I-.on .-,. A;:-l M-j--r Da ;,:-,:;r!er has ii* r.<> way <'.'-a;iS.-r:it<-.i in .-itt»-n-,p:in'j; to .s'--,\v wh-.t m-iy day be the re nit ,f s-.iieh A combination. All the horrors t.ia:. .;i t!:e play accompany tin* invaf.i"ii of F!n£;-..i.i:d, and many tiiat are i:->r ir:,!:<-.*.;.-;!. trik * pkire in any iii-v::ile-J r-Mintry. Mr V.'ii.ii-iin Maxv.-H, one cf the mo.-.t c.-q-r rien< cd of living war er*-r:-:*.-.pon.-Ji-nt.s, -.vent to see tlie play and wrote .-ifferward.-i:—-'Of one thiiK; I fir-.-w convinced as it proec-d----''c:l like :> Greek to its fato- " till end. Tii.■ re i.s no fal-e no.c in " the te.-h'ii- d p::rt. It i.-s war—: "al •• war —a.-. I h.-sve '.-:-cn it in three '-o-.-nt.:: nts." Tb.-.t is what secrn.s to li.iv," :mpi-" =:- .1 rv-*.ryoiie who ha.s t-een tli<* play. As oiu* critic remarked: — " Kverynne in tho theatre i.s thinking 'lint it really happen.' and " then -It niip;-it liap|H*n soon.'" That is the thought that has made the j.lay sii miieli more than the usual nine days' v.-on:l.*r, and that ha.s dene more thin ail even T,ord Roberts's appeals to think furiously cF the of an adequate jvrtcm cf home defence. -As a, contribution to dramatic literature. ".In f'-n-rl'.-h man's Home" is quite ir-!i:;i!il,-.; n .s a call to arms it may exert the m::st potent influence that the nation has felt for many a year.