Lascivious dancing

Tuesday, February 22nd., Royal York Hotel, Brighton.

Today Mrs. Granville Barker, nurse, and a Miss Ponsonby came for tea. The last had come down from London to recount triumph of Galsworthy's "Justice" to the wife of its producer. She is an au courant de tout woman, and when talking to an author about criticizing a work of art says, "Oh, but you great men can see the technical side and all that", etc., in quite a serious tone. An attractive young woman not nearly so naive as she pretended to be. We flirted in a light-hearted way. You can get away with that sort of thing I find when your wife is present; she takes it as a sort of compliment.

Marguerite and I went to see "The Merry Widow". I felt I had to see it, in order to be cale on such things when it came to writing abut London.

Same thing over again. Indeed I could notice no difference. Music even much less charming or superficially and temporarily attractive than I had expected. Troupe of about 40. Elaborate costumes scenery and appointments. Sylvia May, Kate May, and the other principals all chosen for their looks. Not one could avoid the most elementary false emphasis. Thus, Sylvia May looking at a man asleep on a sofa, "But he may wake up" (when there was no question of another man asleep) instead of "He may wake up." This sort of thing all the time. Also such things as recognize. Three chief males much better. All about drinking and whoring and money. All popular operetta airs. Simply nothing else in the play at all save references to patriotism, and why that for heaven's sake. Names of tarts on the lips of characters the whole time. Dances lascivious, especially one. I couldn't stamd more than two acts. Too appallingly bored.

I am making good progress with "Clayhanger". How odd it is though to be engaged in serious literature whilst surrounded by frivolity.