Confused

Friday, February 8th., Cadogan Square, London.

Last night, first performance of "The Way of the World" at Lyric Hammersmith. I have seen two rehearsals and the performance of this play, and still do not know what the plot is, nor have I met anyone who does know. Further, the balance of the play is astoundingly neglected. There is a very long (and good) scene in the first act preparing for entrance of Petulant, and of course preparing the audience to believe that Petulant is the chief character, whereas Petulant does nothing whatever in the play, and might, so far as the plot is concerned, be left out. All extremely puzzling and confusing. Presumably that was the intention?

The last act drags terribly, and is enough to kill any play. It seems to me that Congreve had something of the superior and really snobbish artistic intelligence of Wilde and Byron. Anyhow his play suffers. It is celebrated but it cannot hold the stage because of its crude and inexcusable faults of construction. Were it well constructed it would easily rival Sheridan and Goldsmith. If it were put on in Hanley the audience would be throwing things, but we all applauded politely at the end. 

What liberty was allowed to unmarried girls in that period. If Millamant was not a widow, and I never understood that she was, they must have had a great deal of licence. I am betraying my 'Victorian' morals by making that statement. Strange to say that I am often shocked by current feminine bahaviours, because they are not what I was brought up to expect, and at the same time approve of femininism in principle. I am very glad that I have no daughter as I should be all at sea!

The performance and production last night were admirable. The play will fail, but it must add to the prestige of the theatre. Edith Evans as Millamant gave the finest comedy performance I have ever seen on stage. I went behind afterwards and told her so. "How exciting!" she said.