Author: Arthur Pinero

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-11-20

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 9781503317154

From The Plays of Arthur W. Pinero [1908]. "SWEET LAVENDER" must be regarded as one of the most successful stage-plays of modern times, and there can be no question that it has proved so far the most popular of Mr. Pinero's works. Its representations may be counted by the thousand, and its popularity has extended over many latitudes. The reason of this is not far to seek ; it proclaims itself in the gentle humanity and genial humour of the play, and the lovable creation of the golden-hearted, weak-natured, down-at-heel Dick Phenyl. The very simplicity and unpretentiousness of this domestic comedy have apparently disarmed any antagonistic criticism which might have been expected from those critics of cynical temper and pessimistic mo'od who are wont to look for the stem realities of life even in the most purposely genial of theatrical entertainments. And if these, in view of the preponderance of kindly human nature in the play, elect to regard " Sweet Lavender" as a sort of modern fairy-tale rather than an actual and realistic study of life, certainly no one would be more ready to agree with them than Mr. Pinero himself. He avowedly designed the piece as a pleasant entertainment, and the proof that be accomplished his purpose is the fact of the phenomenally successful career of the work all over the world. Had Mr. Pinero in the early months of 1888 written a play of the order of _" The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" for Terry's Theatre, the result would in all probability have been disaster. "Sweet Lavender" was produced on Wednesday evening, March 21st, 1888, and was from the first received with so much enthusiasm that at once the play going public began to flock to Terry's Theatre. Mr. Pinero's comedy, in fact, drew the town, Mr. Edward Terry's Dick Phenyl became almost a household word, and the play held its place in the programme continuously until January 25th, 1890; by which date it had been performed as many as 683 times. But this was not the end of its career at Terry's Theatre, for, after Mr. Edward Terry's holiday trip to India, the actor-manager signalised his return by a revival of 'Sweet Lavender" on October 4th, 1890, and between that date and November 26th of the same year, 54 performances were given, bringing the number of representations at this house upto 737.