"The Wisdom of the Wise" met with rather a mixed reception on its production at the St. James's Theatre last night. To describe is difficult, xs of plot there is none—it is neither a farcical comedy nor a romantic drama. It deals with dukes and duchesses and such, but all they have to do is to walk about, say ordinary everyday things in a smart manner, and dress well, This Intter they do to perfection, especially Miss Fay Davis and Miss Juliz Opp, who both wear lovely gowns, Mr, George Alexander a young duke witha young and pretty wife" (Miss Fey Davis). They are quite devoted to each other and thi according to the idess of the rest of ti company who are not so happily muted, requires to be altered. One suggests one mode of treatment and another another, and the young wife, thinking she has much to learn, tries to follow their advice, whereby she nearly jeopardised her happiness. However, it all comes right in the end, and asa matter of fact she really did very little, though on that little the play i: founded, the Wisdom of the Wise naturally being foolishness. Althou: h the thread is so slight the play is not unpleasing, and will interest many through its naturalness, The St. James'sis essentially an after-dinner audience, which likes to see pretty scenery, charming gowns, and pleasant acting—perhaps the dresses should come first, but in any case I don't think the plot is as all-important as it would be at some other houses. At any rate as I Jooked round the stalls last night I noted an expression of general satisfaction; ther were boos and hisses as the curtain went down, but they all came from the gallery.
23rd November.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.