ABSTRACT
Wilde was spoken of as an aspiring dramatist long before any piece signed by his name was acted. His Salome was cast in the dramatic form, and Guide Ferranti, a tragic piece briefly acted here by Lawrence Barrett, was reputed to be his work. There was a certain lyrical quality in some of its passages which credited this report. His first acknowledged play, however, was Lady Windermere’s Fan, produced by George Alexander at the St. James’s Theatre, in London, in 1893, and acted here soon afterward at Wallack’s without setting the town ablaze. There was much verbal smartness in this piece, and it was no strong accusation against its merit to say that its plot was antique and its stagecraft insufficient. But its insincerity and diffusiveness were not to be denied. After the first performance in London, Wilde appeared on the stage of the St. James’s smoking a cigarette, and responded to a ‘call’ that was not altogether friendly
with imperturbable good humor and assurance. This served its purpose in giving the piece a unique advertisement.
