Page:Representative American plays.pdf/945

928 -- He and She was first tried out on the road during the fall of 1911. It was then renamed The Herfords and was first played by the cast as here given at the Plymouth Theatre in Boston, February 5, 1912.

After extensive revision, the play was revived and produced at the Little Theatre, New York, February 12, 1920, under the title He and She. At this revival Miss Crothers herself played the part of "Ann Herford," Mr. Cyril Keightley that of "Tom Herford" and Miss Faire Binney that of "Millicent."

The most significant of Miss Crothers' plays are those in which she deals with a problem created by some demand of woman's nature. In The Three of Us she shows the strong sisterly affection of a woman for her younger brother who is hardly worthy of it but who is saved by the power of her love. In A Man's World she attacks the basis of social and moral law which treats the woman unfairly. In Ourselves she shows the responsibility of good women for the so-called double standard of morality. In He and She she draws in a masterly way the effect which the rivalry of a wife in an artistic profession has upon the relations of her husband and herself and also upon her treatment of her daughter.

A Man's World has been published by Richard Badger; The Rector, Young Wisdom and The Three of Us by Samuel French. He and She is now printed for the first time through the courtesy of the author, from a manuscript prepared especially by her for this collection. In order to reflect the changes made in the revival of 1920, in the Revised Edition, the entire play has been reprinted from a revised manuscript furnished by Miss Crothers.