The Man's world

   Opening on 8 February 1910, the protofeminist drama written and directed by Rachel Crothers ran for 71 performances at New York's Comedy Theatre. Set in a boarding house inhabited by artistic people, the play vividly demonstrates the double standard in action. A woman novelist named Frank Ware (played by Mary Mannering) has adopted a boy, whom she has not yet named, even though he is old enough to be given a penknife by her beau Gaskell. Nor does Frank think she owes anyone an explanation of why she is a single mother. Then it turns out that Gaskell is the very one who fathered the child in Paris and abandoned the mother, who died, confiding her son to Frank's care. Frank cannot accept the prevailing view that Gaskell can get away with having a child out of wedlock, while she could not. She sends him packing.