Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-11-16
THE DRAMA.
:. Deacon C-anlSctt.. xt tbs O,,s

THE DRAMA.
'.Deacon Crankc,t' vt the Opera House.
Mr.. JOIN Habberton, whose laurels won
in another field Of literary endeayer vet
freshly adorn his brow, has entered the
lists rs an aSpirant for dramatic fame.
His essay in this direction has resulted in
the production of a domestic play whose
hOmely title deacon Crankett ~ falls
with Yankee simplicity on the ear aud car
ries the fancy directly up among the Berk-
shire hills where arc enacted the leading
scenes that comprise what in many re-
spects is an admirable photograph Of do
mestic life in New England homestead.
The piece was presented by Meade and
combination at Fulton opera
house last evening before an audience
Of fair size. Whilst it is good play,
it is by no means OF perfect
workmanship. From an artistic stand
point one IIay descry an abundance Of
blemishes, and il critically inclined might
pick flaws that while not necessarily fatal
would at once reveal the necessity of the
corrective pencil and pruning knife of the
experienced playwright. \ certain crude
ness i'll the general composition of the
work, All occasional awkwardncss, and ut
intervals Ill almost painful dragging and
tedium, indicate that the unpractised
hand of 4 dramatic novice has been at
work, though in the contemplation Of the
general effect, which somehow or other
seems to be continually surrounded by the
healthy glow Of the generous New Eng
land fireplace, the eye is so charmed with
its simplicity and beauty that the spectator
is in no mood to train his vision upon the
minor defects of construction, the very ex-
istence o: which perhaps only intensiiies
the points Of merit presented Ill the
picture. In the narration Of the
story comprised i'll the succession OF Incl
cidcnts whicl, the author has arrang-
ed, the bounds OF probability are more
than once o'erstepped. The spectacle pre-
sented of Il man in the ardent flush vi
youth flying from the presence OF the
woman he loves, because he sees her in
familiar conversation with another man,
is one calculated to give y wrench to the
feelings and to create the impression that
the author in his formation of the charac-
ter Of this son OF the sea has omitted the
very important element of sailor wit of
which we hear so much, but sec so COM
parativcly little in the development Of this
story. The character OF the Deacon is an
altogether admirable piece of work. True
to nature, real flesh and blood, one needs
no strength of imagination to bring before
the fancy the living embodiment ofguilcless
simplicity and purity, practical piety,
strong self reliance, and wi.hal Il loving
affection and perfect contcntment, consti-
tuted in this role, which is not Il creation
but photograph. Mr.. Benjamin Masin-
ley has clothed himself with the character,
of which he gives all effective interpreta-
tion. Round and rosy lie looked the part as
he acted it. His hearty voice and over
flowing good humor carried out the con-
ceit to a detail. and honor and honesty
shine forth from every movement ami
gesture as they beam in ruddy brightness
from his twinklins eyes and wholesome
countem,ncc. Mr. Joseph WheeiOck's S i'm
personal ion of the sailor lover was we'll done
and favOra5ly received. The transition from
the reliant and manly bearing of the ear
!icr stage Of the play when in the full glow
of love which he had every reason to sus-
pect was returned, to the detection and
generally broken down aspect that follows
when lie learns that lie has not only been
robbed: out, rs lie believes. deceived by
the bright being in whom his fancy had
| embodied ii! that was beautiful and
good, WIS uncommOnly realistic. DOC
| 1hdtchtr is a strain Oh the patience
| when H. is discovered running away from
the girl whem we are told to believe ho
loves, and that too on the tlimsicst Of sus-
picions. Nj. Frank Roberts, as Egbert
| Gray, the young New York banker who
makes all the trouble, gave an excellent
| rendition Of the part one of the most
dramatic as also effective passages in the
play is the scene where Grny and
TLnf,Sn, tI,., r,plar 1li1c and
| fugitive ir IN Justice. are discovered to-
getLer, and Thatcher, ignorant OF his COM
panion's real identity, denounccs the man
who ha, wgon.c:l him and swcars to kill
him when nc finds him: this was 4 power
full piece of acting. Miss Helen Sedgwick,
as Eleanor Kcatherton, the ''woman in the
case," pretty and sentimental, was alto
gether interesting and attractive, and mani
| tested an intelligent conception of the part !;
| love-Eiakiny on the stage, always nawk-
ish, however natural, is among the diff
! cutie, of dramatic art, and Miss ScdG-
| wick ;, efforts were entirely praisewOrthy.
Miss Annie Ware. as the dcacon's better
half, furnished {; representation the cOun-
terpart OF which it would not be hard to
find i'll the everyday walks of life, and the
remainder of tie east performed their limit
ed parts in quiet and unObtrusivc manner
that was in keeping with the absence of
any real motive. for the introduction of
| the characters.
The entertainment was enjoyable, but 1t
can be made more SD by u little judiciOus
! edith" that will commend itsclf to the
management after the play has been be-
fore the public for awhile. The dialogue
is fresh and charming, as anyone familiar
with the pen that gave life to the story OF
Helen's Babies" and other scarcely less
delightful tales might expect, and all that
is needed is the Strengthening Out Of few
of the passages that partakc of All incon-
gruity which detracts from the force Of
the play. Some cause of complaint ex-
isted in the unnecessarily long waits
between the acts, a fault that should be
at once corrected, and which, as much as
anything in adramatic performance wears
OIL the patience and good humor Of an
audience.