New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-26
MR. CRANE IN THE SENATOR.r

ps,or Nov o5 (specjaD-The Hollis Street Theatre
WAS crowded tonight when the curtain rose on the
first act OF The SENATOR play written by the lae
David D. Lloyd and sidney Resented and proouceo
hero for the first time by William FL Crane' iis
comedian has always been favorte with Boston audi
ences and a number of weIl-knOwn people appeared 10
oncourare him I'm his new venture. 1t may be SAID at
once that not only Mr.. Crane thoroughly ehecuVe
az senator Hannibal Rivers, an uneXaggerated type OF
the energetic keen-wtted and large hearted Western
politician but that the play is sound and salts
wing niece of dramatic writing. The central figure,
ahlv handled as II is by Mr.. Crane, seems likely to
mss into the dramatic portrait gallery OF the genera
tion and has indeed distinct value as social study
Nor are the other characters less clearly drawn or WIN
loss realism though one or TWO OF them touch INC
dangerous verge of caricature The story OF the play
has for its nucleus the passage OF claim
AGAINST III, United States Government for damages due
10 the destruction by the British of an American
nr,vateer IN a neutral port during the war of 1872.
Tho claim is now prosecuted by ono sias Denman,
the son OF the Of the prvateer, and Is pushed
through successfully by Senator Rivers, who has
,oIor in love with Denmans daughter Mabel, type
Of the selfreliant but womanly American girl who Is
torcod IN earn her own living. The narrow escape
from defeat incurred by the claim gives strong In
te,st tostho third of the play, which takes place
| IN ore NJ I'M, senate committee rooms during the
debate on the bill which will secure to old Denman
a fortune. The shock, though 1t is one of JOY kills
tho enfeeblcd old man and the orphaned daughter
naturally turns to the Senator for consolation. But
tho hrzy Westerncr has other work TO perform apart
from his political engineering. lie cevery the
uf ~ secretary Armstrong from tho consequences of
| = foolish Irritation with q member OF tho Diplomatic
Corps and in various ways acts as the deus ex machina
Vi ,rho construction OF "The Senators is
n, excellent example OF skilled workmanship
and the authors experience Is nowhere better dis
nisvaJ h1n i'm the clevcrncss with which the Interest
+ Sustained the fourth act after the strong climax
| which ends that Immediately preceding it. The
dialogue IS bright and witty without t!ceabls strain
| ing after effect - ,.,,. .,-,
| drawn Denman Is type aud SO arc Mrs Hilary,
artStIcay played, by the way by Mrs. George Drew
BARRYMORE suscepti ble widow, who Is always falling
in love and Mrs. schuyler, the match society
| iovIns mother OF the foollshiy weak vile of the
SECRETARY OF state. Sing Ching is novel addition TO
stage Characterization, and so Is Josie Armstrong
| Vassar girl with. an amusing habit OF coming her
adiecfivaI expires lions when ordinary words not
| EXPRESSIVE enough. All these characters
| as we'll as Others and notably that
81 Count Won strait the plausble villain OF the piece,
are acceptaby portrayed by the unusually well trained
company OF comedians Mr. Crane has gathered around
him The play is satisfactorily, and. IN tho case OF
The committee room scene, magnlfcenty, mounted.
| Al the close OF the third act, with It's strongly,
| exciting finale Mr. Crane, In response to ieIeieu
calls made short. unassumlng speech In when ~,
dwell upon his repeatedly expressed desire 10 40 al
that lay in his power to encourage American ~
and thanked his audience for their appreciation vi vi
effort in that dlrcctIon. Mr. Crane Will DO seen ol
in The senator" during his two weeks star IN bos'nn