New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-31
THE DRAMA.
" SHORE ACRES. y

Inc ""''O' - ,so ,one is Nathaniel Berry
.,niarIv known as Uncle Nat IL Is alw"S' a"
.unce" when the humanitarian STOP - pS', &,
and he is always a dear Oh MAJ" -, ,a,,
,bis instance was an angelic farmer, ans -" -,
80 the sea coast of Maine. He had pIo'"ei
,,sr,ed Martin and the two were JOINT P''P'
80 ,,a,r I'm rrotber Martin Berry was not an
It vas IN fact sort of black-berrE'-a''u !"
was his desire that their lana shouiu ~ o.,a,,.
into town lots and sold on sP'O" ,o,,o.s
op,seonisro thereupon arose between 'i'e o'''
eliminating In q struggle In hgn'iou !"
and terminating in victory ana haip" -.
uto,o Rerrv fomuv-through the fortltnde' hrh'hesS
W., oI, sacr,6cs NJ Uncle Nat Many incidents al
,..,aa tho development and posture OF that lam
a, quarrel Mud pies and Christmas s'ocKihsS anu
ha,tlng children were prominent "i''o''e W
all probable; all harmless; ana All uui"
Realism is TO drama what paV"e'o""u - 'U
nic,,,re-essentia in its place, but worthless unu'
49,. 49,, a., ,,,ouch, upon IT, The movement to-
, ,.al,sm accordingly. is movement oack-
"a TIL nersons engaged in it invarlaDN sho"
themselves 10 be deficient. not simply IN "'as'''"
zion b,lt in sense. They have much 10 say apoV'
o,rutb" and they appear TO be conhdeh' 'ha' "'e'
rossass corner" in it. They IKE 1t on all occa-
- rd esneciaIv they like 1t when 1t Is
.na,aa The great word in their jargon Is yer
ca" and II they can only have the facts the'
bappness is complete. The late Mr. wait Nh.'
man was a special benefaction TO then' ""o III
snavined sentences which are nelther soou pIo'e
nor correct verse commngled indicate specihca-
lions as to his animal structure with Catalogue
30 objects which had attracted his attention ana
called the mixture not only Truth, but Poetry. In
recent DAYS they have been much coi"lo'"" ~
Mr. lola. who. in like manner, goes q1'e u Tue
bottom facts" and in whose verify aceoi'
inely. there is ample to wallow They are
Greatly edited also by the slime and pldtitude OF
Nr Jhsen II seems never 10 occur TO the apos-
Ties of that folly that the dscernmen OF iacts III
human nature is a mere rudiinent OF art ana a.
such a minor detail always to be taken LOT
granted. never TO be ursed.
Every true artist begins by looking at the fac'S'
and he then proceeds. by the process Of selection
20 ,nterpret them in such forms Of power ana
beauty as through a reactonary influence VIII
inculcate and advance the ideal The principal anu
most important object of human life Is sprl'uai
advancement and that is never, in any degree
promoted by merely making photographs OF mean
and common things. Shakespeare and Goethe saw
as clearly widely, and deeply as human eyes
have ever but they did not, on that account
offer as literature the tintype of cabbage. MT
Herne who seems not indsposed 10 inquire as d
sort of American secondhand lbsen, does not
tend toward things that uncean but toward
things that are commonplace. His idea OF orisi-
nalty is to look upon the ground. lie THINKS
himself a discoverer because he has found the
alphabet. His plays recall the remarkable speech Vi
tribute delivered by the late Mr. d. q. CroF,
in the presence of Martin FarquhaT !uppeI, i
lard Mr.. Topper manifested great densht VIII
what he said. because II Is written on co' ni
subjects. in common language, IN "a coinnon seyIe
with common embellishments, and with tnat con-,
meaning that common minds can can undegSahu
horse in the street is % iSa s are
strikes some people with amusement and admira-
ticn. There is an audience for the commonplace'
indeed deuded II he fancies himself TO be walking
in pathway that Is. artistically either fresn or
talent; a good sound. od-fashoned actor: and in
such characters Peter Probity John Peery,
no "S doubt please a refined community' But the
period is one Of .fads , and , isms and good
And yet This piece is not all dulness. because
comminged with an almost in,erminabls mass %, OF
usual love-story.-whic,. is always interesting
and because the telling Of that lovestory Is Illus
ckaracter while the whole structure is made trbu-
to the exposition Of personality 6 at SnGs
is self-sacrihoe Martin Berry had unjustly for
bidden his daughter to wed her chosen and worthy
him And when the infuriated fsther.-being
"nt. and SO cast away and wrecked the boat in
which the lovers were making their escape Uncle
quered hin with the sheer Strength Of desperation
and lighted the signal Just In time to save the veg
bound shore, the white tower, and the boat sweep
ing by, among angry pillows. under the lightning
Skill Of Mr. Herne in the delivery OF a few simple
speeches. indicative Of an affectionate heart and
a brave fidelity to duty. redeem the composition
from absolute sterility. Mr.. Herne can be per
fectly simple and Yet create effect and touch the
heart and that is because he was trained as an
actor before he adopted the heresy Of realism
Some of his associates last night were clever
people and nearly all the trite types congresated
In his amazing piece faithfully reproduced.
Yet always when ne was absent from the scene.
and often when he was present, the prepOnderance
Of wheebarrows. and bladders. and stew-pans and
real milk became intolerable
Martin Derry owner OF Shore Acres and
keeper OF the Berry Light Charles G. Craig
Joel Gates priss Whoever especially engaged m
George w. Wilson
josiah blake. postmaster and storckeeper....
sam Warren a Young physieian . bavid 81 Murray
Captain Ben. Hutchiis skipper OF the "Iidiy
Ann ..--....--.... ihn'aa Ieach
Dr Leonard james Burow,
Tim HAYES. Fey
Young Nat Berry .............. Master c. Is. Hamlin
Ike Richards n. :. Percy
LIN Commit. 'Klnc.r I Leon Fernandez
Abe Hissins work around" C.. L.. sehncde,
GaSs knpsirick ersS ' q he ~ ii msSy
Pill Hodrekns )"Liddy Ann' ID. X. Donrclly
Bob Berry Master Lyn0t
Mail Driver $50. 49,. ..........C G. Blanchard
Ann Berry Martins wife ...... Grace Cayior CLARK
Helm Berry Martins daughter. Katharine Grey
ii.,day Am We Helm Gould
...s DAVIDSON
rsr.v. Mr.. Berry. hired gri....' i1sie Corner
My nerry May Richards
LILY Flefce. Master Preston
MANDY Oates. Florence Richards
Nstnan'l Berfy..... james a. Hefno
.TVE cTyyEP Surry,