The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-03


Boo Berry Master Alien ST2inss
MaA BI.ssf :.ss = =
An. iosi's' '.a's'H erase Gayser Clark
Helen Berry. Martins daughter...::.-
..........s...............-.s Lacy Aorro"
Mary Berry -....-.----.- LIZZIE IssaA 49,
IJddy Ann Celia Cay Paul
Ms Andre Ss..--.-...--.-bnal1s !" $50,
Perley. Mrs. Bsrry's hired Gill;.
Nfliie Berry Ilttie Edlth Tailaferro
Mandy Gates. joel Gates daughter
......-.......-..-- Little 1IalS.s 1 tTar.s
Nathaniel Berry....-...... james A hefhe
Il Is not unnatural. when shaping ones
conclusions as 10 such a play as Shore
Acres" 10 institute comparison between
II and some other pastoral play as essen
tally American as is Mr.. HeFnes oeaAn-
fully .dyllic picture OF home life. Play-
goers who have never seen Shore Acres
.avoluntarlly carry with them remem-
brances OF Denman ThompSons Old
Homestead" but after seeing the cloud
rift break away from above the mild dis
sension that a little avar1ce has allowed 10
worm its way into the lines OF Mr. HeFne
characters. the other picture Of domestic
life that Mr.. Thompson gave 70 the stage
becomes almost obliteraied IN the remem-
brapces that one takes away with him
from a performance OF Shore Acres"
Until Mr. Herne wrote Shore Acres"
the public paid homage TO the writer OF
The Old Homestead and IL was set
apart as a great playa vignette, clean cut
as a cameo-of New England life. 1t Is all
OF this but there are farcial suggestions
admitted TO the work, in the scenes or
Thompson's rural characters in the city,
that leave an unwhelesome taste In one
mouth There is nothing OF this In shore
Acres" The interest Is aroused and held
by the quietly moving lives of the people
who walk across its scenes. and their little
affairs of pleasure or worry are made those
of the people who follow them through the
series OF delicate aquarelles that an ar
fists hand has drawn.
There is the blue sky, the bright sun
shine and all that is lovely and beautifni
In nature and then the dark clouds and the
wind and snow that obscure everything
just long enough 20 make the other
brighter and more beautiful when IL comes
again. Almost like those dim sounds that
come from the depths Of shells can the
booming OF the sea be heard across the
narrow space that separates the players
from the audience. and the flashes of
homely wit and sentiment are shot across
the picture as the lighthouse on the point
sends out its greetings or its warnings to
those who go down TO the sea in ships.
IL was up on the coast OF Maize that
two brothers lived. The older one. Ma
thanfel Berry. IS one who invites our con-
ndence ne is one who wca.d share our
troubles and whose kindly, generous ma
t,lre goes out TO al just as Il does In some
true natures that are good AMI homes
that We all know. And this same nature
never lets one know that il has sorrows
and troubles Of its own. but goes on bear
ing all Of its own burdens and asking to
be- allowed 10 share those Of others. The
other brother is not altogether different,
having within him some of The best of ma
lures best qualities. bat he grew TO be-
| feve that his was the master hand. be-
cause the older brother let him think so.
| He had grown selfish. and with his selfish
ness came ambition: ar ambition greater
! than his nature could compass, and that
was the cloud that came TO Maine and
| hung over shore Acres obscuring the
| brightness Of the sun.
Before the play opens Nathaniel Berry
/ has renounced his love. letting Martin
| marry the woman that ne (NathanieD
wanted 20 make his wife. Then he decided
I all OF his interest in the property TO Mar
| tin. rsservlns only the right 10 work about
| the place and to keep the lighthouse, be-
] cause il Was named for their father.
| The scheme that brought about the dis
| turhances IN the placid life around shore
| Acres was that 81 n man who proposed
| TO Martin ta1e building Of a pleasure resort
| on the place. which would bring both
| wealth. This scheme Involved a mortgage
| OF the place. In opppst don 20 the wishes
| OF hts wife and OF Narhani>. Martin en-
tiers into tfls project. which eventually
| fails, leaving him in hopeless dsht. At The
| proper iuncture IN tho play word is re-
| csived from Washington thai a hack pen
| sion has been allowed 10 Nathaniel and
| with this money the place Is saved
| Tao plot Is as simple as are the lives Of
! the people that the stery depicts. There is
| no opportunity offered FOR anything but
/ the most legitimate methods ~ acting. and
/ rhese are taken advantage OF by every
! bos1y associated with Mr.. Herne IN the
| beautiful prUiuction, The characters arc
| all natural an1 ar those ~ people that
| any one VINO las ever moved among the
| rural scenes 81 the Eastern states can
| recognize. Tire action pass=A as smooc3ly
| o. the slightest hint at theatric effect
| will allow. and fts greatness as a play lies
! IN the interest," thar attaches 20 the Sisupie
| telling of a simple story. When all % the
rest % the house4ooI3 have gone 10 bod snd
| the Christmas stockings have heen fllesi
| Nathaniel Berry takcTs up his candle. The
| train % thought - follows Is he attends
! 10 the doors and windows e. SCARED inti-
! tnsfely ny the audience without a wora
being spokeu Then Ne mounts ths etalrs
/ 90 bcyf TIE clock on the ol8-fashioned
! drss~cr ticks, The snoE flies against tht.
window pnness II only reeds j eat purrinE
| on the rug before The IRE