The times., 1898-10-11
AT THE TKEATERS.
coIumbia-"A War Correspondent

iSatC Wal lidS piONtn " Dc VI aS
much benefit to the legitimate as the
bicycle was to the vaudeville stage, and,
as natural result, a race or playwrights
that had come dangerously near getting
at all that remained dramatic of the
prior struggle has gone after the oppor-
| tunities of its successor with vigor that
threatens to exhaust them-the oppor-
| tunities-in much less than thirty-three
years time. The last of the ventures
| described came out last night at the CO.
lumbia Theater under the attractive til
tie of "A War Correspondent" and
while its author claims to have written
| the greater part of her piece while ma
| tional politicians were still endeavoring
| to avert trouble, the presentation is es-
sentially of the thrilling, chilling killing
| kind-even though the firing line is al
ways so far distant that rope and can
vas take the place of pistols and pow
der in what few belligerent effects exist
The play is, then, in brief, simply and
solely melodrama, though one in which
| the power comes from quiet rather than
| noise and reserve instead of explosive
force. "A War Correspondent" is sort
| of classical draw between THE Masquer-
aders' and THE Last Stroke" with
| balance in favor of the latter-which was,
| by the way, not half bad.
Audiences do not, however bubble over
what interests them so long as ii does
interest and the house of yesterday even
ing was sufficiently enthusiastic to pre-
sage eXcellently for the new star and his
newer vehicle. The piece is well written
and has the advantage of a plot so ex-
tremely simple that only half an effort
has to be made in order to retain the
active attention of spectators and audi
tors. That a whole attempt is made to
keep this attention proves beyond doubt
that enough has been done TO guarantees
at least the partial success of the pro-
duction. The story is a good one. and
il is told in bright dialogue, strong situa-
tions and incidents as we'll connected as
one OF the kings of England. The climax
10 the irst act, the beginning and end of
the second as well as one or two of the
Internal bits in the last are especIaIly
good. and serve admirably to uphold the
feeling of the audience through its SYM
pathy and curiosity.
There are number of cheap bits of busi-
ness and few improbabilities in the play
that viii have to fall victims TO the prun-
ing knife and there is a lack of atmosphere
that often threatens asphyXiation Nor
is this latter defect lessened by the care
with which Mrs. Parker has worked into
her texture all the Spanish and Cuban
she knows, together with a little that she
evidently does not know. Since all the
characters are speaking English-for ex-
ample-there can be no reason for pro-
nouncing certain words In the Spanish
way and the persistence with which people
are dubbed senior and senorita when their
names would serve as we'll frequently
makes one feel inclined to laugh. Burr
Mcintosh is the only member OF the cast
who does not approach the word Cuba
with extreme caution and then repeat it
as though his lips were chapped.
AS has been Indicated the plot of "A
War Correspondent" is extremely simple.
Despite its title the piece is little like
Held by the Enemy and has no point of
similarity in its narrative. Thomas Sto-
rey has gone to Havana for some indefinite
New York daily and there met at one apd
the same moment. his fate and Josephine
de Barbosa. Incidentally he has fallen In
with a light-haired and light headed pa
tri0t and has placed himself in great dam
ger that he may rescue that gentleman.
This affair has really little to do with the
plot excepting to gain for Storey the sym
pathy of everyone but the military scoun>
drel. This and two other villains imme-
oiately decide to get him out of the way,
chief among these conspirators being the
father of the aforesaid fate, who has rob-
bed the paternal Storey and has a whole
some fear of his son. The correspondent is
ordered away from the Barbosa planta-
tion. but learns the identity of his enemy,
refrains from exposing him because of Jo-
sephine and finally compromises on the
hand Of the lady herself
Burr Mcintosh. who made his stellar de-
but in the piece was something of dis
appointment. He has not as yet had time
to grow into his part and as result his
work seems oddly rough and strained
especially since his conception of the role
makes it very uncouth. But then Gillettes
are not picked up every day and Mr.. Nc
Intosh's style was certainly good du-
plication as could have been found. His
newspaper man was at least, reasona-
BILE character-which is more than can be
said of most. Next in order of merit
came Error Dunbar. whose Captain Cas-
tellio though sometimes reminiscent of
Mephisto. was both intelligent and capa-
BILE George Staley and John Robertson
were a bit STACEY, though passably clever,
while Laurence Eddinger and Dustin Far
mum did well all they had to do. Grace
F'ilkns was as usual, the acme of natu-
ralness and quiet in her Interpretation of
Josephine: Nina Freeth seemed a good
Duenna. Geneyieve Ingersoll proved TO be
an artificial and totally absurd Sonora de
Barbosa and Edith Barker made the role
of Carmen Herrera as charmingly delight
ful and pleasingly piquant as it possibly
could have been.
The play was enthusiastically greeted
and Mr.. Mcintosh was obliged TO make
speech after the third act.