New-York tribune., 1901-11-19
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
wALLAcKs THEATRE-"CoLoRADo."

WAIlAChS HEAL hE- COLofN<1CS-
Augustus Thomas has written another play in his
own manner Colorado which was seen last
night al WaTack's Theatre for the first time here
exhibits all Mr. Thonas's habits in playwrltihs'
both the bad and the good His worst haDlI Il
that Of deprivtng his heroine Of the sympathy u
the audience. Women are not always perfect III
real life but woman Of nobility in the midst
of the stage grouping IS one Of the surest ana
safest OF the dramatist's materials Mrs Dos4e
forfefts the regard OF the audience at the very
start although the disclosure that, although she
came TO Colorado for her health she puts on style
over folks with two lungs" And she never gains
that regard. AS for her daughter. she may not
win entire admiration but when she shoots she
disdains any target larger than pinhead. and she
is bound 10 win respect MI Thomas persists IN
the habit of letting lis heroes call his heroines
little woman He should read the early chap
ters Of Tommy and Grizel" anG amend this And
when box Of morphine pills is elaborately brought
in their potency stated and the proper doses pre-
scribed. is II not right 70 expect that one OF the
villains will take overdose OF them? Ihey are
like a gun which IS brought in and does not go on
Yet it is the play distinctly. as play which VIII
make the success OF the present production. L u
has success. rather than the acting OF any person
or Of any number Of persons. This is not saying
that the acting IS fault, and of that by and BY
II is merely that play is the central object and
that the acting IS contrbutory TO the final result.
rather than the only aim and object In this re-
spect Mr.. Thomas has done we'll and he has done
better still He that 70 make play IS TO tell
a story in action and this he has done The story
need not Re new. as its materials. snd II is not
An architect would have a more hopeful search FOR
new metals and stones for building than drama
tst for matters put into his story The old
stories 90 exceuenty. II they are but treshened up
for the eye AMI II they rapidly and clearly.
hold the attention and excite the syrnpathies. and
are displayed through action arising from charac-
ter on this principle Mr.. Thomas works IN Col
oraao' as he has worked before. and on this prin-
ciple he wins.
So far from the tale being new. II would be easy
20 set the characters in it over against those in
Arizona" and TO pair them of in the two plays.
two and two. while their relations and motives also
correspond, and thew arrive at last at the same
deuouernent. For the ranchman there stands the
foreman of the gold mine. and he takes on himself
also the functions OF the husband Of the weak
heroine There were men in Arizona" but
making them one is Ear from making a new story
OF IT, This mining foreman is one Of those men OF
crushing wealth in whom Americans proudly de-
light. He owns thousands OF acres Of land which
is worthless because il is arid. His mine fills with
water and oyerhows the land receives the water
brooks. and he becomes q prince and power as
fast as the water flow. The War Department
does his bidding. He takes an important paper
from his pocket. You bribed my give you
that" says the foled villain. Well" he replies
Il got it" Certain evidence which he wants IS
locked up in the archives Of bank. He buys the
bank With this man. corrupt though he may be-
as long as his corruption is for his little girls
happiness the audience sympa thizes. and with him
and in him il rejoices
This part is played by Wilton Lackaye with the
steadlness. the frnness and the quiet self-posses
sion which it must have to make It truthful But
the effect Of the performance is due him any
more the most Of the actors. There is none
whose performance IS conspicuous among the resi-.
but nearly all evenly right. Miss Maud Hoffman
has the ungrateful task of playing the njudicious
WIFE and is deprived Of the applause which might
fall 10 her lot and sometimes has fallen. when
her Part would permit il Miss Christine Blessing
gave so genuine picture of the familiar type Cf
the faithful and loving, but wellnigh nsufferapie
wife who can do much toward driving her hus
band wrong whether he wants TO not, that
she almost won pardon for the villain. Several
whirnsically comic parts were performed in the
right spirit. clearly and brightly, by Miss Jean
Newcombe. H. L. Hall. Horace Lewis and Miss
Rose Cooke.
The play is handsomely set, and its whole prep
aration has been thorough and careful. The work
Is frankly ueodramatic. and it illustrates the prin-
ciple that 1t only the abuse and not the use or
that method of bodybuilding which is objection
able The dialogue Is clean and clearcut Mr
Thomas was called upon for speech at the emo OF
the third act and he said nothing OF importance
in an amusing manner