The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-22
ADJUSTMENTS

pOl1tan. s4z5
Arthur Sidnlan's good works live after him.
a quantity truthful impersonator Of the folk
who liyesin the small towns Of central New
York, he 9contfiYed beforefdeath overlook him |
to perpetuate in an dyllic drama the char
acters he knew so well and reproduced so
perfectly. 1t was only few years ago that
MI Sldman contributed a turn in a vaude-
Vile Dill here that instantly struck every oneEI
VINO saw it with its truth, its sincerity and
us kindly humor. 1t was York state sketch,
ana It contained the embryo or the beautiful
lsropolitan 49, g
II is impossible not TO recognize the debt
MT. Sldman and his play owe TO the pioneer
in realistic rural Drama that gifted master
or stagecraft, James a. Herne. He il was
Who Who demonstrated by Hearts Of Oak and
snore. Acres the Effectiveness of q return
10 10, natural methods. But VT. sldman has
gone farther than the founder OF the
new school in forsaking convention aud get
tingz back to real life. He|has not founu it
| necessary to Introduce either the mawkish
melodramatc touches o. the impossible
comedy Sof the rustic in the city thar mar
taken Instead mas
out OF the lives of some quaint but very
human Villagers and out of them woven a
pay OF compelling 1a interest and convincing
sympathy. Inc story is simple and unatecteu
1 .,-sucn "a one as might happen III. any rural
! american communi1y-and get it powerfully
4 nolds the attention There isno Villain. only
an obstinate old man used to having his own
way There are no thrills save those that
naturally stir the. heart when love is winning
I ITS +Wonted triumphs over less worthy. pas
| slons. Ihere is no horseplay or bu1Ioonery
4 artlnclally contriyed by caricatures OF rust 6
characters, but the comedy flows as naturally
ana unrestranealy as If there were no audi
ence whose laughter was to be won This
absence OF conscious endeavor and OF STRAIN
4 ing for Theatre, effect is one OF the plays
Chief charms, as it is one of the inest acnleve-
q jCht (Frr ~.
4 supposed that because no creaking or Whr-
ring is audible there is no machinery On
Cne contrary, the machinery which actuates
the play is SO cunningy devised as TO be
snoiseless 49, -s. =
4 The just restraint under which Mr. sidman
put himself III the &deVlsng OF the play and
! sne working . out OF its characters mas also
mad ITS due influence on the players IN the
present company. Fortunate is that play
wright who can impose upon those who en-
act mis- work the limitations that have ruled;
ms own conceptions. The actors in York State
Folks impelEonate Mr.. Sidmans characters
~ q reVerent spirit in shat they never per-
MT themselves to reach for :enecls or step
outside the characters they present
Ray L.. Royce plays the part Mr.. Sidman in
4 tended for himselI-that OF the old village
orgamst and organ builder, whose long and
simple life has been sWeetened by NOBLE and
accomplishing 5self-sacrifice. He plays it with
gentle sincerity and kindness, revealing the
t mobility Of the man mostly by such. little
touches as the rescue OF the cat, which had
been put out for the night from the rain.
The genial humor of The musician, with
not breath of malice in it, CLOVIS, through
it's radiance, and finally thawing out even the
wintry obstlnacy OF the other old man, played
by James Lackaye. Mr. Laekaye has in this
companion masterpiece to his
Acres. His Simon Peter Martin is a marvel
Of effective characterization, thoroughly con-
9 sistent from first to last. He is the success.
full man whose native obstinacy has been tee
upon the pride OF achievement until it has
overshadowed his whole character. Mr.
: Lackaye pictures the progress of the old mans
d ing down his pride SO that natural affection
y may have it's just sway with fine art,
e Another notable Improvisation is that o
= Ernest Lanson as the loquacious young hors
: trader, whose Jealousy Of the dudishz mus
g teacher tplayed by Osborn .searle) leads hin
e into some foolish but very funny actions
! the young men at odds, exhibits probabl,
4 the Most faithful York state dialect in tn
1 cast, and besides presents res 3, a sprightly an
3 pretty and knows it. Lydia Knott is sweet
h Interesting as one of the principals in tn
;e love story around which the play turns, an,
= ing admirably. Kate Jackson, as her. mother
s beneath whose surface petulance is reveale
% warm heart, is very effective Randolp
PLAYS the opposite part to the girl
: chiefly concerned in the telling of the story
but the picture is filled up with number {
n We'll differentiated and quantity humorou
lie characteristic parson, the storekeeper, tn
re leader of the band, the workers in the WACO
& works, the adYanc esagent of an "Uncle Tom
a Cabin show-all capitally done. Nor Shout
1.-THE two little tots who play their parts S
a naturally and well be forgotten.
N Few plays. are 50 carefully and artfull
,di staged as York State Folks" Mr.. Sidma
e. gave all -the-slttle details of his productio
no the most painstaking attention and they a
~ contribute to the illusion which, for lack {
20 a better name, is called .tatnlosphege.'' Fac
aae1 scene is true to life and original in concer
ne .tion. The {croakng of bullfrogs, the chirpin
ed of crickets and the intermittent flashes Of th
to hre1les IN maple Lane. torn striking ea
i amplesz of this phase of Mr. sidman's stage
- craft: Itsis pleasant to know that Yor
~ State Folks, after its present brief stay,
~ coming back the latter part of next week t
Of fill4out&its engagement.