New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-15
THE LAST APPEAL"

7. aaros moro than probable that the theatre
going public will turn rather deai ear 40
LAST ADpeaI,'' a play that has had d h"ii''V
performances in other parts OF the country out
mich was first produced in this city at Na'ack
-r,.,, Ioe+ evening Its author Is Leo Dttrich-
stein who has put together such pieces aS ~
on Account of Eliza and Are You
-r,a ,-as nothing in either of these plays to war
rant an expectation that their author "ouiu NC
,,ooassf,,l at anvtnln. more pretentious. so that
rohodv has a right TO be disappointed at last even
fng's comparative failure. The Last Appeal 'elis
a story that only unlikely. nat hlcreuI"'e a.
we'll The Crown Prince of the Austrian f-iHpife
while hunting falls over a preciplce dreams Il .e
and is rescued by 4 rich banker oausii'el' "n'
helps him TO a forester's cottage ana nurses MN
for six DAYS OF course. a little 'ilihs hhe '"'
dsappearance Of the heir to the throne creates no
surprise so that he is able 10 conceal his ident'y
from th. girl who promptly falls in love with MIN
and he with her Against the orders OF '.ie he,
the Crown Prince marries the girl but the royai
influence is thrown against the recognition OF 'ie
marriage and the King yields only when the wife
Of his son makes last appeal. representing
her case as that Of another unknown woman Ior
whom she wins the royal sympathy. the crown
Prince is restored TO favor but Iorrei's the suoo
sion his younger brother
There is only standard by which to Judge
this OF piece Its aVoWed aim Is 10 zen d
romantic story Of love and daring that shal luiish
an agreeable evenings entertainment The achieFe-
ment this object must be its only claim upon
the attention of the public. This object The Last
Appeal fails utterly to achieve. There Is a oeal
of heroic posturing and defamation ana success
sion of mournful women pouring out oceans OF
stage tears and strainng the mourners 10
their heaving bosoms. There are also TWO OF the
sternest parents that trod the boards pehlno
the footlights. and abundance OF uniforms ana
gold lace and the sound Of gallopng hoofs OUTSIDE
Rut these things do not make play. ana they
constitute nearly the entire theatric equipment OF
Mr. Ditrichstein's piece.
There Is reasonably pretty COMEDY III
the first act and one or two bright spots in the
third act that as whole. is hopelessly inanmate'
but these are only in desert or SAND ana
wind and gesture. Several of the players were 100
nervous last evening to do the piece justice ana
the best scenes notably the delayed climax IN the
last act were ruined by the unaccountahle ano
compete collapse Of actor who has 1or many
wears occupied honorable place In MS proies-
sion But no actor could have lifted the play from
the dead level of the commonplace from Wnich lts
author had been unable to raise IT.
Rohert Drouet as the Crown Prince, was manly
and in,nressiye figure. and played his scenes with
authority and dash the face of obstacles sum-
Gent TO discourage the most competent Katherine
Grey did all that could have been done with nope
less part Henry Bergman contributed a deft char-
ac,er sketch and George 6. Boniface MADE q
miniature hit in a small bit but The Last Appear
failed to reach even the lowly mark at which IL