New-York tribune., 1903-04-14
THE al RECKON" DRAMA AT pALYs.

A play by opie Read called The starbucks'' was
exhibited at Days Theatre last night Between
the bright spots in the season at Days made by
The Jewel OF Asia" and Dan Days coming en-
gagement IN q drametization Of volume Of Ten
derloin slang. ii was first arranged that Otis
Skinner should I'll the tine with his play
'Lszar-e-" But the Dearborn Theatre Company.
Of Chicago. desiroUs OF eGifying Broadway with
The Starbucks." made an offer. IL IS said. more
tzvorabe-more secure 10 the pockets OF the con-
troIsrs OF Days Theatre, that is-and last night
the work Of edifcation began Mr.. Skinner must
be sought elsewhere than in New-York. possibly
70 the regret OF some who prefer art to-Opie
Read
The eSfcation process under way before the
curtain rose. The StarbUcEzs is original play
and a dranaJiZatiOn OF novel the pro-
gra-n-ne read Thus furnished with assurance and
commentary on the contemporary stage the au-
oienoe-a Broadway audience. not he least sophs
ttceted 10 be found, and several western friends
o1 Opie Read & cowboy poet, q senator" and the
Ike who sat together in brothery lave and long
upper box. and whom woman declared must
t the newspaper critics-this audience leaned back
and waited
They waited for different things. Some of them
waited for drama, and got tired Some OF them
waited for q chance 10 laugh. and we're satisfied
early and often. CThis Hne may be quoted on the
bilIboa1ds and then Il viii be our turn-) And some
OF them waited for chance TO get a drink This
last class perhaps, were most appreciative OF the
second act
The star5ucks" is not by Gosh" play. The
genes are laid in the Cumberland Mountains;
= is rather Of the - Reckon variety. II said
in a5va-Ce 70 be a play OF character parts" and
such i- must have been for there little enough
dramatic action Nothing passed during the first
sc1 bur The display OF these character parts and
their dialect until the last minute Of play, and
then - use football phrase, justified by the cleo
tric sian without. which announced that The Star
Bucks DAYS" Jaspar Starbuck hit the line for
FIVE wards and time was called before he could put
The bal in play again N the second and third
acts r. did no better II the last act perhaps he
lodged Caie Read for q touchdown; but darkness
had descended OF the field Icy that time and few
of The spectators could see
Jasper Starb,lck t= played 10y Theodore Roberts,
who suggested vir3le sturdy, kindly with ease
and delivered himself Of the many really amusing,
freshly amusing remarks that put in his part
with excellent humorous effect What little he had
- do thar was connected with the development OF
z drama however. TnelodranaLc N lis IN
-ent and played as such n this he was ably as
sisted by all the other actors who had any
thing 10 GO with the frau and tiny story
The other actors. however could not suggest
genuine character as ne did. could they be
tu-lorous-poor things. AfT. Read too often
cid his best 10 hinder.-as he was Unconscious
furlor they achieved II great abundance, keeping
the audience as merry as Mo1lan- The exception
vas William Evarts. a darky servant de
had bright things say and he said them as heTt
Williams might have taught him For the resi-
especially The young lovers. there was a teellag
thar 2 co71parv from the combination houses
had wandered OF their beat IN short me Culh-
berIand Mountains seem 70 contain the same soTt
ot folk that are found in rural New-England'
barring y reckon" for by gosh'-only II takes an
opie Read 10 find them
M Read was called for a speech for F5a-
sons best known TO himself he refrained.