The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-08
B THREE NEW PLAYSMTOWN
rARTS COURAGEOUS" MELO-
lRAMA IN HISTORIC SETTING.

RAMA IN HISTORIC SETTING.
brrin Johns0n's Work a. q Star in II
Antique but Laughabio Idiocy ID
"Haberkorn." in Irving Place-"The
Spenders" Less Than W. ii. Crane.
There seems 70 be no valid reason why
Orrin johnson should not be star. He
has the greatest talent OF all-youth, and
TO this inestimable quality Is added good
looks, virile presence, considerable per-
sonal magnetism, and profound belief
in himseH, The last counts almost as
much as the first. Some day In the not too
dim future Mr.. johnson will develop more
grace in action, ease In repoee and repose
IA speech. He has had much experience,
some schooling and the fact that he
'h,inders loudly in the index may be set
down as laudable desire to please his
audiences-not hypercritical ones. At the
matinee yesterday IN the Broadway Theatre
the handsome young actor was called out
half dozen times after each curtain really
a personal compliment, for the lines and
situations in the play are not overwhelm-
ingly original
When franklin Fyles attacked Halle
Erminie Rives's novel Hearts Courageous
last spring, he knew that his work was out
out for him, that his task was not an in
significant one. Miss Rives u not dra-
matte writer-that is. scenes Of genuine
dramatic feeling do not fll the pages Of her
historical romance The best Mr.. Fyles
could do was to invent a. well as rearrange,
and this he did until oyertaken BY serious
illness. Ramsay Morris, experienced in
stage work, finished the piece and produced
1t. 1t shows every evidence Of palnstaking
workmanship. At its best it 70 romantic
melodrama with an historic background;
at its worst it contains too many long,
needless speeches. That II Is vitality dra-
matio was not to have been expected. Few
adaptations are. But It pleases its public.
and 1t will probably continue TO please other
than a New York public, and 80 author.
adapters and star should be satisfied.
After all II Ii the point OF view. A stage
crowded with the historic figures Of Patrick
Henry. Lord Fairfax. Philip Freneau. Lord
Dunmore and the Marquis de La Fayette
Is not very attractive to lovers Of serious
drama or comedy, genteel and otherwise.
At best such procedure Is a dangerous
experiment. Napoleon, 30 clearly visu-
allied by the popular Imagination, Ia dam
gerous to impersonate just because he
makes such definite image. From the
sublime to tho blasphemous Is but a step
TO take that step In one Of his historical
plays. 1t Is only fair to Miss Rives that this
he said. though she juggles with great
names as children have played with dyna-
mite-unconsciously.
Mr. johnson looks we'll In knee breaches.
His legs are slender and shapely, though
rather self-conscious. And his mask Ia
still az wooden, az immobile as ever. But
10 has shining eyes and busy ones, and
n times his voice Is nicely modulated.
He hasn't much to do until tho duel cpl
sode, except to look mysterious and nirt
IN heavy fashion with an impossible heroine.
The slave girl scene was discounted In
Richard Carvel, and Mr.. Hackett's bid
ding at the auction was far more exciting.
The duel in Hearts Courageous" is one
Of the best things in the play. It is Of the
progressive eucire order. The combatants
q corridor, over the roof ~ and finally into
full view of an excited audience. 1t is
very fetching. as they say in Bayswater.
Yesterday every one stood UP and some
wonen waved their handkerchief. But
tev sat down again when Maude Fealey
spoke. her native tongue. 1t is pity she
has heen 40 indifferently taught. Her
tone production is rasping, CONSTRUCTED,
and sic plays with the letter r as a cat
does with canary. Az TO her pronuncia-
tion-th at is a matter of map. If Mr.. VIII
lard could not mend 1t why should an
humble chroniclsr make the attemptl She
is pretty and winning but she has a huge
territory to traverse before she will act
naturally.
Mr. Johnson has surrounded himself with
g company capable OF handling its work
Theodore Hamilton. W s. Hart-who made
something Of Patrick Henry-John T. Sulli-
van, Daniel Jarret, Charles X. Gilbert and
Eleanor Carey, the last the one real actress
or the stage. The young females who
tore their throats wide open when they
made love or gossiped were very trying to
ears made sensitive by subway blasting
The main thing, however, Is that Orrin
johnson is at last launched as star.
The man, woman or child who cant
laugh in the Irving Place Theatre this
week is fit for stratagems, spoils or Ibsen.
'Iiaherkorn" is ridiculous farce OF an
enrique mould. The house bill credits
Richard Franz with its authorship. But
it was written thousands of years ago.
1t has scenes with doors in it and every time
snv one comes in or goes out you laugh.
This is sheer idocy, but after "Hedda Cab
ler" one laughs even at Limerick Dan
when he remarks that possession Is nine
points Of the Low" And Dan ia no politi-
cal prophet.
However, "Haberkorn" is the sort of thing
that is irresistible TO sobersides. Gustav
Won Seyffertitz played the Leading part
J Holland r6le--with his accustomed
d. and audacity The story is simple to
the unacy point. An architect-builder ID
jealous Of rival builder he has never seen
and when, by outrageous Juggling, his rival,
III" horrid HdberkOrn, becomes his father-ln-
las his brain reels In every day life we
Should lock such a gentleman behind the bars
ptibe HaHa house; in farce he goes ON the
family Mechanical as is the plot, its
action was vitalizeI by the excellent en-
se ,bIn work OF the Conried company
some of the old favorites were in the cast
Camilla Dalberg, stately, slender, aristo-
Ca'lc, Georgine v. Neundorff, Hedwig Won
o't"rmann who really should go to Marien-
bad next summer), Max Hanseler, John
FesteI, we'll bred AZ ever; Willy Frey,
kcuard Schlaghammer-all put forth their
powers and an enjoyable evening was the
result
Despite the banality OF the situations
'Haterkorn" might be probably adapted.
The second act, in the pavilion, would save
II. Tie title might prove, however, indi-
geg'ible.
=. 4 a 4 h ror ut n