Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-05
"THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN"
BY W. E. BURL0CK, JR.


rural drama without single 81
swan or ''b' gosh" In It, with no tear
ful heroines who have been wronged,
and no snow storms into which tho
young mother and her babe have been
driven by stern but cody parent.
lncredlblel is the cry, but nevertheless
Il has happened. and George AIDE. in his
comedy drama, Tho County Chair
man" Is responsible.
such an upsettlng OF theatrical ira
diton was never before heard Of unless
It was when AIDE brought his Sultan
lof Sulu' to Broadway without n single
chorus girl VINO had been named IN
notorious divorce suit, single Tender
ION Joke or immodest suggestion, and
MAD It running TO packed houses for
months after farces and musical COM
edles, supposedly reelslng with the sort
OF thing Broadway demands, were pro-
oueed' had their little vogue and passed
In THE County Chairman" AIDE has
written play which should duplicate
'he run Of the Sultan.
Is scenes are laid In n small Indiana
.lIage and II fairly reeks with its
Oucollo atmosphere. II is the real true
country too, as AIDE knows, for he lived
twenty years OF his life amid lust such
characters and scenes, and IN conse-
Iurhce they ring true. So true that
sven tho New Yorker who has never
Deed anywhere except across the ocean,
tHd To whom such villages and scenes
sre nut dreams Of imagination can real.
!Le l4e truth Of the picture and under
t'anl the emotions which sway the ac.
'on' OF people such as these.
as Tor the man who once lived in
.INn an atmosphere, and Il Is said that
tleIE man IN New York over thlrty-fiye
ulI once i've In country village, It
tdHos MN back TO the days OF his boy
h93l and shows him how far he has
clmocd and how much he has achieved
sN,e ne loft the country so clearly
tNl distinctly that n feeling OF such
htuslacton steals over him that he
wants To- see the play again and yet
AGAIN This IL human nature, and Il
H. because George Ado imbbed I'm the
UIo indiana village a keen insight TO
4 ana trades upon his knowledge that
ne writes plays which arc successes.
Ihe first act Of THE County Chair
nan Is laid In front of the general
sore IN Antioch In the summer. A con-
N'nNon TO nominate the prosecuting at
loihey Tor the county is In progress IN
neighbOrlng village and the whole
community is waiting to hear who Is
Jim Hacker tho County Chalrma.
Played by Macklyn Arbuckle, brings
WORD that his young law partner, TN
iold Wheeler, was chosen after forty
3auois' and that the opposing candidate
20 be Judge Elias Rigby (Charles
ishoD, and the father Of the girl
Ndeeler had that afternoon asked 10
ga ~ him and who had promised TO
d. so.
Jim Hacker Is a big, bluff, rough but
hlhly old cOuntryman, with fund OF
naive Wit and shrewdness which gem
orally manage to land him on top. NJ
buckle I'm the part was delightful no
seemed born 10 the role. and his per.
tpnal success was quite as pronounced
a. mat of the piece. Earle Brown as
Illinrd Wheeler, was the weakest spot
ID inc entire cast. lie was insincere,
awkward and mandy -pamhy, even wheh
hl'kler hd1 forced him into making u
N1nd against tho tauuts of Judge kls,,
.N I'm his love scene with Lucy klspg
h' acted as though he were frightened
iu death, Mr. Brown may Os y
LolnaMo Of experience, and perhaps
counts HE victims by scores, nut M
tr'Wad 10 me to be sad In need o. a
wv instructions from some np-lo, u"''
tIIl on "tlow TO act wncn In love a..
j, Ine scene NJ the second act ~ tie
'uurt-llouse Grove, where Rigby opens
gus ,1mpuon by hurting insults Wlu
l'lnts at Wheeler and daring MN, "
n1rtnke IN iolnt debate Wheeler hnt
promised Lucy he would not pay any
,lentlon to her fathers words but o
Nsl he can stand II no longer and re
ple' holly 50 hOtly In fact that M
m'h', closes with tho entire audienc'
mixed M IN a free hght. In this &C
n1lit'nl parade Takes place and
,'npony q children AMI one OF youni
F'lN march in. a novel and pleasan
political narades
an the ;hird act. four days before cleo
1n Hacker obtains proof that Rlgh!
,H stolen ,money left IN his trust
we most unfair and dishonest trick Thu
-.' with whom they were both IN love
wv now Hacker sees a chance 10 hotl
seIeaI him at the election aud wip