The sun., 1903-11-12
CLYDE FITCH AS HISTORIAN.
uis"N4.JOR ANDRE" "ANDARTHUR
HyRON IN 1T BOTH A SUCCESS.
The New Revolutionary Play NJ the Savoy
TOO Prolix, but Pretty in Sentiment.
and the Unfortunate Spy Is Made q
sympathetic Figure for the stage.

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"1%o' Tho nlavwriuht smoke Of Mr. Bvron,s
.,a,ondd s;ncerity" inst the quality that
..aI,as the work ~ this talented and earnest
.,1,,,, man so symnathetio and also a
youis '..',: 'a;., os,.. h,i,Ia IT. a...io.,
quality WHICH oi.el minus ms aoihirels
to the very potent TACT that ne Is prone 10
play De il one key that he is not given
much to the cultivation OF the nunnce.
n +, ,,;r;,. h. ia n onnmond;,o eo,,r.
bu' he j. Nn",' ne :. eol.''''..'n'e nsule
In every part he elects 10 appear H. ana ne
commands pathos, at times rather, rudely
As Andre he won his audience. and with
'.i,,,s r,o,,..s ,,,h;ah dr,,',atis. a "a
'''"' cu' ,o"e po"e1e "iio' -, ,"'.'o'i'V ano
actor aIike are sometimes aple 10 arouse
he set US wondering at the sadness OF the
Whole proceeding which forced Washing
"' -. ,e',nI
gooo iel'o". ue' o'eo 'o'e anu aii iiNa'-
liable man for house party.
Andre. Mr.. Fitch assures us, and in these
matters his is an authoritative voice, that
49, IT, ,os On axoaIlon, sino.r n o,o,,
u'e huJ' "as gu eAoen' ..ns soou
rllymes'er' a oraueh'smah OF taste' cancer
and very ingenious deviser Of Mosques,
Of drums of all manners Of social bedevil-
ments
t'ioa ,,,oh ,;,,o r,,. axno,doa ,o,.
lhueea' huci 'iiie was e"pehueo iast
evening say from $50 to loSo-in showing
And'e MS a tame lion, promoter OF jollity,
a squire of danes and the much beloved
q, New York society, Whie and other
in the year OF grace l7so; .,o
N.er sept. y ol INA. oase tne pay leaves
me women WIN ti'elr Pre'ty iol-uerrois'
thelr MASSIVE alld covering iurpaIls, nrop-
denagah hoIPsklIts, paintings ana nsp-
irgs ana amonngs In an ABSURD private
rehearsal. and begins IN grim reality
.nd'e iaiiS INTO the hands OF the COLO
mas and despite genuinely desperate
struggle is overcome and searched. The
incriwinatng papers are found. He bribes,
during the absence OF the others one OF
in tree with the girl ho loves.
Then as the muskets are all pointed at the
tree he descends very much as the coon
did when Davy Crockett aired at it, though
Don't shoot, Colonel; I'll come down.
The tree episode is really unbearably
rheatric. 1t should be hewn out; and with
it, miles of talk, of revolutionary rhetoric.
Mr. Fitch has been too keen in pursuit of
the "hur7n documents
This pav is positively boated with facts,
crude, hard radgrindian facts. We never
balk at "atmosphere" and atmosphere this
clever writer of plays has contrived through
out, but, despite the Latin axiom, words
are not things. Things in the shape OF de-
lightful Colonial interiors do not harass
voll and rhetoric, Of the inflated, patriotic
type does.
Speeches, speeches, everywhere; Andre
makes a set speech far too long, too 30
phsticated too we'll balanced for a man
who pleads for death by shooting, a SOL
dier's death, and not death under the gal
lows. A dozen words would have stirred
his audience much more than the John
sonian appeal put into the unlucky hero's
mouth by the author.
Major Andre" achieved popular sue
cess. Its theme is an absorbing one and
when the narrative is leaner, more direct
and sinewy, when the devious little epi-
sodes are welded into firm whole, it ought
10 make stirring play.
AZ present IT Is far from being second
Nathan Hale. We believe 1t was written
some years ago and has been subjected
70 1requent REVISION. but u ls' never
theiess. TOO circulnlocuuohaIy, ana acuoh
hnlts at the very climax, dlssolvlng INTO
are Pracucally tapleau6' Inc frst ACT Is
CONTAINED a real sltna'lon ana tne cur
,alh laI's on II. neslaeS, !he i.lea OF pre-
Sei'ihS SRI VINO ooes no. kno" her own