The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-10
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90 sveatec.v S-- EI
Jean Richepins idyl Of the ErenehI
Canada, Of half q century ago, which he 1
called lie Chemineau," and which the
American adapter for lack of an English
equivalent of the word has chosen to caA
THE Harvester" is on it's surface q SIM
pie story, told with unaffected pati1oseI
Looking deeper, one discovers that 1t is
really study of the nomadic instinct
which stirs the blood of the gypsy so
powerfully that III has kept him wild and
poor and free amid all the temptations to
take root offered by varying civilizations
An Ibsen, turned optimist, might have
written the play-so simple and SO direct,
50 redolent of real life and yet so rosy
with romance The nomad, confronteda
first by love. then by duty, and at the
last by love, duty. gratitude, desire for
comfort and ease and even the promise Of
material welfare, finds the road calling
to him with a wooing insistence that will
not be denied. It Is a phase of human ma
ture difficult for us who love our homes
to understand, and yet it is pictured with
truth The American tramp is "a kindred
spirit In whom the nonadic instinct De-
scending from forebears of the long ago
recurs amid the most modern civilization.
The Rlchepin play is not merely al
study OF the nomad from his own point
OF view, but of q train Of events growing
out OF his appearance in a quiet French-l
Canadian village and his temperance
when there was sore need of his return
1t Is rather fragmentary and sketchy, as,
usually happens in play whose action
is stretched over a period of years, 1t is
also marked by that frankness which is
so characteristic of the French drama but
which often narrowly escapes becoming
offensive to American audiences. The
talk of the coming grandson in the last
act is case in point. In the original.
Ernn hot xxyoc
peal, quite natural and quite Innocent
Last night 1t caused one-half the audi
ence to litter and the other half to blush,
Yet the simple beauty of the story and
Its fine literary quality have on the whole
been we'll preserved.
The production of the play by Mr. Skim
ner and his admirable company continual
ly piques the interest and compels the
admiration of the audience Many went
away last night no doubt not quite sat
isfed with the way things turned out but
yet admitting the logic and the art of the
denouement. The climaxes Of the third
and fourth acts aroused an enthusiasm
that expected. but did not find, a vent
at the final curtain So
Mr.. Skinner 1llumines the role of the
Wayfayer-it seems inadequate to call him
the arVester''-with all the pictorial
power Of his art A romantic actor Of
the keenest intelligence, Of fine physique
and manly bearing, gifted with a voice
| that is strong and vibrant and well modu- :
lated, his browning virtue is his lucidity.
No vagueness about his meaning, no half
| lights, no obscurity, nd-inevitably-no
delicate shadings. At times it almost
seems as If one discerned- the working Of
the machinery in Mr.. SINNERS art-it
| is so precise, so exact and leaves so little
to the imagination, that wonderful ma
| glc1an. whose aid every artist should en-
| list. But Mr.. SINNERS frank, merry man
ner, bubbling over with life and laughter
and love, clothes the wayfayer in gar
| ments most attractive. 49, $500
There isn't a Weak'spot in the company,
and several of the transformations rival
that of the star in strength. j. NJ Col
Vllle's picture of Francois at first the
strong worker and then the paralytic, is
wonderfully fine bit of work In the
last act when second stroke has made
the man completely helpless, Mr.. Colville
is reduced to acting with his eyes, the
tips OF his fingers and a quavering, express
sionless voice-and yet it is just at this
point that his most powerful effects are
| obtained. George Clarke as the master
furnishes another fine portrait-tha OF
man torn by avarice, superstition and
love; for an only daughter. With Mr..
| Skinner he furnishes the striking and al
! together unique climax of the fourth act,
the real climax oflthe play.
/ Lizzie Hudson Collier plays the Woman
of the play with line surrender of sa1f
to the requirements,spfs the mamept,,e AS
the peasant girl carried away, in the first
act, with sudden love for the gypsy, She
pictures a ,renunciatory passion: whose
promise is well kept in later Years, when
passion has died out Of a life beautified
by remuneration. Marion Abbott as the
landlords wife contributes a strongly
! sympathetic, and original representation
Maud Durbin is 5girlishly sweet as the
| daughter, and Walter Lewis gives d salts
flying picture of the manly young fellow
who wins her. Both have opportunity fol
good work when. they are distraught by
a separation that seems irrevocable Coco
character bits Illuminated by natural com.
edy are furnished by Ben T.. Ringgold and
| Russell Crawford as peasant and landlord
Mr.. Skinner brings a. new production
/ last nights was only the fifth perform.
ance-staged with liberal good taste anc
already running smoothly and well.
?: ,rg2 w p. Chamberlain.
| y.