New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-11
THE DRAMA.
lrr. LGclaye IN THE Pit.
LYRIC THEATRE

LYRIC THEATRE.
-. ,-rled The Pit' was produced last night
Uric Theatre. and AR Wilton LacBaye
. - 10 princiPsl part IN it.-that OF bull
.,,,.tor in wheat. named Curtis Jawdln. The
80 Of The play H. an exhibition OF business
49,. ,.s extreme tension OF excitement This
hl. -. Illustrated more than once on the local
- VAS notably czsulpiined IN a piece called
- enorulator'' brought forch. some years ago
- 81 1890. by Mr. Thomas Q. seabrooke. at tho
On Avenue Theatre: bat the present drama.
- - -, M Channi-g Pollock. on the basis Of
- and tuuid novel fun % adjective and ELUSIVE
I.,sor b. the late Mr. Frank N0rris provides.
- n-olix trivial. nnd tedious preliminaries--a
-. se,e~tfvo treatment OF an ole theme than has
-, bean shown The story is trite. hus-
,-e-oceupied with the cares Of business. and
- IN ar almost insane quest o. wealth and
- ---eelects or seems 10 neglect his young
-, .,r-errhat volatile VIE. treacho-ovs friend,
.,,,s snd subtle. takes ruch advantage as ne
= - tbl, situation. Gnc almost succeeds n alien
=, ne wife from her husband. and psrsuading
- - an eiopemeut The husband Is 6isastrousiy
-s..tes Al an attempt TO corner the Chicago
.-st market. and. under circumstances that are
.-,,re~que and painful is absolutely ruined The
,--,hsring moral sense OF the wife f. thereupon
,-.teue6: her heart turns toward her husband. IN
~, ,,re-y: the insicious tempter OF her virtue r.
-.fe6 and e pleasing intination is given OF
s.-e--fo peace and comfort. TO succeed the tumult
= ,ro-ldlv strife and the disgrace and GRIEF o.
,b,scf failure. In all this there is no element q
,,vslty no felicity OF invention. exceptional eX
.,,trre % character: but the theatrical use Of
49, well worn materials ls occasionally expert
= s.-osphere OF suspense is slowly created: action
4. mace tributary TO dramatic climax; and salu-
- though not particularly Impressive morition e
ro-se6 that the delirium OF speculation Is DANGER
,,r ana hateruL and that the only true lie is the
,-,-ss lie Of the affections.
T. ne rceuical and dramatic eEpozitiuu q tbs
..v The component Ingredients OF theatrical drift
rbs-zcter feeling. incident, coIloQuy.-are concen-
s-,fs5 on one ultimate object. the Photographic
ro-t-svai o. g struggle 10 the death. between an
.,-,isfie forces IN the wheel Dit OF Chicago. This
=, m. substance Of the drama. Battles IN the
,.o.t exchange sre not infrequent: but II is only
=. org intervals that a Waterloo arrives. and
,capolson q finance IS overwhelmed and routed
IN, arrirsl O Waterloo for Curtis Jawoin IT THIS
e-s-s OF THE Pit" g 50 managed as TO show a
,-esisuflv ufsIrke picture Of physical animation
md fsrocious tumult. and 70 produce an emotional
80 Of excitement and distress. The amatory.
sentimental domestic part q tho play Is vaplo-
srrsuf for the startling incident o. sulcioe' III
.-srfnltv 10 a social festival this being. appar-
entiv reminiscent OF the French drama OF Ia
folorouse" by NJ Maurice Donnay. octed. IN
Paris By Nine Pesane in 1896. and, later, Enoiy
.sorreveda BY M Clyde Fitch into some trash q
his called The Moth and Flame The social
ricfure IL 2 caricature. The scene o. JaWolLs
quarrel with Gretry and that q The frantic com
TAT In the wheat pit-lnvolving emotions violent
rassionate cruel. and deadiy.-are on the other
hand somewhat painfully actual Mr.. Wilton
rscl-sve possesses qualifications requisite for the
character q Jswdin. Neither this part nor any
other cart in the drama. however. makes any oraIl
upon imagination requires exercise OF any OF
The high and fne faculties OF the human mind OF
the dramatic art. Curtis Javdin is not hero; Is
rot even a gentleman: ne is 2 ruthless. resOlute.
savage schen1er. animated by most ignoble mo-
tive and simply bent on self-aggrano cement.
Through the ruin OF all competitors. Such man.
in actual Hfe would be q public enemy.--blghting
all around him. and scattering ruin In his path
Such e. creature. doubtless, has amatory feelings,
but so has q tiger. The demand upon the actor
OF Jawdn is for burly strength. incessant ygor
and fervor. expeditions movement muscular acuF-
Sly. vocal force an aggressive spirit and the i'm
oetuous. fer0cious. reckless deueanor Rccordant
with such q nature There should MOTTO an ex-
erisnced actor-be any difficulty IN supplying this
demand and certainly. Mr.. Wilton Lackaye did
not seem 70 experience any embarrassment IN the
free snd fun expression OF this character.
Most OF the suXiliar performers In this drama
belong 10 the noble army o. utitar.ans. Miss Jane
cakes came forth as the fascinating but pliable
vie and ATr. White Whittiesey emerged as the
Epooney lover: but there nothing. Of either ap-
pearance or oeneanor "a the heroine 10 account
the evil desire and design OF the tempter. and
there nothing IN the temptCr 10 account Tor
the temporary partially u the heroine. At
short range observed by the philos0phlc Emer-
ton, the senses are despotr. Miss Cakes has not
get obtained q graceful carriage or the art OF
speech, nor has she acquired self-controI Emotion
car be expressed without squealing. and physical
Cxcitemeut, when n becomes mere chaotic huster.
communicates 20 an audience nothing but soIci-
noe and discomfort Good performances Of plain
nsiiag commonplace parts. were given by A. H
Stuart Cresser william Hczeitine as Gretry,
and Joseph A. wilkes as Hargus- The reflex OF
chicago society as 70 manners and conversation is
extensively absurd. n viewed picture. and .nsuf-
fefable twaddle. II considered as couoquy A guar
~ between the Few principal women OF the play
tsneo the Quntessence OF vulgarity; but perhaps
ns zenith o. idotic folly only reached when
Nr White Nhttlesey performed upon an .zcolian
o'tan BY way OF pe-Huading Mrs Jswdln 70 become
az aouitress There is nothing Il the play but the
a~enea OF Business strife and tumult These we're
va carried There are slight exa -tions % pleas
~"''s snc % feeling IN certain moments OF the
l-ft o. Sewdin, but 20 these Mr. Lackaye makes no
eeeeaAts response lie was. however. many times
feo~lieo b. a crowded and brilliant audience.
". W.