The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-11
,. AT: THE THEATERs -
MetropoIltan-kyrle BelIew, in "Raffes

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BeiIew, in "Raffles."
The psychology of crime has always
had a deep fascination for the fictionist
and the dramatist, as well as for the
student of mental phenomena. Many Of
the great novels of literature are studies
in crime, and that great branch. of dra-
maturgy known as nlelodrama is chiefly
concerned with crime and the foiliny
thereof. The melodrana, however, &C
ccpts crime as a concrete fact and does
not trouble over it's psychology; the Grim
inal is treated effectively, rather than
subjectively. The tendency Of modern
philosophy in it's studies Of degeneracy,
however, is to get inside the mans mind
and to see things as he sees Them, His
motives, his standards of thought, his
mental attitude toward his own acts Of
crime-these are studied now from the
inside as never before This tendency is
faithfully reflected in literature and now
at last in drama. The "Cracksnlan' sto-
ries of E. w. Hornung have won almost
as great vogue as the detective tales
Of Conan Doyle. Raffles, the true anti
thesis of Sherlock Holmes, is a revelation
to the normal mind. And now with the
technical assistance of Eugene Presbrey,
Mr.. Hornung has vitaliZed his hero of
crime in drama that appeals powerfully
to every imagination.
It is a remarkable feat, after ALL to
have created an aartist in burglary who
from the very outset securely holds the
sympathies Of every onlooker. Not mere
ly do the characters in the play, even to
the artist in thief-catching, admire and
love him, but the audience from first to
last is in sympathy with this bold and
polished criminal, who moves in tie best
society and preys upon it secretly. The
duel between these two we'll matched an
tagonists is watched with breathless in
/ terest, and not one but hopes the clever
and resourceful criminal may in the end
outwit the equally clever and resource
full detective This remarkable achieve
ment is attained first by giving the audi
ence the cracksmans point Of view. This
is revealed with brilliant audacity by the
era cksman himself in the first act, where
the m embers of the house party discuss
the feats and probable personality of the
man about whom every one is talking. 1t
is apparent that love of sport, as the
Englishman understands the word, is the
cracksman.s chief motive. To him it is
the greatest game in the world, and he
plays it with a relish in which avarice
has no share. The more difficult the
| "job'' the better he likes it
The second element that obtains for
him the sympathy of the audience is the
| inevitable Glove interest" This has been
| ingeniously introduced in the play in such
a way as to bring out some admirable
Raffles. The odd but undoubted fact that
in the psychology Of love character play
! small part, is again illustrated in the
love of good woman for this criminal
which does not falter even in the terrible
moment of exposure. And his chival-
I rous efforts to shield her from the results
/ of love that has come unbidden into
/ these two lives, illun1ine beautifully Z
manly character that has one fatal flaw
iS
admirable. It's cumulative interest cul
minating in denouement at once ingenf
Gus, surprising and natural, its rapidly
! moving and we'll correlated action, it!
j flow Of smartly effective dialogue, thu
i naturalness and clearness Of its char
acter definition, combine to make it {
4 drama of the first quality.
4 Happily the play is acted with rar
4 and discriminating ability. Kyrle Bellew
4 a cosmopolitan actor whose English brit
1 and early training have been supple
/ mented by an American career of note
4 vitalizes Raffles with the perfection of hi
art. He is by turns the polished and per
Il feet gentleman, the distraught but self
1 effacing lover, the bold and resourcefu
q craftsman, brought to bay but unafraid
4 It is a characterization without apparen
II defect, the histrionic jewel of clear bril-
J, liancy unspoiled by any flaw.
!; No less admiral Bile in its way is tn
[ antithetica1 character of Captain Bedford
4 the detective, made real and vital for u
by no less an actor than q. NJ. Holland