The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-24
VILLA RDIN LUCKY DURHAM
UILSON BARRETT'S ACTOR-MADE
PL.tY FAILS tn PLEASE.
Unreal stage People and Lack OF Heal
stage Trchniaue. TO Say No'hinS OF
Literary SIKH, Spoil Promlslns'
II Somewhat Conventional, Theme

II Somewhat Conventional, Theme
Lucky Durham Mr.. Wilson Barrettf
play with which Mr.. f. S. Willard opened
last night at the Knickerbocker Is not
smoking tobacco: but If IL were one woulo
be tempted to say that its name has beer
APPLY chosen.
Yet To saw that it Is n cross between Lucky
Strike and Bull Durham is perhaps to mahgn
those estimable weeds-that have brought
comfort on many duckless duck marsh,
and beside many foundercd motor Al
If o'clock last night, no one In the
Knickerbocker would have smoked Lucky
Durham, II the world held nothing else
but hayseed and rattan
The fault was not with the story OF the
play nor yet with the acting-both OF
which. while in no way momentous' were
worthy Of far better things. Lucky Dur
ham, which is, of course, TO say Mr. WIZARD
is the illegitimate son Of an Earl Aoah-
doned. with his mother, by his calous SIRE
he has struck il rich in America and returns
10 England Here, as the play begins, he
falls in love with the girl who has been
destined as tho bride OF his Legitimate hait-
brother.
has theme Is the struggle between the
wholesome manhood OF the illegitimate
son and the arbitrary standards OF social
purity in the very people who are respon-
sible for the stain on his name. There IL
clearly the matter here for a genuine and
etirring drama.
The trouble with Lucky Durham Is
that it Is an arch example of the actor made
play. Instead of the full flavor Of life. mel
lowed and sweetened in the sun OF the
creative artistic temperament, we are
given-to return to the tobacconnated
metaphor-the steam dried and treacle
swesccned product of the theatrio forcing
kiln.
Like so many other aotor-authors, Mr.
Barrett has apparently considered not what
Is true and convincing to the genuine heart
and mind but what is most ineIpensively
not to say cheaply, effective on the stage
What he has given us Is the limbs ana the
outward flourishes of a drama. not the heart'
Rnd az usual the actor made play proves
the unmaking OF the actors,
The mere theatric technique. some
times little short Of admirable IN such
plays, is here incredibly loose and stray
Cling The literary skill OF the dialogue
may be Judged in the fact that at crucial
moments the characters enforce their points
by solemnly quoting the Decalogue ana
the poet Longiellow-or rather by por-
ntously misquoting them. 1t is the mills
Of The gods, not OF God, that grind slow ";
and il is the sins OF the IdfheTS not OF me
parents, that are visited.
The conflict between the honest, il some
what humble. flavor OF Luckp Durham and
the aroma of cut Cavendish is waged, not
in dramatic action, but In long winded
discussions of moral and social problems.
Lucky Durham" is problem play, in
which the problem IS to find the play.
IL is not hard to see how the title part
appealed to Mr.. Willard His is a character
OF sterling worth and unfaing address.
At the very sound of his name the Ylllnin
Is so d isinayed that his mcnocle drops
from his eye into his waistcoat pocket.
Like our own Mr.. Crane, before business
became business. Mr.. Willard has here a
mania for giving away money. lie would
sign the checks on the wallpaper TO help
his left handed relatives out of hole. or
at pinch, if it came TO that part with
those on his trousers.
The present is not an occasion on which
one may wax eloquent over Mr.. Wizards
virtues as an actor. It may be stated.
however. that he looked the part to per-
lection, even TO the flush of strong, whole
some and manly youth. His voice is az
s&ooth and sonorols as ever, and he strikes
the note of generous and mellow feeling
with force and certainty that would bring
thrilling effect in better cause. He was
warmly applauded by large and friendly
audience.
Miss Violet Vorey "a the heroine, and
Miss Faith Reynolds. as Durhdm's half
sister lent personal charm to parts that
gave scope to little else. Mr. Arthur Cur
tis revealed a striking stage presence and
no little vigor OF technique in the part Of a
Jewish money lender. The vilanous father
was somewhat villanousy oveTacted by II
Cooper Clhe,
BY far the best part in the support was
that of Durhdm's weak but frank and anna
BILE half brother and il was PLAYED with sin
cerity and humorous aplomb by W Sauter.
who in fact. might be said 10 have made
the hit OF the evenng-if there had been any
hit in the evening.