Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-09-15
"A ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN.

Clean, wholesome and with much
 mat IS meritorious, the new Irish play | written by that clever young play 1 writer, Daniel L. Hart, was presented | before crowded house at Polls the | ater last evening There is one thing which can be said about the plays
 written by Mir Hart, that they keen
 away from all the old lines and avoid
 m every way the vnlgarity and lack
 or knowledge attributed by so many
 writers to plays bearing an Irish name.
 The Irish character is lifted up and
 made what 1t should always be, hon.
 est fearless, clean and morally E.hole-
 some. All theater attendants know
 that other great Irish drama, "The
 Parish Priest" and are fully aware of
 the big success 1t has attained. This
 play was written by. the same hand
 that has enacted the various scenes in
 A Rocky Road to Dublin" The
 same success will assuredly follow this
 latest contribution to the dramatic
 held. Both vary in almost every re
 spect but the same idea permeates the
 thread of the stories, and that idea to
 make the Irish character respected.
 Of course there were many little fail.
 lngs in the production last evening. If
 Is In its infancy as yet and the cast or characters was handicapped by req. son or this fact, and many strong situ- ations failed to receive their true worth. Barney Gilmore and his wife. who plays under the stage name of Miss Nina Shirley, had the two princI- pal roles, and while their work was not what might be expected still al. lowances should be made for this really first performance. Mir Gilmore was plainly nervous and did not do himself justice. In the audience sat two gentlemen who are to finance him as star for the next five years. Mir Hart, the author. was also present, and many other celebrities. Nervous and unstrung as the actor was, he failed to arise to the opportunities of the piece. and his wife participated in her hus- bands condition. He can do better than he did last evening, he can sing better than he did last evening and he has the play in which to do it. for 1t possesses golden chances for a star like Mir Gilmore to make one of the best hits of his dramatic career and we look to see that success achieved.
 The other characters did much bet ter work and were strong in every case. Our old friend. John n. Griffin. In the character of Darby 0'DonnelI. the jaunting car driver, made ,an indI- and his pleasing brogue has ample opportunities of exploiting it. self. George Hassel as R. Morton Keeley, the gentlemanly villain. gave a very clever enactment of his role. There is no gainsaylng the fact that his character was just as well played as any in the production. Frank La varnie in an entirely original charac- ter. that of William Masterson. from the western part of the United States. owned the audience by his clever im- and in conjunction with Isis Maynard. who played the role of Mrs Henry Clifford from Boston. they originated many of the best scenes in he play Jessie Laseur as Mrs James Daley acted her lines well. but should make her appearance much older look ng. She was altogether too young oOking in her makeup win Long as Philip Ferguson. the youthful clerk. lad a difficult role. but filled the part with success.
 Altogether. the play has a whole lot # good points. the story is interesting md the plot q clever one It has the 'oundation and all 1t needs is a little rushing up ID some portions and the ,lay is bound to be successful.