The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-05
A Tragic Picture in High
Lights.
A DRAMATIC SERMON
Play Takes Hold On the Imagination
Till Its Performance is Second
AIRY Incident. A Succession of
Scenes of Race, Sex and
Blood. Wins an Ovation.
(By II. l.. GRAY.)

THE Clansman' is play TO make
the head ache. In the swiftness of
its action. its torch to the finder box
of passion, i'm it's glowing picture of the
verties Of time which read like a
dime novel. it is even above the neces-
stiy for good acting. The very lines
culver and take on the life that they
portray. The situations are such as to
create their own illusions Through it
all runs the lure of sex. the ap-
peal to the pride of race, the grip of
the plood-caIl that is like strangle
hold. The play is able to walk alone.
Its strength is it's Justification. 1t
VIII live. because it speaks the truth.
| can understand how critics might
carp at The Clansman," how they
might pick flaws in its technique, how
they might abuse ii and get hot over
IL and cali ii lie and re-kindling of
old fires and dead hates That is all
natural according to the point of view.
But its real value as a piece of literary
work OF the broader sort, an art in
which crudities are immaterial by vir-
tue of power is shown in the fact
that il is above ridicule. You may
weep at the story, you may feel the
old fires of indignation which is close
TO patriotism fiaring up in your BOSOM
you might denounce-but you could
not laugh at it, THE Clansman goes
back truly through the past and sets
Il picture pulsing with the colors of
life before the eyes. 1t is a picture
that must be taken seriously. That
comes of itself. without demand.
No one-that is except a bunch of
school girls who marvelously did man
age TO giggle at yesterdays matinee.
during the progress of a scene that
WDIIl0 have ia a
neck of a hound dog-no one
could laugh at THE Clans
man That these little scraps
Of femininity did actually dis
solve in giggles at tie most criti-
cal point of the action shows nothing
except the phenomenon of matter
which dissiOates in their own COM
young female. AT the time
that these girls were shaking
with the excess of their mirth, led by
"A red-headed damsel on the front
row, the balance of the house was as
tense as death. Tears were numerous
in the large audience Men sat
through the pitiful scene with in
drawn breath. 1t was moment
when all the heart-deeo emotions of
humanity felt themselves torn and
bleeding. when the action ceased to
be a play and became a reality and
the falling of the curtain was like the
call back to a forgotten existence or
the waking from a dream of horror
TO find oneself breathing with deep
relief at the familiar furniture of ones
room.
Which goes to show that 1.-The
Clansman" is not a school girls tale
and. doubtless, was not intended to be.
1t is a story for men and boys who
are to grow up; q story for women
sI,.. lRnl II
race in the face with the straight
glance of earnest souls and priceless
virtue 1t almost seems improper that
there should be a Matinee the word
is too feminine. This is a play with
passions in ii. devoid of dilletantism,
standing square footed and speaking
with almost brutal directness.
Not that there is any coarSeness in
the unfolding of the story. 1t does
not need that touch. Realism, if you
VIII and the suggestion of fact. Some
one said before / went that it was a
stunning show He meant the adjec-
tive literally and he was right. If
one word could be used to sense the
impression that 1.-The Clansman" pro-
stun" 1t is like a blow on the fore
head. Afterwards the man who said
that il gave him the headache voiced
even the physical impression that my
friend had received mentally.
With the parade of these vital emo
ton there were interspersed sops to
Cerebus in the way of negro humour.
THESE were necessary, no doubt, in the
purview of the architect of The stage
story. They were good, many OIL
them, and cleverly managed. But one
telt that they were out of drawing
with the story which-were such a |
thing possible-should be a thorough
tragedy such. for instance, as Victor
Hugo's lie Roi SAmuse.
The Clansman is built up about the |
Acharacters that went to make the |
~sreat American drama. There is
Stoneman-who was Stevens, tiger of |
fanaticism. There is the Ku KIux |
Khan. the ruined Southern home, the |