The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

I
| playwrlRhts are almost without exception
showing signs Of artistic exhaustion, more
over, there has not been a single infusion
OF new blood.
That the American playwrghts have
made a favorable showing against this
! output Of their foreign competitors does
not, perhaps, count for much. Yet II IL
somsthlng to be reminded, even by our
! second best, that native art IL more vital
than-to use an appropriately commercial
phrase-the imported article.
From Gillette We have had nothing, and
Richard Harding Davis, after giving us
THE Dictator" one Of the brightest and
most sustained farces Of the modern boards,
has also been silent Mr.. Charles Klein's
sThe Music Master IL not Of great dramatio
quality, but IL has popular appeal. and
possesses besides the advantage Of Mr..
Balascos admirable stage management
Most Of all in It's favor was the mastery
acting OF David WaTfeld, who revealed
In a quite different character abilities as
great as he has 90 long eIerted in his Yiddish
character parts. His methods and his
temperament are not unlike those Of the
late Joseph Jefferson. and as yet there
has appeared TO be no limit TO bis powers.
His success has been in proportion TO his
great deserts.
In writing 'Adrea' Mr. Beasoo made 1t
known that he had gathered his powers
for the supreme effort Of his imagination
lin collaboration with Mr.. John Luther
Long, to the end OF lifting Mrs. Leslie Car
ter out Of the field OF emotional melodrama
and into that OF pure tragedy. Almost to
a man the Arst night critics proclaimed
him successful, For myself, far from
thinking that he has risen above himself,
/ am obliged to repeat that can see in the
play nothing but pretentious and futile
fustian. little as carr for 'Du Barry
and The Darling Of the Gods, considered
apart from their scenic magnifoenoe. they
seem to me far worthier pieces in that,
utterly melodramatio as they were, they
were at least not bad Of their kind.
Mr.. Augustus Thomas's Education Of
Mr.. Pipp' has apparently had considerable
popularity, but for my part hold 1t chiefly
memorable as the occasion Of another
of James Huneker's flashes. Dramatic
Gibson he said. II Thomas had a mind
he could sven dramatic Ibsen. When
Mr.. Thomas does dramatize Ibsen we may
look for his inclusion among Mr.. Huneker's
brilliantly portrayed iconoolasts-the publ
cation OF which, by the way, deserves to
rank among the few suspicious events Of
the dramatic year. In Mrs. Lefingwel's
Boots Mr.. Thomas's vein Of humor is
richer and more sustained; but neither
as a farce nor as a comedy-it is a little Of
both-does the play take rank with its
authors best
CLYDE Fitch, as usual, takes the lead in
the matter Of quantity and, in spite Of one
bad failure, holds his own on the SCORE OF
quality In The Coronet OF q Duchess
he dealt with a bigger theme than he has
often attempted, and handled 1t In the main
in a manner simpler and more normal than
his wont. The character Of the heiress
hunting Extraordinarily acted by Ernest
LAwford-was one OF the most striking
figures which the American stage has yet
produced But the whole lacked vitality,
both Of humor and Of drama; the heroine,
on whom the play hinged, failed to win
sympathy and interest in spite Of the
admirable work Of Clara Bloodgood.
Cousin Billy was a clever adaptation Of
Labiche's masterpiece, lie Voyage de
NJ. Perrichon,' which served it's purpose
OF transferring Francis Wilson TO the un-
musical stage, giving him an opportunity,
in fact, to develop marked ability as q
comedian. In The Woman In the Case
plot predominated over character, with the
result that the whole was less legitimately
interesting than Mr.. Fitch's best; but the
great scene Of the third act has seldom been
surpassed in thrilling and sustained eK-
element.
The only one Of our plsywrights who has
appeared at his best Is the latest recruit,
George AIDE. Like The County Chair
man." THE College widow is q oollsc-
ton Of character sketches held together
on tho thread Of q very slender and at
tenuAted story. What dramatic possibility
there Is In the theme Ia indicated rather
than developed. The play Is not 30 much
a comedy as an entert ainment in the pop
ular manner Of HarIigan and Hart and
Hoyt. But the whole brims with amiable
humor and shy, smiling satire Of Mr.. AIDES
best make. and has quite deservedly nun
to good houses Throughout the entire sea-
son. Mr.. AIDE IL disappointing only In that
being 90 good he Il not a good deal better.
Unlike oliver Wendell Holmes, he always
dares to be as funny as he can: but every
where he gives evidence Of power Of satire
which might reach q very high lsvel II he
would only give full scope to his intelli-
gence.
A number Of new plAywrights have made
themselves known, who In quantity Ger
tainly and 10 some extent IN quality make
q favorable comparison with the lack Of
fresh blood In England. Mr.. De Miles
'strongheaTt,' Mr., Armstrong; The Heir
TO the Hoorah' and Mr.. Steell's The Firm
OF Cunningham are oreditable Journey
man work, II nothing more. Frank Kee-
mans experiment at the Berkeley Lyceum
Is memorable for two striking one act
pieces, at the Threshold by jackson
Haag, and The System Of Or. TAR and
Prof. Fether,' dramatization Of Poe by
Arthur Hornblow. Mrs. Fishes three one
act plays were very interesting. and quite
worthy Of her talents. OF the newcomers,
Mr.. Kellett Chalmers has shown the greatest
command OF original observation and
dramatic skill. His Abigail revealed a
charming vein Of sentiment and his 'Fren-
lied Finance a genuine power Of work.
ing humorous incidents, II less power Of
| controlling them. Both plays, however,
were slender and lacking in the obvious