Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-27
He THEATE Err.
New National Theatsr.

Il ID pleasure to note that Robert Edeson
has, after much experimentation, been pro-
Y,ded with q play Of genuine dramatic quail
ity. ''strongheaft" is an Indian story TIE
child of the plains is localized In something
the spirit Of J. Fennimore Cooper, as
creature Of sympathy faith, generosity and
q strong sense Of justice. But he In the
modernized Indian. college man and. most
of all foot ball player. The character
of the Indian is admirably adapted to the
fine, manly and unaffected personality OF
Mr.. Edeson. stronsheart Is flrst-class
hero, the more convincing because he mas
himself In an impossible position with ref
erence to social relationship, and because
he finally recognizes for himself the hope
lessness of his case. There Ia a wonder
full pathos In the concluding picture of the
play when Strongheart, having learned TO
think and to love as his white associates do,
Is confronted by life Of practical exile
not to shrink from it. The general spirit
81 TN plaY Ia that of warm, tingling youth
and vitality. The. young college man is
there in all his ebulf,aney There Is no Ell
in some OF his athletic pastfmss., but his
high sense of honor and good Amscican
courage are displayed with equal hdeltS~~
Strongheart, debarred from his rightfui
ure of tragic Importance. The auditor,
whatever his previous prejudice may be,
becomes for the moment foot ball enthu-
siast and roots muscle and nerve for the
Columbia boys, somewhere out there In the
wings doing the best they know how Tor
the glory of their institution. The mob
which is supposed to assist the players by
songs and shouts is a somewhat feeble az
fair, but the description of the struggle
recited by the young Indian Is sufficient
to hold the interest UP to high tension.
The plot complications which h.r. De
Mile employs are not very ingeniously con-
ceala6 The Juggling of the letters which
compromise the hero Is effected by main
strength and without much display of dex-
terity, but when 1t is once accomplished he
handles his situations and bis characters
with the skill of veteran playwright HIS
comedy, robust and even boisterous as 1t
sometimes is, is finely balanced by the
serious sentiments which he opposes to 1t.
The character of Strongheart does not
tiers, despite lack of competency in their
performance, IN some instances are
drawn with equal accuracy. Considered In
the light of a plea for Poor Lo," the play
has no particular value. It contains no
economic sociological message. and does
not assume to do so. 1t is simple, direct
picture of what might easily happen under
the conditions which the first act outlines.
Mr.. Frank j. Mcintyre, as the roly-poly,
good-natured college youth, contributed
most of the comedy, and was at al! times
efficient. The old Indian. Black Eagle. had
but Ia minute or two in the last act of the
play, but, as impersonated by Mr.. Ira
Hards. made q strong impression
The play has not the ponderability OF
theme which would be necessary to give 1t
claim to rank as great drama, but 1T is,
on the other hand, too sincere and too In
tellgent in its Workmanship to be lightly
dismissed as one of the passing friVolitles
Of the theatric season. 1t is a long time
since a new piece of writing for the stage
has displayed such accuracy OF Judgment In
dramatic values. 1t is distinct triumph
for author and star.