The Washington herald., 1906-12-02

All this time Grace and the repentant
Louise are concealed in the next room An
old trick Of the stage is invoked when
Burress. the representative of the physi-
cal force Of the strike. who hates Sted-
man because Louise loves him, discovers
Grace concealed in the next room. de-
msuds that she step forth from her re-
treat. and. instead, Is confronted by
Louise, acting under an irresistible i'm
pulse OF theatrical heroism. which tenn
porarily saves the situation from an
enemic ending.
But Stedman is tired Of it all-the IN
reasonable attitude Of the strike leaders
and the uncompromising hostility Of the
capitalists. and resigns his leadership in
a speech which sounds like an electro
typed editorial on the conflict of capital
and labor At the right juncture Grace
defsntly steps into view. also, and gives
her hand to Stedman. with an avowal of
devotion Her naughty brother protests.
but her uncle approves the match and
silences the opposition Of the brother by
announcing his intentisn TO resume the
active management OF their joint affairs,
which portends a settlement Of the strike
And that IS all
The play manifests careless workman
ship to cover up the authors natural
poverty Of inventive genius. While the
subject is pregnant Of interest the treat
ment IS theatrical and seldom truly dra-
matte for the devices are threadbare and
the solution of promising situations too
obvious to surprise, or even engender
feeling Of suspense. Some of the charac-
ters are we'll defined. This is notably
true of Louise Stolbeck, who is at times
very human, Of Reginald Crosby. one of
the glitteTing SCiOns Of wealthy families
who are quite familiar in New York, and
Of Mrs. Reginald Crosby. his frivolous
Wife an ex-actress-a relationship which
is common enough to be satlrized The
vital problem Of the play IS treated pho
geographically rather than suggestively.
and subtlety is lost in confusion of tur-
hid thought and bungling craftsmanship.
The piece is superbly staged and pre-
sented by an exceptionally strong cast, in
which Herbert Kelley is prominent as
the uncle: Effiie Shannon, as Grace CrOs-
by: Dorothy Donnelly, as Louise Stol-
beck. Orrin Johnson, as Stedman; Ralph
pelmore. as the burIy BuTresS: Carl
Ahrendt. as old StOlbeck, n disciple of the
doctrines Of Marx, and Grace Filkins, as
Mrs. Reginald Crosby.
The Daughters of Men" is a play with
an idea. and IT is apparent from the good
attendance that has greeted the produc-
tiou that the public is not averse to
dramas that turn upon problems of con-
temnoraneouS interest. How much Of
this appreciation is due TO the prestige OF
Tho authors more engaging comedy, The
Lion and the Mouse" remains TO be seen
Be1asco on Tuesday night put his hand
into his long conjuror's sleeve and pulled
out another big dramatic success. 1t is
called '"The Rose of the Rancho" a
three-act play Of Spanish California of
the late SOS. during the stormy period
of American aggression upon the Spanish
popuIation Of Lower California, and tie
ensuing conflict over the ownership of
lands which were declared forfeited by an
act of Congress Against this historical
background. Belasco, with his wizard
skill has thrown n series of pictures
which rival IL they do not surpass. some
of the most effective scenes in previous
powerful spectaCles Of his romantic fancy
Amid the mazes of fanuango, the Tevel
of boleros and Seguidillas the throwing
of confetti, Spanish dancers, gay senori-
tas. and dashing eaballerOs swagger to
the music of national dances and songs
as the moving scenes of the play unfold
themselves like series Of Kaleidoscope
nictures. with perfection Of detail which
none but Belasco knows how to produce
upon the stage.
The theater was packed to the doors
with an enthusiastic Belasco frst-nfoht