The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-11

Frietchie. and sometimes for those OF
mordant satire, as in The Climbers Its
crude origin lies in rural drama of the "0ld
Homestead" type, and its highest II most
uneven development was in the plays OF the
late James A. Herne, where scenes OF de-
hcious humor and deep spiritual quality
rubbed elbows with crude melodrama. In
intellectually or in sustained power Of any
sort, ven technical, it has been conspicu-
ously lacking. II has been a primrose by
the rivers brim, and it has been nothing
more. Plays Of this sort raise the hope
that those who see the simple truth of our
life so clearly may also see it large and
whole. Time and again they ave done so.
There is still room for hope.
the Three OF Us" falls distinctly short OF
George AIDES humor, OF Fitch's sentiment
and satire. Of Herne's grasp of character
and his occasional moments OF elevation.
But it is the most even and consistent play
We have yet produced in its kind, n it
promises well for it's authors future.
In The Love Route, with which the new
Lincoln Square Theatre on the upper West
Side lately opened, Edward Peple has
spoiled an excellent play for the lack Of
the qualities in which Miss Crothers excels.
Potentially the story he tells has great
possibilities. A young engineer who has
long fought against poverty finds at last
the opportunity to make his mark in the
building of a railway. But a il happens
the line runs across the ranch OF the girl
he loves-who has inherited from her dead
father a hatred Of this railway and a deter
mination in spite Of Law not to let it be
built on her property. II the young man
throws up his position he has the girls
love but not the money to marry her. II
he remains true to his profession INT builds
the road he ~forfeits her regard. It would
be hard to imagine a more highly dramatic
clash Of will and character. In life az in
the drama the engineers obvious course
is to proceed with the railway, counting on
the righteousness Of his cause to justify
him in the sight Of the rebellious heroine;
and this is the course MIR. Peple lays out
for his hero. But he lacks both intimate
veracity and sustained technique.
Even in a Southern girl-the scene is In
Texas-such obstinate perversity would be
hard to make sympathetic or even plau-
sible. Mr.. Peple paints his character with
the six inch brush of melodrama. To gain
sympathy" he introduces her alone in a
meeting OF the directors OF the railway and
lays the emphasis on the fact that she
stands against them single handed-as
il the greatness Of the odds justified the
folly and wrong Of her cause. To signify
her duty of obedience to the will Of her dead
father he makes her point at the back
drop and exclaim, -Yonder he sleeps in the
little hollow, where every train as it passes
would shake him in his grave" The girls
final forgiveness OF her engineer comes
not as the result of any growth in her char
acter but as the result OF his being melo-
dramatically shot by an unusually futile
rival.
There is a chorus OF cowboys, devoted
slaves to the heroine, hom she treats
after the musical comedy manner of The
Girl of the Golden West with her miners.
And there Il a pair Of young lovers with
laughter making prete1sions that savors
OF the comedy drama of our fathers. The
climax Of the play is signalized by the
entrance Of a construction engine which,
with the aid Of a gang Of laborers. lays the
track in real dirt across the stage. IL is
possible that those who gain 81 a day in
such labor will spend 81 at night-this
is the price at the Lincoln Square-to see
others do the same. But as for nous outres-
we shall hardly, take this sort Of thing as
realism. Mr.. Guy Standing was wasted
as the Engineer. n Miss Odette Tyler
failed in the impossible task of commend
ing the heroine.
In The Prince Chap" Mr.. PepIe gave us
an act and a half of delightful comedy Of
sentiment and a play that thoroughly de-
served the popularity it achieved. II ia
said that The Love Route" 10 an earlier
attempt that found its way upon the boards
in the wake Of it. II so there is reason
TO complain, but not to despair.
May Irwin in Mrs. Wilson. That's All
by a simultaneous inspiration those who
assisted at its introduction to the metropolis
at the Bijou abbreviated their reports
into May Irwin, that's ALL" The annual
vehicle is again by George V. Hobart and
again it concerns the tribulations of a
woman Of middle & whose second VEN
ture in matrimony gets tangled up with the
remains of her first husband and her son.
This time husband number one has deserted
and the marriage with number two is set
for the day after the expiration Of the
seven years which make number one legally
dead. The scene Of lamentation at the
stroke of the bell is one of the funniest
of the many funny things Miss Irwin has
done. For the rest, the play is May Irwin
loquacious. frank, human and humorous,
as fine and robust an artist as ever ruined
plays TO create a character. That's all,
and that's apparently enough for herself
and her public. JOHN CoRBIN. .