The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-04
MT, MOODYS'FHEGREAFDIVIDE'
A NEW PLAYWRIGHT SETS A NEW
MARK ~ AMERICAN DRAMA.

with Rave, ALMOST Unique Naturahb"'
and Technical Grasp, COnsurnmately
Acted by Margaret AngIln. Henry
Miller and an Able Company.
Mr.. william Vaughn Moody new Amcri-
can drema, The Great Divide which
Houry Miller end Margaret Anglin pre-
sentod hat night ~ the Princess, Ia so bold
and vitsl ia theme, 20 subtly Veracious and
unsfTeotedly strong in the writing, that
IL Is very hrrd in the few moments left
by a terdy if excellent performance to
epesk Of it in terms at once Of justice and
OF moderation.
Yet it is a~bundantly clear that no play OF
the present season-a season unusually rich
has equalled il either in calibre OF IN exc
cution exoept Only Pinero's His House IN
Order" And even this strikes less true
and deep into the wells OF human impulse
and passion.
To say thai it is the best product OF the
American drama thus far would doubtless
be extravagant. vet the fact remains that
it is inspired by precisely that fflness and
wholesomeness Of feeling and accomplished
with precisely that technical hTmness,
the lack Of which has thus far proved the
cardinal defects Of our most vivacious and
amusing playwriRhts.
The fact IL that Mr.. Moody, who has
AlIoA0Y DlaCeO nl1SPI ~ lUt at " u
modern American poets, has not ceased
TO be a poet in essaying the stage-though
his play is written in the simplest and
most unaffected prose. And he has,
u rthemore, applied the tinesee and pre-
cision essential in the true poetic craft to
the no less pgid and requiring task of the
dranRtist. With the lesser order OF writer's
IL has been the lameutGblc custom TO deal
lightly in and insincerely With the theatre.
Mr.. Moody respects his new medium. copes
wuskh - ,.tH raIa4alu and yrifh plnnf1l al.
herenoe TO the simple truth OF life, and
masters il.
His theme is unusual-sensstional, if
you will. But it is unusual and sensational
in the manner not of melodrama, but OF
true and original drama. The great di-
vide of his title is the barrier which exists
between the rigor and dry formality OF old
civilization and the larger n freer, II
more brutal, impulses Of the frontier.
An Eastern woman Miss AngllnJ left
unprotected for a night in an Arizona
ranch, is set upon by three drunken ma
RAIDERS, and to ESCAPE a worse fate promises
TO give herself in marriage to the least
repulsive OF them on condition that he
will save her from the others. This stephen
Ghent CMr. Miller buys of one Of his rivals,
shoots UP the other in equal combat and
leads his. Sabine Woman-that was Mr..
Moody's original title for the piece-to the
nearest Magistrate.
The second act shows how the shame Of
the transR ction eats into the SOU Of the
proud and pu ritanIcal woman, until she
leaves her enforced husband TO bring up
their child in what TO her is respectablllty.
The final act, which takes place in New
England, represents the triumph OF the
husband, f. whose sincere native honesty
and strength have developed in contact
with a refinement new TO him.. The great
divide has eased to exist n the Sabine
Woman becomes a willing captive 20 print
tive, wholesome passion.
A story which seems destined 70 melo-
drama and the false herOics Of sentiment
Ia treated with simplicity that verges always
on baroness. There will be those no doubt
who ~deprpcate the boldneSs of the theme;
but they will be the first TO condemn the
play as slow and dull.
The method throughout, in so far as a
work OF such simplicity can be said to
have A method, is that of un~derstatement.
One sits tup and takes notice because IL
all happens so much more naturally Rnt
subtly than ii was possible to Imagine.
No phase in the conflict and development
of the two souls is neglected, and no word
rises above the utmost austerity of realism.
Mr.. Moody has the courage to be true,
because he has the vision TO see the truth
In its deepest and most vital aspects.
The acting throughout was pitched in
precisely the key the play demands. Miss
Anglin hes never been more precise in the
portrayal Of he finer shades of character,
and though she has had Shower and more
SENSATIONAL parts she has never been more
poignantly emotional.
At the outset she denotes with CONSUME
mate hneness the kindhng Of the Puritan
maiden toward the freer and more vita
life of the West. And even in her first
horror Off the deed Of the half drunken and
altogether reckless Client. she manages to
denote her fascination before his rough
manhood; II is in the second intermediate
act that she rises to the fullest achievement,
for here che has to display the opposing
impulses b,!ndly yet poteptly struggling
-w&NLs $500 Ia - a.. q H. n
that she displayed the height of her powers
Here she develops their depth and eubtlety.
Mr.. Miilar hes never been more simple
and sympathetically convincing. He spares
no trait oLfhe recklessness Of the initial
deed Of violence, vet manages TO win regard
for it's pssssonal simplicity. And in the end,
when shame and sorrow have transmitted
bis impulses into gold, the man he has be-
come is stl=the child Of the man he was,
Under his touch dramatic character and
dramatic emotion ara one.
10 Laura Hope Crews falls the part Of a
young married woman, the friend of the
Sabine woman. II is fun of amusing charac-
ter n sprightly humor. AT times II verges
toward the function Of a classical chorus.
PoHy Jordan is under suspicion n being
the mouthpiece of Mr.. Moody's thesis AID
his psychology. Yet the part is very
naturally written, and as acted by Miss
Crews takes on a high degree Of Hfclikeness
and a humor which is as natural as IL is
effective in con trast with the prevailing
sombreness of the play.
Robert Cummings was equally effective
In the smaller part Of q sensible and anus
ingly laconic miner in Gkenes employ,
and AIRS. Thomas Whifen portrayed a New
England mother of the old school with her
accustomed fidelity and accuracy in char
acter.
Play and pe performance were applauded
heartily and only too persistentlI. Both
Mr.. Moody and Mr.. Miller were reluctantly
forced to each make a brief speech. Be-
yond question the production Is a popular
success.