The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-18
ADJUSTMENTS
METROPOLITAN 'sam Houston

In basing a play upon the life, char
.acter and achievements of Sam Houston,
Clay Clement as player playwright has
been confronted BY a wealth Of histori-
cal data surrounding. tf a prominent figure
in the making of the west, or more
properly speaking, s,it.he southwest. = Mr.
Clement has been left little In the way
Of creative thought from. such a life,s his
work being more of one of elimiilatio
and selectionfsas= 10 Ij><2 ~
|, Sam Houston,s. life and activities COW
ered a wide >>ra1seDesA lfe2beginning in
Virginia, carried thru Tennessee, into
the tribal tents--ef-uthe-~Gherok and
into Texas for its close. Houston's do
nestle affairs, varied from a first mar
riage to a woman who confessed that she
welded while laborfng under a miscon-
ception' of her own feelings. TO a semi
barbaric pseudo-marriage with a half
breed woman, and a final trip to the
altar at the side of a woman of ire
proachable: character: and rare intellect
|ualr attainments. = Houston's political
achievements in, Tennessee and Texas
were separated by lapse into semi
|savagery, and debauchery.
It can. be seen that the author who
starts to weave a play. about such a
character IS beset by difficulties. Hous-
ton lived and moved IN; a day when
standards were different, and in a part
Of the country where personal liberty
was sustained by an appeal to the might
I Of arms. JH4n! IA F."~'I F.
In the play Mr. Clement, the actor,
achieves a Hpersonal triumph, but Mr..
Clement; the playwright, is not so sue
cessful. In the true sense it is not a
play. There is an obligatory absence of
plot: There is no villain Of pronounced
quality, no hero. There is central fig
ure around which, all characters pass in
review. Sam Houston as presented by
Mr.. Clement, is more: of living piano.
rama, a series Of moving, speaking pict-
ures Of the more important incidents in
the life Of Houston, than play.
| Mr.. Clement and his players hold q
marked attention, not thru the strength
| of the lines, but thru the unconscious
character study forced upon them. The
lights and shadows of Houston's career
| form in themselves a drama, but one
too long for successful presentation upor
stage. Mr.. Clement has been forced tc
choose the great historical points OF
Houston's career for his production
Climax succeeds climax: in the prolos
the resignation as governor of Tennes'
see; in the second act the appeal of the
bloOd-lusty. Texans to not sacrifice thell
cause by precipitate attempt to avengt
the. Alamo: in the third act the rough
shod diplomacy thru which Houston
forced, Santa Ana TO. withdraw. his arm!
from Texas, thru fear of his life; in thu
fourth. act when Houston, as governor
frefused to- recognize the convention o
secession and is ,sousted from office, An.
one of these 'incidentss&in its integrity, Il
sufficient for they building Of a play, an'
it'll IS small wonder that Mr.. Clement ha
found his path Of authorship difficult.
| His conception Of the pioneer-states
mai1 is drawn upon lines of discrin1ina
ton. The better side of Houston
struggling nature Is ever at the front
The wanderlust which burned within
him and led him from the civilization Q
his day into the tents of the Indians, il
repressed. 1t is alluded to later. Hous
ton is given more Of the attributes Of 1
Lincoln and Douglas. There are nom
Of the outbursts Of passion which swirle'
the life Of the Texan at times. q The in
depreciation Of Mr.: Clement is what on
would naturally expect from him. HI
has selected the finer part Of Houston
j life upon which to build. The work i,
motive is good. 1t brings to mind to tn
Halter generation the thought of a char
: acter whose greater deeds will we'll bea
Irecounting and remembering.
4 The support is satisfying and adequat
in all respects. The play is. having it
premiere in Minneapolis so far as scent
effects and properties are concerned
i These are beyond criticism: The try
tout in Oshkosh was made before the en-
tire setting had been finished. =
Mr.. Clement, Is studying his new piec
with a mind to smoothness Of produc
4 ton. His conscientious work of las
might brought forth innumerable curtai
calls, and even after the last act he wa
Ecalled once more, an unusual occurrenc
in Minneapolis. !. r.. =
a The, labor before him is one which wi
call for all. Of his known capability as q
!, author and ! a stagecraftsnan. Th
trouble with the play, if trouble It can
called, is basic to the theme. It IS tn
fault of Sam Houston in having such
long extended and stirring career, nc
Mr.. Clement In sketching such a life f