New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-01
THE DRAMA.
1.-THE ROAD TO YESTERDAY,
Herald Square Theatre.

Box-office journalism, prevalent just all over
the land. has already provided the public with
abundant Information to The Road to Yester-
day a new play. by Evelyn G. Sutherland and
Beulah Dix, which, after suspicious trial else
where. WAS last night presented at the Herald
Square Theatre. and which is found to possess the
merit of ingenuity the charm of fancy and the
agreeable quality of romantic atmosphere. Per-
haps il was suggested by that exceptionally adrot
and merrily whimsical play The Shades of Night
by Captain Marshall presented March 49, 1901 at
the Lyceum Theatre, then i'm Fourth avenues
piece that recalls Charles Dickenss Phantom Mail
Coach. in ''Pickwick.' Like those forerunners il
relies Tor ~ effect, upon the reproduction relative
10 modern times and persons of ancestors scenes
and incidents Of the Elizabethan Jacobeau age.
something OF the same kind skilfullv and
humorously done by Mr. Clemens in his novel en-
titled "A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthurs
Court But. howsoever suggested. whether not
suggested at all. THE Road to Yesterday is mild
y pleasing fabric of whimsicaty and. in the hands
Of actors who pass from Jacket and trousers IN
douhlet and hose.-from the manners of TODAY 10
the manners OF Long Ago,-it might be made signal
y effective in the representation A romantic Young
woman. who has expressed the wish that she might
have lived IN old. remote. knightly days falls
asleep, and. I'm her dream is allowed a fuflment of
her wish Against its fountain. upward runs the
current OF her days and she finds herself a bar
maid in an English inn. three hundred years ago:
nor is she alone preeXistent her relatives lieisas
assume antecedent. ancestral forms: and then she
is immersed in shocking and painful experience of
drudEerY and Athlete with visual ,,ercention IF
hardshps and troubles incident TO an earlier and
supposedly cruder, civilization. Charles Reade him
self who particularly detested the Age Of C,bval-y
would have been pleased with the view of il thar
is thus suggested, before the dreaming girl awakens
and is thankful that it was only a dream
The acting is spirited. fluent. rational and per-
suasive. though deficient of elegance in the first
act and In the fourth, bat it is mostly crude and
strained in the second and third-y-hjch cor1nre-
bend the story of the Dream. Miss Minnie Du-
prees lnfanttle ways and wiles are pleasing: but
ume while il has augmented her executive facility
has neither impaired distinction TO her person nor
Nsor> 10 her action: and, especially. II has not
mended her nasal utterance: she still beats and
under excitement, she still speaks IN tones that are
snTHl and harsh. She demure and pauant in
her ragged boy raiment: and, n whole her per-
sonation while but little different from herself had
consistency and intelligent intention. The part
OF Elizabeth Tyrren is exceptionally good one
involving episode Of tragic experence-for in her
dream, the birl is a tilted heiress forced into a
marriage with a brutal villain,-and it needs such
an actress as Ada Rehan Julia Marlowe, TO
iiberate all its possible wealth of feeling and
power. Mir. White Whittesey embodied the
naughty and cruel lord that has long been custom
airy in romantic drama-whose apparel is costly AMI
whose eyes fash fire and scorch the behoIder into
ashes. There was touch Of imagination and n de-
cded personal force IN the performances of Black
Melena, by Helen Ware. and Mother GiIlaw by
by Julia. Blanc. There could be no doubt that the
play pleased its audience and probably will have
successful career. notwithstanding some puerility
of colloquy and much bithering nonsense about the
pre-existence of souls IN other bodies and the
slipping through from state state"
CAST OF THE ROAD TO YESTERDAY"