The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-11-24
Mason S Play
Is 7 elepathic
AndBig Hit
By A. Il. BALLARD.

New York. Nov. 3.
II HE best play Of the year has ar
rived. It's The witehing Hour, %
by Augustus Thomas, produced
Monday evening at the Hackett
Theater under tire direction Of the Shu-
0erts. and starring John Mason.
Here. surely. is the play for which
we have been lOol1ing-if by that phrase
We imply that we wanted something
grIpDingly interesting, intensely dra-
matte, a forceful handling OF a vital
subject, a literary delight as well as
vastly entertaining play. The fore
most merit OF the event Is felt TO be
the strong and splendid talent OF the
author. He has unquestionabiy ma le a
permanent addition TO dramatic liter
atrre. The achievement IS simply Il. e
apparently impossible feat Of dramatic
( ing the idea OF telepathy II you we're
10 assign the task OF making a good
play for today's use on the elusive and
bOrderland subject OF thought trans
ference without words, you might have
hesitated as 20 whom you would en-
trust with the job. But Augustus
Thomas has imposed the obligation up
on himself and has succeeded beyond
the credence OF anybody who has not
seen the play he has written. Further
more, at this point II must be record
ed, That, without the magn incent in
depreciation OF John Masor and this
brilliant company OF players matters
might have fallen far short Of the posi-
lively startling success The Wftching
Hour" scored Monday night
The fact Is that everything one could
wish was exactly IN line and in har-
mOny with unequivocal and unimpeded
triumph. Thomas has evidently grown
to the ripeness Of power, thought deeply
md carefully on the subject, marshaled
oils premises with remarkable dexterity.
20 carve out the best drama Of mis- ca
Teer-indeed. possibly, one OF the most
important plays ever written by an
American. In point Of dramatic inter
est, artistic grace, intensity and CUNT
lative appeal, in point of finish, deft-
ness, ingenuity and mastery technique.
there is nothing in the ranks Of this
years Broadway productions to which
we can compare II, except The Thief. "
II IS just as well TO admit frankly that
We were all surprised at The Witching
Hour" The majority OF the local press
representatives and discriminating reg
ular frst-nighters made the mistake OF
going to the Tsrohman opening Marie
/ DorO in The Morals Of Marcus'O, which
| occurred the same evening at the Crf-
| teriOn. did not happen to be among
the mistaken ones, luckily, and the only
critics ! noticed at the John Mason
! opening were William Winter and Glen
more Davis. who evidently came in for
at least an act or two, Of course, were
spell-bound and remained to the end.
Unaskec Questions AnswATed
BY Tuesday night the whole town
realized that the play OF the year had
cCme, and now the buzZing talk Is of
The Witching Hour" instead o. The
Merry Widow" No description can
/ adequately present the reason why this
play is so surely plausible, impressive.
| piquant, haunting, inspiring, agreeable,
fascinating. You see by the end OF the
first act that the author is certainly IN
his best vein-that you are in the pres
ence Of a dramatic entity with which
you are eager to become intimately &C
quainted: You blink your eyes. listen
attentively, and reflect that here at 10 st
is something distinctly worth while.
The quiet confidence and surety OF the
/ playwright's touch win your admira-
ton. You lose yourself in the story.
IN the first act, a judge Of the supreme
court. who is looking At some paintings
! in John BrOOkhe1d's house CRrookheId
is e gentleman gambler in his kentucky
/ home) begins TO answer Unasked ques-
items that had formed themselves in
| Broolzfields mind Then you know that
this great subject that is occupying the
attention Of thinkers the world over. is
the theme of the play-the fact that
every thought We think is a dynamic
force, affects other people, and we are
! responsible for the thoughts We project
into the world. John Mas n Is the cen
/ trial figure around which thrilling tale
is wOVen-around which romance, char
acter drawing OF the frs. water, gath
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