The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-17
IN THE THEATRES
"THE R OF US" A SUC-
CESS AT THE NEWARK.
A Remarkable Play and a Remarkable
Performance by Miss Nillson and Com
pany-The other Shows.

Square Theatre Company accomplished a
notable success in THE Three Of Us last
night at the Newark Theatre. Tit pcr-
Torrance was the first of the second sea
son of Miss Rachel Crothers's play, and fol-
lowed a year of remarkable prosperity In
New York. The metropolitan company and
production were preserved intact for the
engagement in this city.
There was a good-sized audience In at
tendance and It gave plenteous evidences Of
enjoyment and appreciation. but 1t was
not so large as the reputation and merits
of the play might have leo one 10 expect.
II "The Three Of Us" receives the attention
1t deserves, both for its qualities as a play
and the excellence OF it's enactment, L
will fill the Newark to Its capacity at
every succeeding performance.
One of the incest plays that had ever
been put on at the Newark was the way
one person in the audience set Its valua-
lion. and that adjective, accepted in Its
collouuial sense, about hits the mark. The
Three of U.s. is in fact as sweet, whole
some and pleasantly stimulating a little
drama as native talent has produced in
long years. Its warthiest and most pro-
nounced characteristics are simplicity and
naturalness. 1t is refreshingly free from
the banalitfes of the problem play of
the day; 1t has no advanced" views to
disseminate; and, though a melodrama Of
life In the West, 1t is quite as refreshing
in its freedom from the boisterous excuses
common to Western melodrama. 1t is n
simple little play of actualitIes, Its value
not In its conventional love affair, but In
its pictures of the home life In a far
mining town OF a courageous girl and her
motherless brothers and OF her affection
ate guardianship over them.
The love affair between the girl, Rhy
Macchesney, and her two s%uitors, Stephen
Townley. n bluff and impulsive Westerner,
and Louis Berresford, an Eastern man,
college bred and we'll supplied with this
worlds goods, which constitutes the main
action. is forwarded through a situation
wholly without novelty. The spectacle of
the young unmarried woman who, In the
innocence of her heart and for harmless or
c~ommendable purpose, makes her way to
the apartments Of n bachelor aequaint-
ance and is there discovered alone with
him by her husband or lover. was familiar
upon the stage probably years and years
before Sheridan gave 1t to us In "A School
for Scandal But Miss Crothers treats it
In a way that lends a touch of novelty.
Rhy goes to Berresford's rooms to induce
hin to release her from a promise which
has placed her in a wrong light In the eyes
u OltDitl WtiDi 1it hfo thAA'' ~
She sees no wrong in this herself and she
quite fails to understand why the worlds
attitude should differ. So. serene in her
consciousness Of purity and rightness OF
motive, she proclaims to all her little
world what she has done and proudly de-
fes them to detect i'll In Il. This does not
sound as though 1t were novel or differ
emit. TO describe it. but 1t really Is In the
working out.
That is n brave and sensible girl. is Rhy
Macchesney. From the very first moment
she enters into the action. she has the
audience firmly in her liking. There is not
much movement in the first act, but tho
atmosphere of home in the shabby little
room at the Mncchesnevs' is perfect. The
loving thoughtfulness of Rhy for her broth
ers, particularly the older of them. dis
contented with the humdrum existence OF
The little mining town and anxious to
get out into the world. is a beautiful thing.
Glen wants his sister to give him his
share of the few Thousand dollars, the
interest of which, with the mine that hasn't
vet PANIED out, is all they have to live on
and for. and Rhy has to refuse him. Glen
isn't a bad boy at heart, but 1t needs his
sister to bring out his manhood, lie over
hears Stephen telling Rhy of the discovery
OF a rich vein of ore In the mine and sells
the secret to Stephens rival, Berresford.
This is what makes all the trouble, giving
Stenhen the idea that ii is Rhy herself
who has betrayed him, her inability,
through a lightly given promise, to deny
that she has knowledge of Berresford's
transactions, confirming his suspicious.
OF course 1t all comes out right III TIE
end and Glen. under the influence OF his
sisters self-sacrihcing example, comes to
his better self again. II is not an extra
ordinary story by any means, but is 50
well told that the effect is far and away
above the ordinary. The little touches OF
realism contributed especially by Maggie
the good-natured cook, are wonderfully
helpful In creating that difficult and i'm
portant factor we call atmosphere" 1t is
indeed something of a revelation to dis
cover how much such little incidents as
the throwing of ashes on a slippery spot
outside the door and of coal on the Kitchen
fire matter in the creation OF the dramatic
Illusion. This home OF the Macchesneys
really is home and it's everyday episodes
such as that of the boy creeping like snail
unwillingly to school strike home with
the force of complete reality. The stage
settings are admirable and carefully
studied in every minute. detail.
The acting of the piece deserves un-
stinted praise. The company, as already
stated, was the same in every member as
that engaged in its Interpretation during
its New York run. and the performance
was OF even excellence without one jar
ring note.
Miss Nillson, an actress of great per-
sonal charm and pleasing address, gave n
beautifully finished and artistic imperson-
alton OF Rhy. her sincerity and directness
of method giving the lovable qualities of
the character the strength of absolute
~geuuineness. In the more emotional SCENES
with her two lovers, she was as sweet
and womanly and true as In the duieter
and more pleasing scenes with her broth
ers. The amount Of restraint which she
exhibited in the passionate moments did
more to aid than to hamper conviction
She did not fall either to give the right
note of archness and humor to the lighter
passages.
Frederic Truesdell was manly and vigor-
GUS as Stephen Townley, and Henry Kolk-
er, an actor we'll known in this city and
always for remarkably good work, made
effective employment OF the character OF
the polished man of the world, which Ber-
resford was. John Westley was very much
in the character of Glenn, the elder brother,
and Master Thomas Kelley contributed nc
little to the enjoyment OF the audience by
his boyish truth TO Sonny, the third men,
Der of the Three Of Us" Miss Eva Vim
cent supplied most of the opportunities fol-
laughter in her capital enactment of the
whole-souled Irish Maggie. Other good
work was done by Stanley Dark, Miss