New-York tribune., 1907-09-27
THE DRAMA.
TRIBULATION AT THE HACKETT.
The Struggle Everlasting"

II many more fabrications Hike The Master
Builder and THE Struggle Everlasting" are
presented on the local stage. those inhabitants or
thls region who happen to attend the theatre Will
nave abundant reason be convinced that the
way or the transgreSsor is hard" In The Strug-
gle Everlasting" which was exhibited at the Hack
EFT Theatre last night.-Miss Florence Roberts
making her reentrance here the principal strug
gler,-an effort is made by silly symbolism
and then by the most cheap and coarse eXpedients
of the demi-monde drama. declare that the con-
duct Of life should be virtuous and not vicious
-Four long acts occupied with laborlous
Illustration of this astounding revelation III
ACT First young collegian, who has CHOSEN
TO occupy cave IN the woods, beholds d
beautiful female who declares herself to De
the spirit of all natural loveliness and likewise 10
be delicious. In Act II the collegian hnds this
vision incarnated in the person OF kitchen Wench
with whom he associates himself in vulgar III
trigue, which. however is interrupted by her oe
parture with enticing fiddler for the purpose OF
adopting the vocation of the stage. In ACT III
this wench has become prosperous harlot OF
particularly raucous and insensate character d'Au
the collegen is Of her numerous lovers nero
il is incidentally made known that an accident 10
automobile has projected her into a revival
meeting where she has become entranced py lilo
elouuence OF an enthusiastic divine The arrlVaI Oh
the wife Of her principal keeper accompanies os
this helming parson precipitates crsis anu
this courtesan who has already quarreled with her
lovers, eSlfCeS a SUDDEN CHdLBe VI leohie OiiN
off with (the minister, who turns out to be the
colIegian's little brother born in the wilderness
delivered by a hermit to the keeper or a lager
beer saloon and mysteriously reared for Iho
service Of the church. This tale is told with an
establishment of bibuous rOwdysm and brothei-
house indecoruru The dramatic elements of the
fabrc-in so far as it possesses any dramatic ele-
ments-have been distracted from the OLD play ol
The Marble Heart" and the more recent Drama Vi
MARY Of Magdala-" AS whole. the piece is cor
+ara Of n.
Byron who appeared as the colesian' played a
bad part in q sincere spirit and pleased MS au-
dience by manlness OF character. sincerity OF ieei-
ing and q most commendable clarity or erticuia-
ton Miss Florence Roberts is actress of de-
cided talent and large experience, and II IS Inuch
to be regretted she persists in presenting bad
plays under the delusion that she is required 10
teach a moral lesson. Her expression OF heartess
cruelty was exceedingly effective.
These theatrical descants struggles are
worse than useless the auditor OF them The
most that anybody say about them. whether
in the theatre the pulpit, is that human Ire
presents an ordeal You born in a vale,
says Mrs Camp you live in vale, and YOU
must take the consequences of such sitiwation
The fundamental error commonly made in actual
life consists in the assumption that human beings
are intended in their mortal condition. for happl-
ness. The whole history of mankind is evidence
against that assumption. Moments OF happiness
brief periods OF it-oCCur: but trouble and sorrow
have always largely predominated The best OF
life Is the life OF the affections, and that life Is
continually threatened with apprehension of ia
tality ..AIl that's bright fade" The most
sacred and cherished OF ties may be broken in an
instant. No good can result from always ohtrud-
ing that subject upon the attention Of the general
mind. The only reason why struggles are thrust
on the stage is that they provide opportunity
for theatrical Mysteries Give me" exclaimed
that tempestuous actress Matilda Heron tho
woman who is lost" In the acting OF that kind
Of woman there is possibility OF explosion. That.
perhaps IS the allurement TO Miss Roberts. II
might be better fer her 70 present the woman who
Is found: IN other words. to revive The Marble
Heart and act MarcoC. w w