The Washington herald., 1907-05-26
PLAY NEWS OF NEW YORK
"THE BUILDERS,' A NEW WESTERN PLAY. AT THE
AST0R-NEW VERSION OF JUNGLE TOMS
CABIN'-AMELIA BINGHAMS NEW PLAY

Special 70 The Washington Herald.
New York. May 25.-Leo Ditrichstein's
season OF farce at the Astor Theater was
succeeded last Monday evening by The
Builders" a play in four acts by Marion
Fairfax. The fair authoress is herself an
actress and plays one OF the parts in the
piece; and. really. she is more Indifferent
as an. actress than as a blue stocking
though she is young, and pretty enough
to pass muster.
"The Builders IS rather an interesting
play. here and there amateurish In work
manship and artificial sentiment. Yet the
subject is big and vital, and the love
story is rather different from the conven-
tionai love stories.
1t is story Of a moral regeneration IN
the wilds of Arizona Of O young man who
served five years in Sing Sing for man
slaughter. The first act introduces him
in his fathers apartments in New York.
He has just been released from prison
and looks darkiy out upon his future. His
father encourages him, and sends him
West 10 live down his shame. There he
does big things in promoting an irrigation
scheme. The ditch which he has advo-
Gated and for which he had raised the
subscription IS finished. 1t only needs the
formal act of turning the water into it 70
insure the success OF his great enterprise.
At that iuncture his fathers valet ap-
pears This blackguard- is drawn
altogether along artificial lincs--is IN pos
session Of the secret OF his life. and
threatens 10 expose him &c his hackers
unless he pays him $500 hush money.
Roger Grant for that is the hero's
name) would have told his Hfes story
unasked the day following the successful
installation Of his plant. He is in love
with Janet Granger and has only been
waiting to make sure OF his plans TO re-
veal TO her and her friends the dark
chapter Of his past The valets appear
ance disconcerts his plans. But ne is not
daunted. lie defes him 20 speak as they
all gather in his bugalow beside the big
irrigating ditch to celebrate the compile
ton Of the great work
The valet tells his tale. and Roger faces
the verdict Of the men who trusted him
with their money and their confidence.
but. more than that, the decision Of the
girl hC loves. The moneved men are soon
c0nsoled for their disappointment. The
rrlgating ditch Is a great success, and
applications for water rights are coming
by every mail.
Not so with Janet Granger. She is not
proof against the fr0wns Of fortune. She
is disillusioned
But there is a woman who loves him
HiIda Norris. his typewriter: a woman
who. Ike himself has tasted the bitter
ness Of life and who has been Clinging
TO him with silent devotion. encouraging
him and urging him on when his spirit
t1ltered. In carrying on the enterprise.
Between the two the affinity Of soul IS
complete but neither has expressed his
feelings.
Not until Hll5a Is aroused 10 jealousy
10y a flower given him by Janet does she
succumb and admit that he is more 10
her than everything IN life When Janet
hesitates il is Hilda, however. who urges
her not % be "a quitter." The success Of
the enterprise does make Janet pause.
Perhaps she would condone Rogers past
life But IL is Roger who. in this dilem-
ma, after night spent under the silent
stars wrestling with his spirit, cuts the
knot. The crisis had laid bare the hearts
Of the two women. one loyal only in pros
pcrity the other loyal in adversely as
well. He chooses Hilda.
The author played Janet Granger, the
part Of Huda being taken by Amelia
Gardner. who made It interesting in a
dramatic way. Miss Fairfax was mildly
interesting in her role. which is rather
colorless, and supplementary to Hilda for
contrast
A feature was the superb scenic effect
of the second act, a scene painted by
/ Seyfried. representing the embankment Of
the ditch, with a wonderful sunset in the
arid hills of Arizona. The picture created
the impression Of a magnificent painting
A remarkable bit OF realism was enacted
/ IN a scene between the rascally valet and
/ Rogers consumptive father in the first
act. As the valet proposes 10 blaCkmail
the father. as he afterward tries 70 black
nail the SON. Heber Grant deals him q
= blow in the face that had all the realism
OF a blow from the shoulder Grant then
/ s.5Egcrs 20 the telephone to summon as
sistance drops the receiver. and makes a
| sensational fail backward over a chair
and dies
At the MS1Estic a new version Of Uncle
Toms Cabin" was produced for the first