Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-05
PLAY PROVES DRAMATIC TREAT
OF SEASON
is FINELY STAGED AND WELL
ACTED
Story Has to Do with the Life OF a
Noble EngIIshman Who Married
an American indian
Girl

adm his company Edwin Milton Royle has
written highly dramatic play around a
subject which to a man who knows the
| west appears, at first glance, to be well
| nigh impossible. In localities where the
| Indian comes into close contact with the
outposts of Caucasian civilization the
white man who marries a squaw-who be-
comes a "squaw man" in fact--is cordially
despised while the child of such miscegena-
tion ordinarily is supposed to inherit the
bad qualities of both races and the good
Of neither
Yet Mr.. Royle has set himself task
of making hero of such man; of Win
ming sympathy for the child and for the
mother. And he makes q strong case.
Doubtless his argument will win more ad-
herents in the east. where the Indian Is
an academic problem rather than fact,
than it can hope to make in the west; but
1t is persuasive argument, skillfully ad-
vocated, Notwithstanding
How 1t Happened
In arranging his puppets Mr.. Royle has
contrived an unusually complete expana-
tion OF just how Captain James Wynne-
gate, next in line of succession to an old
English title, becomes an exile from his
home and takes UP a new life in the COW
punching district of Wyoming. He tells
us that Nat-U-Ritch. the squaw, four
times saved the Englishman's life, once
at imminent risk of her own; and he per-
mits us to see her shoot down bad
man. who is about to use the Englshman
for a target.
What happened thereafter lis told by
that Englishman himself. IT fell sick" :"
he says. "Twice she nursed me back 20
health. When became strong again or
dered her to go. She refused even tried
treating her cruelty. 1t was no use
Well, 1 was a man; a lonely man. and
she loved me. The inevitable happened"
Throughout the play Mr.. Royle seems
to have realized that it would be fatal
to his case to supply any love motive on
the part of the man. The indian loves.
The Caucasian does not, but when his
son is born all the mans long pent af-
fection centers in the child; and 1t is to
legitimatize the child that the marriage
ceremony is performed.
Presents Strong Case
AS I said before, it's a strong case-a
remarkably strong case. The crux of your
decision lies, of course, in the view you
take of that first slip and Of the drifting
which followed it. Granted absolution for
that the verdict must be one of acquittal
for what follows.
Apart from his daring and his skill in
argument Mr.. Royle has brought his
play to happy conclusion without ap-
pearing to concede one jot or little to the
popular demand for such an outcome. He
has made the death of Nat-U-Ritch at
her own hands we'll nigh inevitable, and
he has so contrived matters that her
death smoothes away all difficulties, max
ing possible the return to England of
Capt. Wynnegate and his son; the father
Ii. L4kI <NGI Arlat1 ava1
presumably, to marry the woman for
whose sake he had made himself an
exile; and the boy to be educated for the
part he must some day play in the af-
fairs of the British nation. In England
there exists little prejudice against the
descendant of allen races. There the race
problem is not obtrusive.
Mr.. William Faversham has brought to
the Mason with him this season an ex-
cellent supporting company, and he has
given the play an admirable production.
The two scenes laid in Wyoming are cor
rectly staged to the smallest detail Even
the playing cards used are those ordi-
narily seen in the cattle country, and
there are many little touches, such as
the bartenders pouring two glasses of
beer which are three-fourths collar and
explaining that beer is the most ex-
pensive drink he sells, that lend realism
to the scene. Moreover, the English char
acters in the first act, officers in an Eng
lish regiment, have the unmistakable
stride of their profession. 1t is these
little things that go to make up a finished
production. Further enumeration of them
would be both unnecessary and tiresome.
Perhaps have transgressed as it is.
Well Equipped for Role
1t has been said of Mr.. Faversham that
he is particularly well equipped to play
this part for the reasons that he was, in
early life, subaltern in British regi-
ment; and that later he himself punched
cattle in Texas. Whether or not these
statements are accurate, he makes good.
There was a time when Faversham's fame
rested upon his popularity as matinee
idol. Doubtless that popularity served its
purpose in making for him the opportunt-
ty to do good work, but its day is past.
In "The Squaw Man. and in other plays
that have gone before, Faversham has
rroved himself to be one Of the fore
most actors now upon the American
stage. His art, however, never had finer
illustration than in his present role.
1t is an ungracious task to dissect
players methods. We are concerned
chiefly with results, not with how they
are attained Explanation entails disillu-
sionment. Therefore, it is sufficient to
say that Mr., Favershams skill is COM
plete; that he plays upon the sympathies
of his audience as he will, and that he is
a vigorous, virile man while on the stage
not mere hummer.
Quite different Characterization but
one evidencing no less art is the Big
Bill of George Deyo. Big Bill was the
foreman on the ranch, man with a
heart as bill as himself slow of utter
ance and sparing of his words when
he does speak. Mr.. Deyo realizes the
character perfectly. His impersona-
tion is a triumph.
There are many other well played
oles: the Shorty of Emmett Shackel-
ford, an actor who made his first sue
cess with the old Neill stock company;
the Diana of Miss Margaret Bourne,
and the bad man of Charles Hill Males
being notable in a cast of good quail
ity throughout.
THE Squaw Man" is written in four
acts. The scene of the first is laid in
England and of the others in the cattle
country of Wyoming. The first act
serves merely as 4 prologue to make
understandable what follows. Natu-
rally therefore, tits the least strong of
the four
The play remains at the Mason for a
half week only. which is a matter for