New-York tribune., 1907-11-05
THE DRAMA.
a NEW PLAY AT WALLACK'S.
'oThe Right of Way"

TITS is an exceedingly interesting, and in some
,asuects powerful play. and the acting Of It, last
.,sht at Wailacks Theatre, was marked by
b-fiaut manifestation of exceptional ability on the
.-. of both Mr.. Guy Standing and Mr. Theodore
poberts The postulate upon which the story rests
namely, that injury to the brain can cause
obliyon Of identity and of all previous experience
has been freely used IN novels and plays. De
or,iucey mentions the case Of man who
injured by q fall forgot all about himself
and remained In that forgetfuness till another
fall injured him in the same place, and thus
restored his recollection. Wilkie Collins made n
superb use OF a similar idea, as a matter of
,urgery, in one Of his excellent novels Mrs. Mary
Names Dodge employed the expedient in
her tale Of Hans Brinker." A drama founded on
,t was presented in this city some time ago. by the
Dutch comedian. Henri de Vries It is not the
theory, however, but the treatment OF II, that is
important. In Sir Gilbert Parker's novel it has
been treated in such way to create absorbing
interest. Mr.. Presbrey, in making a play on the
subject, has chosen the most effective situations
and incidents OF the novel, and has changed the
conclusion TO make 1t at least hopeful; GER
iainly not sad The strength appears in the draw
ing Of chara acter, developed under the stress of
experience and the surge and dominance of feeling
There are touches in the book that cannot be re-
produced in the play, but the dramatist has. in the
main been faithful TO his original and fortunate in
his fidelity. The character of Charley Steele-as-
suTned IN spirit Of deep sympathy, and manifested
in q style OF extraordinary freedom and huency by
Mr. Standing.-is essentially typical OF fine intellect
oyerfreighted with sensibility; wayward passion
ate temperament; and the recklessness that is Sc
ouent self-coniict and despair. All such men
land they do sometimes appear in actual lfe). have
much good IN them,-which is proved by their capa-
bility Of suffering. Dickens had such man in his
mind when he drew Sydney Carton. Woman of
course, plays her usual part in the story
Of such man, neither loving nor compre-
bending him On this case. indeed, though
married to him. loving another), and thus
driving him still further astray than his own
wild impulses would have driven him Steele, in
this drama, has successfully in court defended
grim dour, half-savage creature, Joe Portugais by
name, accused OF murder-a part made wonderfully
true and touching by Mr.. RobeTts-and, subse-
quently. after he has been beaten and half killed
by rufTlans he is rescued by that beneficiary and.
unconscious of his original personality and his
past is launched upon new life, in which he finds
the hops, least, Of love and peace In the char
ecter OF Portugais, lunberman the St. Law
River, there is singular but not an i'm
possible blending Of ferocty and tenderness. and
that is oveEaid with rugged ecccntrcity The great
merit Of the acting of Mr.. Theodore Roberts
Is that OF definite. solid purpose HIS faculty
of impersonation is positive definite, and
iTaordinary. He never apses out OF the character.
Whatever his feelings may be- they never dominate
him. He is master OF himself and his resources,
and he is, therefore, able 10 create and guide mis-
effects with uneTring precision. he has lmagina-
tion. He IS scrupulously careful to detail. He
never causes many actors do, anxious
icitude. lie imparts to his auditors the conviction
that he be entirely relied on 10 do what he sets
out 10 do, ind thus they conquered by Illusion.
In the scene. last night, in which Portugais col
lspses, when recounting 10 the bewildered Steele
the details Of the murder that lie committed. he
expressed horror. agony, and renorse in a way
that touched every heart aroused his auditors as
II by magic, and swept them into enthusiasm Of
tenpestuoUs feeling. Such acting Is seldom seen
in these days. ana no one who cares for acting
Tn of F1-,F
kind Of speech. a patois, though natural and cor
rect, somewhat hampers the effect, because the
words are not always clearly articulated But this
IS distinctly great impersonation. Mr.. Standing
especially excelled IN his assumption of the cync
IN other passages he would deepen the impression
Of power and of feeling by greater variety and
iexibhty of voice. The success of both actors
and Of the play was decisive. The theatre re-
sounded with pleudits and the curtain calls were
numerous. W W