The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20

ing and Theodore Roberts will appear at the Jefferson Theater for one perform ance on Thursday night The New Or leans Item says of the production: Y "The Right of Way was presented last night at the Tulane Theater by Guy Standing and Theodore Roberts and a splendid supporting company. Eugene w. Presbrey has wrought from Sir Gill bert Parker's tragic romance a play of power and distinction. constituting one of the most notable dramatic productions of the last several seasons.
 Sir Gilberts "The Right of Way" is a wonderful story-an analysis of mans soul, recital of his struggle to pierce the haze of the eternal future.
 MT. Presbrey ha, violated many of the Conventions of play writing but has will fully done so in order not to sacrifice es- sential points of the novel itself
 Steele is a lawyer of masterful talent For years his soul has been racked by it's own questionings, until he begins to believe he has no soul. He is mated with a woman who does not love him and whom he does not love. Deprived of the sympathy of a wife who understands him he seeks refuge in drink
 At critical point in his life, when he has descended to great depths through drink and natural gravtation," as he cyaically expresses it. he has occasion to defend a worthless fellow who had killed a man on account of woman Joe Portugals, whom he pulled from the very shadow of the gallows is grateful for the service and offers him dog-like devo- tion.
 Steele Is warned that his visits to a public house, which is presided over by young barmaid were dangerous-that the other rough habituates of the establish ment did not understand his motives Steele Is stimulated by the prospect of danger and deliberately courts death, wandering into the place at midnight and picking quarrel with a group of the rivermen They attack him and he is badly wounded. Portugals places him in a boat and takes him down the river to n small settlement. When Steele regains consciousness his memory is a blank. It remains so for three years, during which time his wife married again, be- lieving him dead.
 the meantime Steele has fallen in love with Rosalie, a girl of the settle ment. Not realizing that he had a wife he followed the instinct of his heart in all honor. surgical operation restores his memory, and he is about to leave the settlement and give up the girl he loves, when he learns that his wife is dead
 One of the most striking and memora- ble scenes of the play Is when Steele's soul begins to arouse itself from it's long slumber Out of the dawn of another world a woman's voice is calling me to love and happiness" he exclaims fer vently and his eyes intuitively glance to- ward heaven.
 Soon his soul turns to the God, of whose existence he has doubted.s When the sun breaks through the clouds and he knows that he is free to take Rosalie to his arms he thanks the Divinity who had shaped his end
 MT. Standing as Steele is most impress i've, and MT. Roberts Portugals is no less convincing. One has to harlS back many years to recall play in which two such players are associated There are twenty-two characters in the drama and all are given an intelligent and wholly adequate interpretation.
 As a scenic production alone, "The Right of Way" would be worth while. as it is magniicently mounted, the pictur- esque Canadian scenes being graphically reproduced.