The San Francisco call., 1908-05-12
ACTING IS CLEVER
IN DOUBTFUL PLAY
Katherine Grey Makes the Most
of "The Reckoning" at
the Novelty
CAST OF CHARACTERS
IN TIE DRAMA.
"The Reckoning"
By Walter Anthony

Il is doubtful whether American
theater goers will quite understand
The Reckoning" or sympathize with
the woe its unfamiliar situations in
troduce- That the play. with Rather
inc Grey at its head, was a success in
the Berkeley lyceum, New York. may
be due-aside from considerations OF
the stars superior Interpretation of
the character OF Christine-to New
York's larger cosmopolitanism and the
smallness OF the Lyceum theater; for
the play is not only foreign; it is in
innate.
It is a play of Characterization.
analysis and atmosphere" rather than
OF situation and action. The story is
simple enough. Fritz Sommer, an
aristocratic student. falls in love with
q baroness whose husband finds IL out,
but not before the volatile Fritz has
engaged the affections and the honor
OF a humble daughter of the poor peo-
pie. The girl thinks he loves her and
Fritz is beginning TO think so, too.
when the baron challenges him to
duel Fritz. as served him right. is
killed and the girl whose love he had
gaiaed then learns just what poor
and wretched part she really played in
the students riotous life. He spoke
OF you. TOO" says Theodore, Fritz's
friend, when he tells the broken
hearted Christine of their ride to the
rendezvous where awaited the out
ragged baron.
EthicaIy the play is false in en-
gaging sympathies for Fritz. who is.
IN spite of his mellow voice and pretty
manners. a type OF man whom Ameri-
cans kick out Of doors. The plays ends
unhappily, because Fritz is killed. It
IS anomalous. The drama is structur-
ally false only in the last act, where it
sc
superb presentation OF the grief Of
Christine. Hickman in the role OF the
friend and second comes to tell her Of
her lovers death. She has already told
her father OF her love and her sin.
He spoke Of me, too" echoes Chris
tine. sobbing. Miss Grey caught up the
despair and made ii vivid. indeed, in
spite OF the lines which the author
gave her. which but for her skill and
imagination would have been disser-
tation on the frsilties OF man-as ex-
hibited at least in Fritz.
The real hero from sane point Of
view appears in the play but once
Baron Won Wrede. For not more than
three minutes Harrison Hunter IN the
role holds the stage by as concise and
vigorous a bit OF acting as has been
seen in San Francisco. II he were
permitted 70 stay much longer he would
have put the values where they be-
longed and would have transcended
the authors Intention by giving the
play. in Fritz death. a happy ending.
As il is he smothers his rage and chal-
lenges, IN suave tones, the despoiler Of
his home.
Christine. in the last act half crazed
with the words ffrom Theodore that
Fritz was killed IN a duel over another
woman and that she must not go to the
grave because she might find another
woman (meaning the baroness) pray
ing there" cries out, I'll go. sbut not
70 pray" She rushes from the room
and her father voices the authors In
tentions by moaning she will never
come back" What becomes Of her is
thus made sufficiently plain and com
pletes as mournfnl and depressing g
tragedy as any sanguinary drama OF
pistols, swords and sudden death could
be-
The curtain raiser, The Van Dyck,
must be seen. It is so good and its
surprise is so sudden that to tell the
story would be 10 rob you Of the pleas
ure and thrill and laugh that 1t con-
tains Hickman and Harrison Hunter
particularly the latter. are the stars
in the sketch Both plays are magnih-
Gently acted
PRINCESS
The third and last week Of Wang" at IN,
Princess. began last night before large audi
ence. Stevens in the title role kept the hous
IN an uproar. and the music was adequately ren
dered By the excellent cast and chorus.
VAN NESS
John Drew began the second week OF his "a
gagement IN MY Wife" last night before
brilliant audience. Miss Billie Burke. Ferdi
nand Gottschalk and the rest Of the cast ar
continuing their success. There viii be matt
nees given Wednesday and Saturday Rober
MsnteH in Shakespesrean classics comes mex
week.