The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-07
in THE THEATRES
HALL GAINES "THE BOND
MAN" AT THE NEWARK.
The Play Is U~nconvincing Melodrama,
but It Is Well Acted by MI.
Lackaye and Company.

Wilton Lackaye, who has gained his
reputation as an actor of ability in drama
tized versions of well-known books, ny
peared in a new role in this city at the
Newark Theatre last night. that Of jason
in "The Bondman," from Hall Calasa
novel of the game name. In past years
Mr.. Lackaye's Svengali in '"Trilby,' his
Curtis Jadwln in '"The Pit" and his hunted
fugitive in The Law and the Man" Cbascd
on Victor Hugo's Les M~iserables'), with
others, ave been considered strong c1ac-
acterizations, essentially dramatic and np-
pealing to the average ~piaygoer. In all CT
them Mr.. Lackaye strove for free and
broad effects, rather than for the finer
and subtler ~delineation of character. in
the present play he has followed out this
idea, SO that the resultant impersonation
reveals nothing in addition to the qualities
which he has exhibited here Abefore.
1t Is easy to believe that 1.-The Bon'l-
man" had n years run at that venerable
home of melodrama, the old Drury Lane
Theatre, London. The WORKOUT scenery
would attest to that fact, even If the more
vital point, that the play is pure melo-
drama of the most stalwart description,
were not enough to convince any one VINO
might take the trouble to doubt Playgoers
who find delight In careful and artistic
Stage mountings-such as Belasco gives
would be wise to blind their eyes 70 some
of the conventional STACEY" settings OF
1.-THE Bondman."
The play itself follows the novel closely,
and is declared to be as Exciting" on the
stage as the story is on the leaf-at least
to those who fancy Hall Gaines brand OF
excitement There can be no denying
that the English novelist grips the magma
ton in ''the Bondman'' just as much as he
did In 1.-THE Demster," 9TH Manxman'
and his other strong stories. but. at the
same time. he fails to convince. The note
of sincerity Is lacking; everything is sacri-
feed TO theatrical effect. He daubs his col
ors on thickly and so his "Bondnan,''
transferred to the stage. affords a lurid
picture which may interest the eye for the
time being and stir the susceptible pulse
for the moment, yet which fails to make
any lasting or valuable impression upon the
intelligent and discriminating playgoer.
To attempt to detail the plot would re-
quire too much time and energy upon a
profitless purpose. All the ramifactlons of
the novel Mr. Game has underworld to
translate to the play and the result is that
the action is obscure, Illogical, episode II
overcrowded. Mr.. Lackaye had two sensa-
tional scenes-one at the end of the second
act, when Jason's avowa of vengeance up
on the half-brother who had deprived him
Of the woman he loved, was absorbingly
well acted, and the other. In the sulphur
mines, at the climax of the third act, when
Jason saves the life he has sworn to take
away. The play is based upon a malodor-
Gus incident, the betrayal and desertion of
the mother of Jason's half-brother by his
father, and episodes such as that of the
prayers in the first act and that of the
runken priest In the third do not by any
means give pleasure to everyone In the
audience. Mr.. Game has striyen with deep
seriousness to produce an ~edifying and ele-
waiting influence upon all beholders, but he
has succeeded only where he has escaped
being offensive, in producing an endless
tedium.
The honors of the evening from an acting
standpoint were shared by Mr.. Lackaye
and Miss Elsie Ferguson. Miss Ferguson is
very pretty and she acted the woman, who
divides the brothers affections, with SYM
pathetic grace and intelligence. Sidney
Ayres, who used to spout the bombastic
heroics of Thomas Dixon as the Ku KluX
K4an leader in '"The C~lansman." had an
equally improbable role In The Bond
man" (Which, by the way, for empty pre-
tentiousness, makes a good companion piece
to 1.-THE Clansman'). playing Jason's half
brother, Michael Sunlocks. Ethelbert Hales,
as the priest, did well what was required
of him. Charles G. Brandt, who was the
Birdsall Stock C~ompany's leading man last
spring. at the Shubert Theatre, played a
minor role. Conventional comedy relief
was lugged into the first two acts by Hal
DeForest.