Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-15
T HE T HEATER L.
Belasco Theater.

With facility that is almost startling
William Norris ranges from musical farce
to tragedy with an occasional departure
into the intermediate realms of legitimate
comedy and character impersonation. He
traverses the walks of the drama at will
an artistic cosmopolitan, at home wherever
he finds himself. Lacking the distinctive
trademark which an actor secures by ad-
herence to consistent line of work he
revels in contrasts and compels his au-
dienceS to be constantly renewing his ac-
quaintance. Mr.. Norris is discovered reg
ularly once season. Stage students know
his marvellous versatility and have learned
to expect only good work from him, but
the casual theatergoer whose patronage is
guided by special lkings looks at him
with wonder and asks where SO remark
able player can have been keeping him
self: In Father and Son. a new play
field so long occupied by Sol Smith Rus
sell. Without in any sense presuming to
copy the methods of that still well re-
membered and truly lamented comedian.
MIR. Norris makes a careful study of
the same kind of character he was want
to portray: the generous. simple minded
man who lived open from the world
short-sighted as to his own interests and
Indifferent to social forms. 10th to quar-
rel with life as he finds it. yet alert and
justice is involved.
Mr.. Selwyn. the author of the play in
which Mr. Norris assumes the role OF
Doc Filkins has brought to the work
a precise and thorough knowledge of
stagecraft. His story unfolds itself grad
ually, his climaXes are well-ordered and
effective. his dialogue dignitied without
being stilted. where dignity is required
and natural without descent to common
place triviality.
But admiration for technical detail
yields to appreciation Of the sympathetic
interest which the presentation evolves.
Not since the days of BARLEY Campbell S
MY Partner" has the affection which
can exist between man and man been
more touchingiy depicted not even ex-
Nat Goodwin more recently appeared.
when We Were Twenty-One." 1t is
true that there is love story, a modern
lied and manly young Romeo is madly
devoted to a sweet and unaffected juliet;
the strife between the rustic Montagues
and Capulets is as fierce and uncompro-
missing in the days when men fought
with rapiers instead of with dollars. But
the vital interest Of the play centers on
the devotion of Doc Tinker, whose smile
say. to his adopted son Billy. The play
is a homely and direct appeal to senti-
ment It's modern interest is strong.
Questions Of the hour are taken up. but
only for the purpose OF atmosphere. mere
is no problem, either social or domestic.
put in process of solution, only to be
abandoned in order to supply dramatic in
terests Mr.. Selwyn is content to be a
playwright without becoming a psycholo-
gist or sociologist or some other equally
formidable specimen of "ologist."
The company is one of good, reliable
competence throughout. Character types
are bounteously introduced. and their
scenes are allowed to become emphatic
in their humor. Yet they are SO managed
as to afford only a judicious contrast to
the legitimate interest of the plot The
impersonation of the fiint-hearted mill
owner by George Staley was well ad-
vised piece of work, carefully held to the
demonstrative emotionality might have
been expected. Herbert Corthell as the
young man with a chronic crouch injected
an element of current slang into the per-
Torrance which was uncompromising.y
funny without being discordant. George
Lawrence also handled a character bit
with effervescent and up-to-date smart
ness.
Without being particularly novel in or
sensational in it's appeal, Father and
Son. takes a firm hold on interest at the
commencement OF the story and never
relaxes it until the happy conclusion is
implied, though not actually set forth, as
the curtain descends on the last act. The
play and its performance constitute an
admirable contribution to the stage-one
which may never awaken sensational en-
thusiasm, but with none the less care
hardly fall to invite discriminating ap-
prevail.