The Washington times., 1908-10-18
NEW SEtWYN PLAY
AND OPERA PLEASE
pierre of the Plains" Enter
tanning, and New York
Likes "The Golden
Butterfly"
By A. H. BALLARD.
NEW YORK, oct. II,

NEW YORK; oct II.
II DGAR SELWYN. whom all this
* present civilization remembers as
the inimitably effective Tony IN
Augustus Thomas Arizona, has
dramatized Pierre and His People, by
Sir Gilbert Parker, named his play
Pierre Of the Plains" and IS starred
IN it under the direction Of Henry B.
Harris at the Hudson Theater, appear
ing for the initial performance last
Monday evening.
This is the third trial OF a large pro-
duction on the part Of Harris, the in
trepid Harris, and 1t is the best drama
tization bOOk-play that he have had
thus far It is not perfect. What is
in this whizzing world2 But that it is
sure to attract strongly and hold the
pleased attention OF people Of wide SYM
pathies and broad culture is certain. It
has not the big, vital, compelling I'M
usualness Of a tremendous idea, nor the
absorbing enthrallment Of a wondroUs,
heart-touching truth.
But it is a well-tOld story Of the
Canadian frontier, the mounted police,
a half-breed hero who is splendidly
characterized by Edgar Selwyn. AS the
euthor he has achieved what no one
else has accomplished heretOfore-he has
eliminated a hundred thousand appeals
in Sir Gilbert Parker's book, Pierre and
His People and chung steadfastIy to
the dramatic tale. This tale IS the pOr-
trayal of the composite nature of Pierre,
who IS half Indian and half Canuck-
Hark back to the time when you
heard Selwyn voice the sentiment Of
Tony when he said Il love you like
h" That will suggest Selwyns
n. Ia ftF fArs- a
Characters in Play.
The settings are the interior Of a road
house on the frontier, and the wiIds OF
the forest and plain. One girl, Pierre,
the father, the Indians. the old preacher
who cares for the Indians. the police.
the sergeant who is loved by the girl
the brother who has killed an Ind.an
and whom the police must catch, make
up the characters of the story of the
story. or course. it is meIOdrama.
Pierre can mix astuteness with his un-
tinching love and loyalty. IN the play
and counterplay OF vlcissitude the tension
is KEEP. up; all the while the elucIdation
OF Pierre's strange nature is gradually
developed. The final curtain falls as he
throws the cards for himself he has
lost the girls love. although he has
u
lie is sausded-it is in the cards.
IL is the only possible. true solution.
and the story holds you throughout.
Elsie Ferguson. as Jen GdIbIaith. the
daughter liud only girl in the cast. is
en- excellent selection She has role
much like that played by Ida Conquest
In The Won,' ana she plays it better.
IN point of ndtUralness and simple di-
IcCtnrss. than the wider known actrcs5
exhibits III Eugene Walters play.
Scl"yn mas, with commendable discra-
ton, eschewed all the many entlcements
in material t--ar might have been Iugged
into the play He has not sacrificed a
bit of necessary atmosphere. however.
The Canadian border, as vet has not
been exploited 10y any dramatist for
himself. Books that deal with il have
attracted actors. and plays have been
Tiade from them. Seiwyn's IS the best
Of these that we have had The drama
Jzed book results generally In a play
tLal, some way, seems baked over
Pierre Of the Plains" is a remarkable
fine. an interesting. an extremely we'll
acted, study II IS smoothly told and so
wei presented that its melodramatic