New-York tribune., 1908-11-22
LONDON PLAYS
Bridge Building Actad and Meta
phorScGI

Lon6on, Eo~snber IL.
Bridge building is havtng g HttIe on the
London stage, with two plays on successive
evenings. The more important in technique and
dramatic composition is Mr.. Alfred Eutros The
Builder OF Bridges at the St JaInes's Theatre.
The hero is another John Glayde under the new
name OF Edward Thursneld, and he is the chief
lieutenant OF Sir Henry XiIlick, the head OF
engineering firm which is designing and con-
structing bridges in Rhodes1a and other ooun-
tries A man Of fifty. who has spent his work
ing years abroad, he is the easy victim Of
attractive woman, Dorothy Far1nsay. the sister
OF one OF the clerks Of the Kick establish
ment This coQuette while engaged TO Walter
Gresham Of the Foreign Office, has suddenly
gone 70 ST. Moritz and used every vile IN IN
ducing the bridge builder to fall IL love with
her; and her motive has been the deltverance
Of her brother, who has embezzled $4,000 OF
the firms money TO cover his stock speculations
and charged II 10 the bridge builders Rhodesian
account The play opens with Dorothy's return
TO her aunt's house on Campden Hill. where she
meets the lovers IN turn and explains 70 her
brother her plan Of campaign for his deliver
ance. What follows is drama Of partial IN
formation. in which half truths involve series
Of complications, with theatrical surprise IN
the third act and obvious conclusion IN the
reconciliation OF the bridge builder and the
charner for final fall Of the curtain.
The embezzlemert is discovered by Peter Hcl-
land. accountant Of the firm, and revealed TO
the bridge builder. The brother makes clean
breast OF it. and Thursffeld replaces the $4,000
out OF his savings, stipuIating that Dorothy
shall not be told about It. She guesses the
truth although she pretends TO be ignorant;
and, being now sincerely in love with Thurs
field. wishes to repay him the money before ex-
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that her brother was q thief and the bridge
builders mercy. What she tries TO do is TO in
duce her Foreign Office lover 10 raise the money,
and when he declines 70 do it she Indignantly
breaks Of the engagement Thursfeid enters
the family circle as the accepted suitor, and a
pleasant little tea party is broken up by the
abrupt arrival Of Gresham. who with undiplo-
matte and theatrical violence announces that he
has raised the money and that the engagement
cannot be broken OF.
This is the dramatic surprise which convicts
Dorothy Of duplicity to both lovers and silences
her when the indignant bridge builder shakes
her of as a treacherous. untruthful woman.
Apparently there Ia nothing left for him but
work in Rhodesia: but he does not go, for after
he has exchanged condolences with the account
ant and again protected the defaulter the peni-
tent Dorothy sees him and convinces him that
she has loved him from the first, although she
has seemed 10 be playing fast and loose with
him The play involves modern adaptation
OF the old theme OF a ~ woman's sacrifice for d
brother: but IT is let down far from the
heroic level as to be wholly obscured. Sne be-
HAYES so badly in deceiving both lovers that her
sfsterly devotion TO the thief passes without OBJ
servatton The bridge builder alone acts with
nobility Of character in paying her Brothers
debts and IN forgivtnE her. The sentimental
public for whom Mr.. 5utro writes, viii 6e
without sympathy FOR the woman who Is entan-
gled in q web Of deceit and dishonor
Afr Sutro while he has not succeeded IN pro
ducing as thrilling a play as John Glayde's
Honour IS steadily improving in craftsman
ship The dialogue is bright and amusing the
construction Is ingenious and the by-play
varied and the comic relief Is excellent SIT
Henry Kilnck. with his faith in girders and
cantIIevers and his distrust of women, Is de-
lightful character, with the breezy manner OF
an experienced engineer. The aunt, with her
blunt way OF blurting out superfuous truth Is
also a comic figure, and so Is the stenographer
In a single scene There Is no lack Of comedy
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