Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-14
THE REDSKM
A TRIUMPH
ANTONIO APACHE DECLARES 1T
A GREAT PLAY
SAYS THE DRAMA is ADMIRABLY
TRUE
Descendant of Ancient Race Declares
Work Constitutes a Profound
Study Of Indian Character
in the Long Ago
BY ANTONIO APACHE

1.-THE Redsxin,'' as presented by the
Ferris company on the Auditorium stage
last evening, is the most perfect Indian
play l have ever witnessed, and 1 think
l have seen about all of them. 1t is not
yet perfection. Probably we shall never
attain that mark in any dramatization
OF Indian life, for the simple reason that
the Indian by instinct is not dramatic.
He is stoical and stolid in all the routine
of his ordinary life. Even his lovemak-
ing is to the white man totally dull and
wholly lacking in color. Only in war
is he picturesque and full of fire and
action.
Bearing in mind these conditions, when
Indian life is translated to a stage there
must naturally be some touching up of
the high lights to give effect to dramatic
values. In certain so-called indian
dramas which l might mention, in fact
in nearly all, this has been overdone
to such an extent as to become burlesque.
The stage Indian, like the cigar Ttore
Indian, is almost invariably great joke.
His prototypes would not recognize him
if they met him in the road. The Indians
in 1.-THE Redskin'' are, in the main, true
types. They exaggerate very little, If
any, and their display of emotion is most
natural and characteristic.
Author Studied Pocahontao
While knowing nothing of the history
and conception of the play itself 1 can
conceive that the author was familiar
with the traditional story of Pocahontas
and John Smith. He has utilized some
features of this and by reversing others
has produced a drama with consistent
plot, not too great in its violation or
Indian personalities and certainly full of
poetry, beauty and mysticism. In fact.
to my mind, these are the strong features
of ''The Redskin."
The aboriginal Indian probably ex-
celled any other untutored race in inher-
ent poetry and in the loftiness of his
IDEAS To him this world was a serious
proposition, lying close to the borderland
of the happy hunting ground beyond.
He peopled it with creations of his own
mind. There were spirits in the trees,
gods in the clouds, ghosts in the lights
and spirits in the waves. He was a
fatalist and various gnomes and demons
controlled his life He appealed to them
for guidance He needed their counsel
and he went to them with his sorrows
and joys. In bringing out this feature
1.-THE Redskin" is especially noteworthy.
I do not say that the story of 1.-The
Redskin' as now depicted could actually
mar respects so far as my studies of
Indian lore show me it is extremely
realistic.
Drama Well Acted
The depletion of the characters by the
various members of the company is in
deed praiseworthy. When you consider
that the players are of the white people,
called upon to portray distinctly diff
ferent and in most respects a diamet-
tlry
imagine that the position has been a diff
ficult one. l find few flaws in their anal
yses of the various roles, and in almost
every respect give them unstinted praise.
Miss Stone as Adulola, Mr. Kilgour as
Lonawanda and Mr. Won Meter as Ma
tawa, the three leading figures, are al
most above criticism.
Modesty forbids that I go into detail
regarding the environment, stage set
tings. costumes and properties. as 1 had
so large a part in their fabrication How
ever, / may be permitted to state that
our one aim was to secure absolute ac-
curacy, and I think any student of In
dianology will find that have ap-
preached very closely this ideal.
1.-The Redskin'' is a play that everyone
ought to see. It may shock your pre-
vious conceptions of Indian lore. but In
that case they ought to be shocked. IT'S
vivid truth and extraordinary beauty
appeal to you, while at the same time
it will disabuse your mind of the ac-
cepted idea of the Indian and give you
some glimpses of the nobility of the race
in its former glory.
AS a drama purely, regardless of its
other associations, it is strong and fas-
cinating I do not know when I have
seen a play that impressed me so pro-
foundry or one whose witnessing l felt
so fully repaid me for my trouble.