The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-04

n ME last FRIDAY afternoon, when
Henry Miller put on Percy
Mackaye's Mater at the Savoy,
they have been coming fast-ive
openings in New York in as many week
days
Mater cannot be classified. II is
something that requires decent burial.
Posters and display ads in the news
papers announce that Mater has fas-
Cinated Father Knickerboclser. That Is
not true. Insincere. apOlogizng. sym
pathetic, sporadic screeds have limited
at poetic beauties and bright fancies to
be found in Mater" There is nothing
Of the sort in it, Mr.. Machaye is a
scholarly man, stepped in learning,
classics. and broad culture He dream
ed beautiful but lifeless thing when
he created "SaphO and Phaeon" last
year, and there is a strong probability
that he may get down to today's
humanity some day and put forth a real
drama with human lie ia it, But il is
utterly futile 10 call this Mater" a
stunning, important play tit TO follow
The Servant in the House"
The plays artlhciaIty would turn YOU
against ii, even if it had streak Of
genuineness in it. II is Henry Miller.
Percy Mackaye. Isabel Irving. drama
turgy, philosophy, the stage, and mod
ern society all gone wrong together
l don't see how anybody could put to-
gether worse play. This is the truth
unvarnished.
"The Offenders" Mediocre
Henry B. Harris replaced The call
of the North" at the Hudson, by The
Offenders" with Robert Edeson as the
star again. II IS a better play than its
predecessor: something on the lines of
The Regeneration and # may pull
for a while. Practically, however, Il
believe that its predominant somberness
Will prevent It nom being a big success.
Elmer 3. Harris wrote it, and he struck
2 magnificent idea, which he has carried
out splendldly for an act or two, and
then he plunges into rough waters.
The idea IS that we must take hold OF
youth In the beginning and train It
right II we want 10 abolish criminals.
Edeson is the criminal. who spends
seventeen out Of thirty-odd years iE
prison Katherine Grey is the wife OF
a big political CRATER Of the kid glove
type. She is deely interested in the re-
form of criminals, and Judge Winter
- Games Seeley) Is her co-worker who
has charge Of the juvenile court There's
what should have been the play. Miss
Grey's rich earnestness, her irresistible,
convincing quality, the judges obvious,
endearing humanity and love for little
helpless boys, the boys themselves from
the juvenile court. and Clin Kink CHE
criminal, taken by Edeson)-that's all
the playwright needed. And IL he had
stuck to his story
All big interests center in a. few PEG
pie. The rest Of the characters are
lugced in. They are entirely impa-
teriaL They are lUgSed in because ira
dition and custom are thought to de-
rland much material, variety, numbers,
mass. quantity. The thread Of the
tale, the sequence Of the dramatic chain,
the nnrushing Of inevitability that
makes every true play effective Is
cIogged and dimmed by these ready
made accessories. EdesoE has role
which he makes ring true, and he hits
the deepest, teuderest note Of the even
ing when he says, you don't know
how much that boy wanted that knife
It's because they want things-must
have them. that they begin TO steal
And the little chap from the Juvenile
court, VINO gave up mis- jack-knife and
went TO the reform school IN order 70
get away from the temptation OF liquor
and a drunken mother, reached very
near to the vital heart OF the whole
subject.
f the dramatist had stuck to his
knitting YOU would have welcomed more
readily the male-Camille scene. where
In Edeson smoked a cigarette and died
I'm the last act; but light comedy, ju-
venile business, tOUEh-girl character
work Ono matter how clever, take the
attention away from the play in hand.
instead Of Illuminating the picture. THE
Offenders'' won't offend you. But it
won't enthraH you
Other Plays Make Good.
Lulu Chaser is at it once again-reaily
at il IN her own characteristic fashion
her old style and dash. Her bubEiing