New-York tribune., 1909-10-03
THE PLAYG0ER
Why Was The White Sister Wrecked? ,
Albert Chevalier's Acting.

Albert Chevalier's Acting
Why did Mr Walter Hackett run his play of
,,e rails Was The faux his, or did another
.,,,.g Tie switch? A dramatist whose sympathetic
,-,..rtiou is attracted by such a story and such a
motive are found In +. Marion Crawford's
ru-ite sister could scarcely one might think re-
iyt dt. t..5erately 10 wreck both motive and story.
S., Nr HaekerJ's play destroys not only the plot,
,, -h, intention and teaching of the novelist. The
sn-er falls into the odious error which the writer
r-.les WAS at pains TO avoid In the play Captain
se-,r shoots himself. This conclusion is stupid
is also reyoltng because if makes the entire ef-
.rr OF The D-esentation elorihcation OF suicide
,s 20 put Do mildly. is hardly the attitude Of the
-frr.h toward self-murder. And YET the play
fright Promises dispensaton for Angela because
f.r orer has shot himself Seyei dies Angela.
-rrsus ,u tLe ~isterhood- Why twist and distort
-e thcm. and wrench from ii all trace Of lis pur-
,oSse II is difficult 10 suppose that such Wreckage
IS rho result OF voluntary act
Miss Viola Allen Is rtportee as saying 10 an
.-s-i-g rawspapsr. ""The deviations froEi Marion
rraufor3's novel which have been made in Mr.
r,sr-s lr41latiaatior v-ere made with the novel
,,.s aurrctaI In fact. before The novel was writ
rer Mr Crawford had outlined his story as a
drama and orr present version conforms in the
main n this f7st idea
Yen ua.- Bur tla play Is none the better for all
--ss ii 1Ir crawford had the concluding word It
mus, Pc confessed tlai Ae had curious and not con-
,irc.re notions of dramatizatiou. But apart from
eH that t1ere Is Tie more important point Why did
be- approve -se entirely Illogical alterations which
destroy -- story and ua.lity its Teaching? The
hook ra=.a reason. the play has none.
q I'll. book Severn Is gentleman. lie is also a
hero AZ .e destruction az the powder magazine
et Aort-l--5e he drives every one from the danger
z5rl and himself To the edge Of death because
II his consideration for The ives of others. He Is
-aker unconscious. and. as al think dying, TO the
hospital cf The White Sisters His life be
saved only by The smputation Of his right arm.
Returning 10 consciousness. he refuses TO submit
To tie operation. He prefers death because his
career as soldier Is ended and because the woman
H. loves VIII NOT seek release from her conventual
VOWS The Church releases her on its own initia-
tive. >sveri's life is saved by the surgeon; the
Wr-= sister leaves the convent and naarries him
r-- fre years of devotion her holy calling. his
fte years endurance as a captive in barbarian
Africa and his Leroism when the magazine eXplOdes
Lad Ire church 10 free her from the sisterhood
The Church neither insists upon nor accepts use
Iess sacrifice nor the continuance Of obligations
which would spoil devoted lives. Mr.. Crawford 5
book IS true 70 human nature and 70 ecclesiastical
lsU or custom, Hsckett's play, IN its second half
Is true 10 neither. Il deliberately falls into mere
stage tricks. as y somebody had not the courage
m follow me course which Mr. Crawford himself a
5r..1- Catholic. had taken, or as if some one con
.rr.ad with rLs stage production had lacked under
standing ~ these things and was insensble 10 theil
r--71se and their teaching.
a few srraR-s show how some theatre people lack
acquaintance with life beyond the foouights. Ar
army Officer lights cigarette in the reception room
n the Convent Of the White Sisters No army on
e-r Rou-s do such thing. But this one, in the
saue place exclairus. "ConfoUnd these conventsi
A-rv oficers may have their defects. but rudeness
- nuns Is not one Of them. And an officer WhC
Rad brought a wounded soldier 10 convent hos
T--al would be cousideraue in his manner toward
t-e self-sacr5fcing women who give their lives q
The afflicted, whatever might be his private opinion
~ religious orders. DO not the men who rule tht
stage know such things as these2 or do they ignor
everything but what they call stage business" and
a desire take every opportunity start gtggle'
IN the foolish section which is found every audi
ence?
+. Marion Crawford. his art and, the motive o
his story disappear n the third act Of this play
Everything goes well til then. When the curtain
<as on the second act the expectations OF the spec
tators are pitched high. The third act lets then
down n amazed despair. Severf tells an officer 0
inferior rank, OF his Severi's, plot TO entrap tn
White Sister This is theatrical foolishness an
worse Severi would not have told any one An
EeIa-Sister Giovanna was always Angela 10 hin
was sacred to him. But he talks 10 his subordi
rate as a roue might talk TO a companion in
blbulous club. And the other talks back a
no ofHcer IN the Italian army, any other army
talks 70 his superior in command But here, o
course. a stage idea OF life is manifested. An
here of course. some one besides the actors IS re
sp0us-bIe for what IS done.