Evening star., 1909-03-09
A N U S E N E N rs.
BelaSco.

Following the tendency OF the time. one
In which he has played part of notable
activity, Mr.. Harrison Grey Fiske pro-
duces another play dealing with events
and people Of the present. Its characters
are Of the familiar masses, everyday as
sociates seen too closely hitherto to per-
NIT the picturesqueness that would attract
or satisfy artistic effort. But as national
opulence increases a class OF amusement
seekers develops sufficiently remote from
the humble walks Of life to find interest
in portrayals Of the struggle of the bad
or unfortunate to be better or happier. The
stage is quite Independent today of the
gallery gods who once ruled its destinies.
as they vouchsafed approval or hurled
condemnation. Kings and queens, my lords
and my ladies. the prosperous, the wise
and the fair were the company to whom
the audience sought introduction across
the footlights. Now the theater reverses
the relationship. and kings and queens of
finance. with their more or less prosper
Gus retinues, study with curiosity or SYM
pathy the fortunes of their less happy
fellow-men. Struggle and hardship are
the favorite themes: the idealist presents
them with happy or POLITICALLY disas-
trous ending; the realist presents them
as hard, cold facts, often without due al
lowance for the generosity that is in hu-
manity and the influences which often
soften existence even in it's most formid-
able aspects. The production of a play
intuitive perception Of values rather than
academic knowledge. Much literary
learning may be handicap rather than
an assistance.
The Unbroken Road" gives Bertha ka-
Itch a role Of different quality from those
she has been accustomed to depict She is
not the woman Of mystical moods and
temperamental storms that her per-
sonality SO well expresses. She is a girl
Of ordinary speech and ordinary aspira
tions. capable Of steadfast resolution
where her affections or gratitude are in
volved, yet sufficiently commonplace to
make her marriage with ward politician
Of the less respectable stripe seem an en-
tirely suitable arrangement. The cause
in which this girl offers to sacrifice her
which she regards with the deepest aver
sion, is the denomination for governor of
young man who has pardoned her from
the penitentiary. Despite certain en-
phatic verbal arraignments Of social con-
dftions, the chief suggestion contained by
the play In Its real action Is that the prac-
tice fortunately not very general now
of introducing scandalous stories as cam
paign arguments Is pernicious: senti-
ment In which every fair-minded and self
respecting person cannot fail to agree.
In several scenes of declamatory vigor
the exceptional dramatic powers Of Nine.
Kalich were convincingly in evidence. Mr..
Frederick Truesdell gave a we'll studied
impersonation Of the governor whose ef-
forts to help hapless woman well nigh
resulted in his retirement to private life.
A remarkably fine piece Of acting is to
be set down to the credit of Eugene Or
monde, whose picture of the Italian pO-
litical boss was worked out finely and
whose scenes, whether sentimental or
sardonic, were full of human vitality. Ri
ley Chamberlin contributed an amusing
character sketch of politician Of other
dayS.