New-York tribune., 1909-12-31
DRAMA
I7co Nezo Plays at The Ne70
Theatre.

Rudolf Besier's Don was first produced
at 'he bavmarket Theatre in London three
months ago: it was seen for the first time
III America last night at The New Theatre.
i. Is all round the best performed piece yet
SHOWN AT the latter house. Notwithstanding
the lact that one of the parts. and that the
principal one. seems. through its interpret
er' not to convey the idea which the au-
thor has elaborated at some length But
TINS defect il defect it can be called is not
one OF acting. Mr.. Matheson Lang is a
capital actor and to him falls the part of
Don. Good actor he is. he cannot change
hlfnself. His work in this play is excel
lent but he has not the personality for he
part He is too much the practical, com
mon sense, easy man of the world. Don,
besiers Don. was nothing of the sort, and
that fact should have been apparent when
The New Theatre cast was made UP.
Besier's Don is not Don Juan: he is a
sort of Don Quixote This Don Quixote OF
Oidwick. not of La Mancha, goes about
panoplied with innocence and poetry. tilt
Ing at the windmills of prejudice, and in
voivng himself and others in misunder-
standings dire His real name by the way
is Stephen Bennington, and his father is a
canon in the Church of England and rector
of Oldwick. Stephen bennington is poet.
Therefore. according to the way of play
wTights, anything may be expected of him.
lie Is twenty eight and unworldly. a cham
plon OF lost or distant causes. and of dis
tressed ladies' And so he is called Don
Tor short. Once upon time in London
restaurant, he avenged an insult to pretty
waitress took her from the scene. and per-
suaded his mother to engage her as COM
panion. The pretty companion fell in love
with her champion. who was however, not
uaN hon ,lie
the young woman Elizabeth the ex-
companion. subsequently married dissent
ing preacher person who loved to make
every one miserable while he saved their
souls Elizabeths soul was quite well. quite
as sound as the Canon's. but her IL
literate, fanatical. religion-mad husband,
Albert Thompsett hadn't the sense to
see that, and BESIDES he was Jealous
of Don. Thompsett Is one of those good
persons who believe in the rack as the
most efficient instrument for tearing open
the heavenly gates. And when the play
opens. his distressed wife. Elizabeth has
fed from his holy prosecutions. Elizabeth
has Informed Don of her plight and Don
has taken her from her husband and has
started forth with her once more for the
rectory, where the Ill and abused woman
VIII, he believes, find shelter and friendly
care En- route, this precious Iair of chill
oren had to stay overnight at a hotel
stephen sitting al the bedside of his pa
tient. This looks very much like an elope-
ment under circumstances certain to shake
the faith, not only of the Thompsetts of
this life. but also of the Canons Don In
the first act arrives home with Elizabeth
There is a house party at the rectory
Dons fancee and her family are there
Don explains his delayed arrival and, of
course, has to explain Eliza beth. which. 1t
must be conceded. is difficult thing to do:
or, If easily explained. not at all likely
10 be believed even by indugent parents
kind friends, 'in-laws' elect and a fiancee
righteousness revolts. 1t cannot believe in
innocence that is not cut according to pat
tern. At least, that is what the play
shows. Don is denounced His ffancee tells
him that he must marry Elizabeth. who
must first be divorced from the soul-hunt-
ing Thompsett.
Thompsett a canting and odious person,
is now concerned not so much with Don's
soul as with his life. Thompsett threatens
to shoot, is about TO pull the trigger. but,
i like the man in 1.-The Wtching Hour"
falls 10 do so. He is not defeated here bv
me power OF suggestion. but is diverted by
an inner light. In the serenity and un-
"orldiihess or Don he recognizes. well. let
one say a superior spirit land he becomes a
peaceful creature, awakens to humility re-
turns to his own home and takes his wife
with him, she, meanwhile, being convinced
OF her duty to him. Stephen, It will he
perceived, becomes united to his fsncsa
Ann.
Mr.. Matheson Lang plays Don, Mr.
Lang does not convey any suggestion that
he is poet. even a dreamer He is q
fine. manly, outstanding fellow Wen, a
poet may be that. But Mr Langs Don
does not convince his audience that he is
an unworldly person. He merely SAYS that
he is. He seems to be as unwordly as a
prosperous young stock broker He does
not impress being so much Christ
like person a laundering meddler who
has parted wife from her husband. and
is barely civil TO his own sweetheart
Besier's Don was really a Septimus not a
Crusader. This having been said, let it
be added that Mr.. Lang played admirably,
even if he could not convince any one that
his Don a twentieth century Ouixote
All the other players were well fitted with
their parts, Mr.. Holland. Miss Bateman-
Hunter and Mr. Calvert especially SO. Mr..
Calvert appeared only in the last act, but
he dominated that portion of the play by
his powerful sketch of the fanatic Thomp-
sett. If he had been quite certain of his
lines at some instants the effect of his
work would have been greater. AS it was,
he gave to the whole performance at a
critical moment the broad strong strokes
which were needed
Mrs. Dellenbaugh had her first real op-
pOrtunity at this theatre, and she was !
quite delightful fond and too affection
ate mother, although she was more like
the wife of an American Clergyman than !
of an English canon. Mr.. McVay was |
good a clustering retired general.
Don preceded by a One-act piece |
descriptive of life in the East End of |
London. II called Liz. the Mother"
1t was deadly dull. 1t began nowhere and |
ended nowhere. The New Theatre is much |
too large house for such a trine "Don,"
although in three acts, is a short play re-
quiring less than two hours for its pres |
entation. and so the programme had to be |
filled out with shorter piece. But better
one-act plays than Liz can be found |
without difficulty. The short intervals be
tween the acts of Don" showed that the
managers of The New Theatre have made
progress in their first night labors
A w.
CAST OF LIZ THE MOTHER
Mrs. Peacemeai Miss Caroline Newcombe