The Washington times., 1909-04-13
"The TruantS" Is Serious
Play Slightly MARRIED
by Comedy.
ACTING DISPLAYS
DRAMATIC WORTH
Capable Cast Furnishes a Series
of representations of
Genuine Merit.

With keen disappointment Washing
ton saw Miss Mary Mannering register
a failure in - House of Cards." seen
here earlier tbs season. With genuine
regret il learned that n second venture.
step by Step could not even toddIe.
IT is, therefore, a pleasure TO record
that 1.-THE Truants." presented for the
first time in America at the Belasco last
evening, is an offering distinctly worthy
OF Miss Mannering's efforts.
''The Truants' defies classification. It
is set down as a comedy of English
society life, but hardly fills the descrip-
ton Polonious knew of Tragedy.
comedy, history, pastoral-conlical, his
torical-pastoral' and modern ingenuity
has evolved musical drama and comic
melodrama. This play might best be
prescribed as comedy-drama.
The author. MILFORD T. Coleby, aims
20 drive home a timely and vital truth.
The play is heralded as a plea for the
strict observance Of the marriage cere-
Incny. II is more. In a day when the
stage is employed 20 exploit strange
cults and isns Mr.. Coleby chooses to
hearken unto what he believes a grow
ing disregard for elemental principles
of morals and religion. His platform
is a stirring and insistent eohortation
for adherence 10 the Ten Command
ments. To illustrate, he suggests the
dangers that Turk behind disregard of
marital conventions. He teaches with
q sure and true touch that a mother
love is TO be chosen above what the
world regards as a good name and great
riches. de shows that the evil we'll
springs of passion in a man will yield
10 a woman's deTnand-though the treat
ment may be heroic.
The Central Theme.
All these but hearken back to the
central theme and serve TO strengthen
the dictum that the slightest devia-
ton from the letter Of the law of
Moses is dangerous. The authors most
noteworthy achievement Is that he sets
forth his doctrine without the slightest
suspicion of preaching. The play has
faults. but In the final analysis it is a
drama in the truest sense and not a
dramatized sermon Not only are the
situations conceived in the spirit Of the
drama, but they are given a setting in
lines that sparkle and that hit home. A
few remarks from the villain-in this
case triDle-dyed, fOur-ply specimen
You played bridge in this room last
Sunday" he says. Now If you can
break the fourth commandment in the
parlor' why can't break the seventh
in the Kitchen
Again, You women built I'D your
present position by Christianity. now
you want 70 retain the position and
This villain. Bill Chetwood, admirably
played by Robert CONFESS, has sowed
ten years OF wild oats in distant parts.
but hopes to return TO England and the
orthodox faith of his fathers. He finds
theories Of free thinking. of the enamel
paton OF woman, o. the evolution of the
sexes, aoroaG in the land. He accepts
the new philosophy with "A few added
amendments and IS on the verge OF
leaving the country in company with a
young girl who has imbibed similar no.
tons.
Story OF Play.
Miss Freda Saver Miss Mannering)
has but recently returned from the ORR
ent with a 10y, who passes for her
cousin. but who is her own, the son OF
q man who tricked her into an illegal
marriage Miss Saveu had put herself
on record in a book with some broad
theories concerning the marriage tie.
This opened the way for suspicion when
the truth about the boy became known
and proved a boomerang when they
were cited by the culprits as authority
for their Proposed escapade. When she
tries 10 thwart the project Chetwood
uses this Information as a weapon Miss
SaVell uses a pistol. Chetwood marries
the girl
Lord Strickland. who has prornfsed to
make her son his heir, learns the truth
md threatens to disinherit the bow 1In-
les he IS allowed TO take him away.
Aotner love wins. She tells her story to
her nance-the brother of ChetwOod
ChetwOOd reminds her Of her new found
faith and quotes her own authority:
WHITTIER thou gOest 1 viii 20, and
where thou lOdgest 1 Will lodge. Thy
people shal be my people, and thy God
There is so much Of dramatic worth
couched in well-written lines that IL may
be thankless task 90 point out that
the play as a whole Is not developed
with sustained dramatic interest The
author has chosen a big theme and has
treated II well, but has erred in intro
ducins eXtraneOus situations. Here is
material for serious drama; he has
chosen TO inject comedy that seems
sadly out Of place. That the comedy is
OF high order matters little The
effect is not that OF a dramatic unit but
OF a revue. or a vaudeville program of
high order.
Among the digresslons was some
COMEDY work Of a high order by Miss
Zelda sears, last seen here in the Fitch
comedy, Girls An excellent and fin
lshed impersonatiOn Of an English coun-
Try gentleman Of the present day was
gwen by White Whittlesey. a former
favorite In a stock company at the
BelascO when that theater was known
as the Lafayette Opera House. Master
Sullu Adi5e9r VINO mas played Juvenile
roles with many Of the leading actors
OF the day, played Jack Carstairs.
Requirements for Acting.
Engaged in the thread Of the story
were Miss MannerinE. Miss Mary Nash
and Robert CONFESS. In this play Miss
Mannering has wider opportunities
for genuine acting than in any Of
her recent ventures. Her acting yes
terday evening was something Of rev
elatiOn to those who feared she had
come TO rely on her personality She
eXudes all the radiant charm of her
gracious self. but her representation
calls for more than that. Fully equal
3n opportunities to Miss Mannering's
role Is that assumed by Miss Mary
Nash. More creative art is required in
her portrayal than in any other mem
Der Of the cast.
The character OF Bill ChetwoOd Is one
of the impossibilities of the play Even
ungoYerned passion proceeds along some
preconceived channel II IS hard 20 de-
termine whether the author had no we'll
defined idea 10 express through this
character or whether he fell short in
working out his purpose. Robert Con-
ness went far toward making the part
possible.
With excellent material for a serious