New-York tribune., 1909-10-19
THE DRAMA
THE NEW PLAY BY AUGUSTUS THOMAS
'sThe Harvest Moon at the Garrick
Theatre

Again the best play in New York is by Augustus
Thomas. Again this playwright deals with the ef-
feci Of suggestion upon human thought and life
But he does not repeat himself He has made n
rlay finer and more powerful than ''The Witching
Hour" II viii be 50 acclaimed when it has been
compressed little.
Last night at the Gsrrick Theatre 'The Harvest
Moon" AS Mr.. Thomass new play is called was
received according TO its deserts; that is 10 say
inpressiyely received sincerely applauded. II is
unlike what the press agents have told of It. Good
plays always are unlike the descriptions shovelled
out by the publicity promoters
Dora Fullerton. unusually attractive and tai
snted girl OF eighteen. is determined 10 become an
actress She obtains an engagement for the ingenue
part in a play which is about 10 be produced in
New York II is the authors first play Dora falls
IN love with him. She has previously engaged her
self 10 Graham Winthrop. Her family oppose her
theatrical ambitions They continually remind her
thai she is vaciating, unreliable character, GER
tsn only Of coming 10 some sorrowful end as her
mother did. She does not know what her mothers
end had been and she is reared in the belief that
Professor Fullerton. of Harvard is her father.
This is easily believed. because Professor Fuller
ton her mothers husband. The girl does not
know that her mother had away Nor does
Fullerton know that his errant wife subse-
ouently married 10 Dora's father. who turns up at
the opening OF the play friend OF the family.
one Monsieur Navin. famous Partisan dramatist
G brilliant delightful. sympathetic. almost pro-
found parsonage by all odds the dominating figure
N this interesting comedy.
Nov the story Of the play sets forth the in
huenCe upon Doras life of the reiterated sugges-
tions about her general unftness for bringing hap
riness 10 any one. herself included II is shown
how her mother had been similarly beset by a
concert Of disconoerting suggestion, and had been
broken by this persistent influence. The girl is
headed IN the same direction by the same winds
she cannot understand herself nor any one else
She changes her mind a dozen times day about
her md her
she VIII and theL she won't and then she does
60 the stage Then she leaves il. and then she
goes hack again She is blown about by every
breeze OF opinion Nsvin. who is psychologist
70 some purpose. takes her in hand and teaches
her 10 exercise her own viii and by and by re-
veals to her and 10 all, his parental relation
Everything takes happy turn al the end but
ror before a Wholesome and forceful lesson has
been taught 10 every character in the pictured
scene
Vavin takes in hand even the young playwright.
f7ocomb. and his play. and by the rehearsal Of a
scene brings the hedgling dramatist and The glTl
10 an understanding Of themselves. tie insists
upon certain effects. instTucts them in the inhu-
eDoe of color upon the emotions Holcomb who
Is very raw in his self-confidence. considers
these arts too theatrical Navin reminds him
how theatrical nature is. The harvest moon
,1pon world smiling with vintages and filled
with the andors OF young love, the moon
which al the harvest time changes its habit and
for three nights rises al the same hour upon the
radiant romance Of this old ever-young earth "A
drol God" exclaims Vavin. "a droll God, with His
autumn and His vintage. and His children, and His
harvest moon Theatrical There is nature S
theatre Gods theatre The setting Of this miracle
- the universe with all its lights and coors, and
ali the emotions that play beneath them. under
their inexplicable spell
Miss Adelaide Nowak is attractive and tai
ented young actress. who has. in Dora, a difficult
rart She plays il delicately, sympatheticaiy. with
adequate comprehension Of its meaning. George
Nash as Vavin. is very fine, indeed convincing
admirable John Ssville Judge Elliott, is very
rood And is Miss Eustsce in the part Of Mrs.
winthrop. The rest of the cast leaves good deal
% Re desired. But the play itself is so good. so
srong so firm and high in purpose so skilfu in
construction that good deal remains 10 be said
in detailed commentator Of it. The last curtain
falls upon these words spoken by Navin: My son,
plays. let help them to look up up!
This is the purpose Of Augustus Thomas's play
II helps the spectators 10 look up, up II is pity
that Mr.. Thomas thought il advisable TO come
before the audience and make a speech II was a
futile speech. II destroyed for the moment the
illusion which he had been al pains TO create. An
author should let his play speak for itself
A ".
CAST OF THE HARVEST MOON"
f~r ia Fuller Saw