The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-20
NEW MILLER PLAY
A NOTABLE EVENT
THE Havoc" Marks Advent
of New Dramatist for
American Stage.

H S. Sheldon. a new name in the
gallery Of American playwrights. heard
the call Of the thousands who decry the
persistent exploitation Of new theories
aimed al mans most cherished ipstitu-
ton, the home, and gave dramatic ex-
precision. to this protest In THE Havoc
presented for the first time last night
at the Columbia Theater with Henry
Miller in the double role OF producer
and star
The quintescence Of common sense
at last comes TO its own after a
prolonged and frenzied reign Of
Ibsen and Shavian theories OF ego
istic individuaIism- The theme is vital
and timely The material IN nodded into
q play which bears every ezr-mark Of
popular success. The Havoc" Is too
big to be comprehended fully overnight
It strikes home, as every great play
must. to a primal and elemental in
stinct-
Even were the artistic success Of the
play less apparent and its popularity
less seemingly assured, the production
would be noteworthy for introducing to
the American stage a dramatist who
holds out hope Of developing into q
thoughtful and purposefuI playwright
Sheldon's Work Noteworthy.
The writing Of The Havoc which
naturally invites comparison with The (
Great Divide proves Mr.. Sheldon capa- /
bic OF handling great theme in z sert-
Gus and effective fashion Moreover, II |
shows he possesses a degree OF literary
ability on q par with the highest con
temporary plays. He has Yet TO develop /
the polish OF a William Vaughan
Moody. perhaps. but the innate Dercep- /
ton for things vital and the telling ex-
preston Of them are his The success !
Of The Havoc" therefore, carries a
greater meaning than the mere pTOduc- /
ton OF q. serious play destined to be a
Broadway success. It marks the oiscov- !
cry Of q new 5ramatisE
The presentation Of a play with but
three CnaracterS-there Is a fourth who
appears only in one acts more 70 be
attributed TO the Henry Miller daring /
than TO managerial economy. II was
one OF those unexpected features that
are likely TO crop out IN the ruie-defy-
ing achievements OF this unique figure /
among American producers
It is the old triangular story Of a
man, wife. and another man, stripped /
Of all cloying investiture Of added char /
Rcters- The invasion OF The false friend, /
the hyOOcrite IN the guise OF a devOtee
Of the new philosophy, IS told In stark /
that repels while II does not offend
Compared With Comedy.
II It is not dramatic lese majestic 10 |
compare this drama with Percy Mack /
ayes satire. ''Anti-sfatrimony,' II /
should be mentioned that the two au-
thors have set out with a strange CO |
incidence Of purpose and each has
worked equally Wen in his own
methods
Mackaye aimed sharp shafts Of ridi- |
cule at theories and worked them out /
70 a ridiculous end. Sheldon follows 4
the. same theories with bitter logic to /
serious conclusion
The achievements Of the trio Of play
eFs in this play cannot he appreciated /
until one has sat before them and felt
the gripping interest which their work
enlfsts from the rise Of the curtain to
the end Of the final act
The first act depicts the breaking I'D
the friend Richard Craig. the hus-
band, played BY Henry Miller. leaves
Paul HesseTt, an emDlCye and a So
journer IN the Craig household. with
Mrs Craig while the husband departs
on a business trip to another city The (
husband returns, and slowly the evil
deuCes OF his friends perfidy are mar
shaled before him He does not shoot I
in grim sercasm he accepts the philoso- |
Dhy Of his friend for practice, grants /
his wife e divorce. and makes as the
only condition that he Craig snail live
with Hessert and the object Of his pas
sion when they are married.
Biting Irony.
The second act pursues with the same
biting irony the second stage in the
career Of the former Ms Craig. now
Mrs Hessert, and her new husband In
a unique situation In which Hessert
suspects Craig OF the. same fnfamv OF
which he was guilty the denouement Is
laid and It Is then that Craig delivers /
the lines which alone would stamp the /
author as a worthy craftsman In the
speech is sounded the theme Of the
play. The speech follows:
You and your kind represent the most
deadly disease In human Ife-you have
neither the moral health nor strength 10
I've - 20 the laws OF the Community
70 you make your own and preach your
doctrines OF detested self You sheer at
the laws Of God and man-scon at the
teachings Of the church and ali else that
bar thu road 10 your desires znd on the
havoc You create Won uIanr the Fs-7-p-
- your ucentious creed. which you falsely
term advanced tdeas-philosophv a mass
Of les mingled with the ruth, but
tempting blind for those who long TO
throw their moral oblizatfo1s 70 tbs
winds And she whom you dragged down,
WIG gave her love her very soul. 20 you.
EhV sinnee for yOu-you expected her to
ruth. faith, no trust And 50 your
Iripp ed mind and soul work ont your
he'll on earth, and you viii have to live
out your OWE Camnationf
Some may say the play should end
here The author faces task worthy
Of his mettle IN keeping the audience
interested in the further career of the
miEmated couple He does Il as well as
could be expected HesseTt IS shown in
his whole moral rottenness, his jeaI-
Ousy IS proven 20 be without a vestige
OF love, his heroics are shorn OF any
claim TO herOism-
There are fine points involved IN this
play. Whether CTaiE's Cool-h eaded
pursuit OF the only reasonable course
IN the face OF HIS betrayal would have
been possible had he loved, his wife is
open TO question The play Is not per
feet In tE4s and IL minor points 1t
aTouses questions
Characters Worthy Creations
There are but three characters, but
that tho viii live long on the memo
ries Of those who saw the performance
last night. The virile, rather common
place. man OF business, with rugged