The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-20
THE COLUMBIA.
"The Havoc.

'<The Havoc"
Mr.. Henry Miller. player, producer, and
manager. has so established his artistic
reputation with the American theater-
going public that when il was announced
that at the Columbia Theater he would
produce. for the first time on any stage.
a new play by IA S. Sheldon. named
1.-The Havoc" there could have been no
misgivings, but he was prepared to add
something 10 the debt TO himself under
which already the American drama Ia
bors. That. Ia part, at least ac-
counted for the large and fashion
able audience that filled the Columbia
Theater last night: an audience that
was forced by admiration and entertain
ment TO be as enthusiastie-genuine
so-as any first-night audience that has
gathered in a Washington playhouse for
a long time
This does not mean that about The
Havoc there is going TO be unanimity
of opinion. If there were, indeed, we
should feel inclined to pity the play
wright But in THE Havoc--foT which
we predict as wide a discussion as ever
greeted The Great Divide" and. In all
human probability, as great a Success
we have a play that appeals not TO the
surface emotions. not merely 10 the COM
mon senses, but TO the intellect and the
understanding. There are in the play Ger
tain phases that this man or that, ac-
cOrding 10 his individual experience or
his knowledge of life. will stamp as IN
true; some will say that where the au-
thor has chosen 10 put philosophy there
should have been brainstorm, meaning,
perhaps, that what IS and what was
meant 10 be drama should have been
melOdrama- To this the only reply. OF
course, can be that the play is Mr.. Shell
dOn's; it is this way IN which he has
seen human nature moved under the
stress OF the strongest emotions, and
even the most captious critic must admit
that he has made il real. vital, appeal
ing. and. above all. so far as its philos-
ophy goes, ringing true.
In many ways this play is remarkable,
and the first thing that stakes one is the
snallness of the cast Practically the
drama is carried by three characters,
though there is a fourth introduced for a
few moments in the last act. In this the
playwright has succeeded in attaining a
goal for which many dramatists have
stTiven. Tie ideal drama. dreamed OF by
the masters in the art, was 10 have been
in pantomime; and even, according TO our
own canons of dramatic art. that play
most nearly nils ideal conditions which
goes straight 10 the heart of the matter,
refusing 10 be led aside into bypaths that
mean nothing
And so in 1.-THE Havoc" we have drama
stripped absolutely OF its nonessentials:
the raw. naked material OF life, as the
gods fashion il; men and women and pas
siOns, not puppets and fine phrases, anu
whether or not you like the theme, you
are forced 10 admit that it rings true.
In its fundamentals the story Of 1.-The
Havoc" is by no means new. IL is. in
deed, so trite and stale that We have coin
ed a eatehword TO depict 1.-THE eternal
Triangle" but here il is different. and in
that it displays its genius, avows its
strength, and Is serene in it's verify.
Richard Craig. a chief Of department in
a railroad Office. is happily married and
living in a coy nat with himself and
wife. IN the capacity of bOarder, lives
Paul HesSert. a clerk under Craig Kate,
the wife. has become tired OF her hus-
bands devotion to business. his steadi-
ness. and his perhaps somewhat mo-
rose commonplaceness, and Paul Hessert.
with his Ibsen-like philosophy. the cheap
platitudes of duties 20 ones self (Which
always have meant a neglect of ones
duty to ones neighbOrs). has come to
make Kate believe he loves her. Craig is
called 10 Chicago on business. He leaves
Paul and Kate together with perfect con-
fidence. Once out Of the way, Paul makes
violent love TO Kate threatens TO go out
of her life altogether unless she gives
him proof of her love. Right here comes
q comparatively new dramatic device
the lowering Of the curtain 10 indicate a
lapse Of two hours. IL has been done
before. but I think never quite so boldly
nor with more justification than here.
Two hours have elapsed then; Craig has
returned for a book he has forgotten
The nat is dark Paul is in the inner room
alone with Kate. AT first, Craig believes
the lies his wife tells him. but suddenly
seeing Paufs hat and coat. he realizes
the truth, and in a moment the three OF
them are face to face. In melodrama the
situation would call for bloodshed or
blows. but Craig determines to have no
scene. With apparent calmness, he dis
eusses the situation, accepts the false
philosophy Of the seducer who has ruined
his home. and agrees to go away and let
his wife get a divorce and marry Paul
One condition alone he makes. and that