New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-15
THE DRAMA
Miss HiIda Spong in "The Penal
ty." at the Gaiety Theatre.

4. sneciaI matinee on Friday revealed IN
Misc tIiIda Spong the qualities and mowers
of an er,otional actress. Miss Spong has
pive,, much Measure in comedy. bur unac-
oo,,r,abIo canrices of fortune have bon,
tar too long from the stage hereabou+s
Nou inlay has been found in which she &c
| IN s,,rrrise the public by her portrayal of
rage and passion For, of course the oh
iect of the special matinee was to gain a
foothold in New York for Miss Spong and
| the new NAV The afternoon performance
revealed also a new dramatist If genuine
mower Mr. Henry c. Colwell die not an
near In response to a determined call for
the author. but he did not need to appesr.
His work spoke for him. He has written
pIav which contains not only powerful
scenes but a searching appreciation of real
dramatic values throughout. 1t would he
easy TO put the finger on flaws. but 1t is
more to the point to acknowledge al once
that. so far a newcomer may be Judged
by a single work the author of The Pen
atty has established strong claim 10
recognition as a writer of drama
The play. however, is not pleasant Il
belongs in its subject matter. though not
of course, in its workmanship to the order
of PLAYS of which The City is a con-
spicuous example. The spectator will not
like the principal characters. but he cannot
DENY that they are human beings rather
than puppets. and that they are well acted,
that they hold his attention and interest
and that they stir deep feeling within him
But will he care TO have Just these feelings
stirred for two hours and a half? That is
the question which the public must answer
Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford have been d.
vorced The grounds for the divorce are
not stated. but it is understood that Mrs
Rutherford obtained the decree against her
husband who did not contest the suit He
was already in bankruptcy. He is a person
of the good fellow sort, easy, genial and
weak Rather poltroon. too, because he
is not above borrowing money from his
divorced wife who is now the mistress of
millionaire The precious Rutherfords
have q son who is in the early tWentieS q
likely enough youth. OF manly spirit and
musical gifts. This son. Jack. is in love
with the daughter of Mrs. Reginald Dexter.
the leader Of New York society" Jack
knows nothing of his mothers relations
with James Carpenter, the millionaire, and
does not suspect that ne is dependent upon
the revenue which she illicitly earns. When
he learns the truth he threatens to shoot
dTptnIer. VINO suddenly declares D!1nSel
sutton for Jacks sweetheart. In the
chief scene of the play Charles Rutherford
who cuts a poor enough figure in the general
undoing, is assailed by his former wife. who
RACES before him like crazy scullion and
strikes him into tears and silence. Carpen-
ter, facing Jacks revolver. scornfGliy adj
vises the boy to shoot his own father and
if taat will not content him. TO shoot his
mother MrS R1IrherfOrJ in tba- fury
snatches the revolver from the boy and
kills Carpenter with it. Jack resolves TO
give himself up to the police, accusing
himself of the murder in order TO shield
his mother. but the woman poisons herself
and dies (off stage). Thus each of these
unpleasant persons pays a share of the
penalty for the msdeeds of Mr.. and Mrs.
Rutherford and Carpenter and their gossip
ing friends.
This Is but bald, brief outline of the
story which is presented the stage with
good deal of force and consistency.
Make of IL what . on can and act it how
you will. it cannot be anything but a tale
to shudder at Mrs. Rutherford may ask
for sympathy. but she will not get it, be-
cause she has sold herself for money and
social ambition. She may have chosen a
queer road for her society march. and the
dramatist may have some queer notions
about social usages. but the theme is
worked out with such movement and eff
feet that the dramatist and his people
carry sufficient interest from point to
point and leave the audience boiling with
emotion But you won't believe in the
mother love of Mrs. Rutherford any more
than you believe in the mother love of
Madame y Your feelings have been
heated and bruised. If this is sufficient
compensation you will be happy.
Miss Spong received enthusiastic ap-
plause from an audience largely composed
of player folk. She earned the plaudits
fairly John Floods acting. as Charles
Rutherford. was quite remarkable. A diff
f1cult part, it could not have been better
done. Mr. Harry Mestayer. as the son.
was good al all points excepting in the
big" scene. which got beyond him when
he slobbered his emotions as if he quite
forgot that he was acting. as he probably
did One of the choice moments of the
play was that in which Miss Edna Baker.
as Gladys Dexter. has a love scene with
Jack Rutherford. and with refreshing
spontaneity Coaxed from him his protesta-
tions of alteration She was delciously
girlish and fetching then
The play needs pruning, like most plays.
but not so much as most plays need it
The author might be reminded, too, that
his Steel man would not at the present
time boast Of Pittsburg's Symphony Or
chestra, for it has been disbanded: nor OF
his city's superiority in baseball. Mt
ColwelI might ring down the curtain on
his second act with Jacks exit after his
interview with Mrs. Dexter. But the end
ing of his last act could scarcely be bet
tered. Mr. Colwel is a promising play
wright But he must be young because he
is so sad, not to say tragic. A W.
CAST OF THE PENALTY
Ur Ballard ................C Charles NJ. Riegel
Samuel Smythe. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Scott Cooper
Mrs. Snnythe- Dorothy RoSslnoIe
charles Rutherford Observation-Disclosures. John Flood
Mrs. Rutherford. ..-......''-. HlIda SpohS
lanes carpenter. ........-....--C uyler Hastings
Jack Rutherford. .,....--...---. Harry Mestayer
Mrs Reginald Dexter. ....,...-.-.-. Kate Lester
GLADYS Dexter. Iona fodhei
Harry Dexter -'narleS Lalte
servant Bert Fields
uaMMEPGTEJN INVITES POOR