New-York tribune., 1910-02-20
TIE PLAIG0ER
The Witch" It's Gloom, and
Nine Bertha kalich.


The Witch is gloomy but what "oui6
s-ou EXPECT Of a play on the subject OF
,ftchcraft and seventeenth century Puri-
rsnisue one trouble with The Witch,
rom The point of view Of the Great AmeIl-
can Public is that il is short on sentiment
The C A +. loves ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
= scoeped up in great. gurglins. dulFerine
-,lrnpe The Witch" is but poorly fitted
,i,t with the siase tricks which the G. A. T.
hss been taught 10 consider essential 10 q
dramatic tale: and II has no sugary coat
iug Of sham morality
some persons will tell YOU that The
Witch is an immoral play because its
frincipal figure is a young wife who is
,snfsithf1l. and whose lover is her stepson
B,gt. far from being immoral. it is enc of
ne most moral of modern plays. because
s. -or-here eNaite the Illicit relation. hut
shows af ever. step the inevitable punish
-nenf eliminating in tragic horror Fas-
mating steprnotheTs and amorous step
sons contemplating excursions on the prin-
rose path viii bc warned off by Ihe
Witch" and other cennivers at UeacherY
vii sit lip and think But audiences do
rot like TO think: consequently the
Witch is unlikely to make a wide appeal.
-Tnpleasan1 as the play is, il does not
r7retend to be what il is not. II does moi
take gutter drab and slobber over her
with nlauolin stuff about maternal toNe
snd flial devotion. Gail it melodrama II
vi, like. but what have you settled when
Won have said that? There is melodrama
and melodrama. and The Witch is not
,,hean rnelodrama not shoddy. not tricky
snd raitrx Unpleasant rs its theme Is,
there are many successful plays. from the
classic g1ra sedies 10 the popular lucubra-
tjers Of the passing hour, equally unpleas-
snt. and many that are more unpleasant
The theme has To novelty but what
theme has novelty Treatment is the most
that can he expected in the way of NOV
.Itv'' in any new play nowadays Ana
such novelty as is impaired to the treat
rnent Of the Jensen n-Ha gedorn play comes
from the introduction of the witchcraft
business And the witchCraft business, 1t
must be sa ia. is unconYincina. How can il
BE- made convincing TO a twentieth century
audience An old hag is in league with
Satan, because she drew the lightning 10
the meeting house" Another cured by
lsvinC On OF hands" and could summon
r.rsou 10 her presence by the exercise OF
her will II would require something
more than this TO interest present DAY
audiences in '-wttchcraft' and 10 make
them understand why New England Puri-
rane in the seventeenth century dealt
hsrshly with old crones who in our time
would advertise in the Sunday newspapers
as mediums palmists and claEVoEaht
princesses Modern communities do not
hang or drown these shabby seeTs- once
q, half q dozen wears or so the police are
called in. bit to no purpose: nothing ever
happens because society would have 10
.rres, Itself Everybody practises some
kind of --Nitchcraft'' these winter evenings
The Jensser- Faeedofn variety is very
,Fnsa tisfactorv kind. but such as ii is IL
s.i,-s in The pla1 the wrath OF the uncom-
Portable intolerant- superstitious PuIltaIs'
those pious old devils who hated each
,tber 70. The love OF God. Messfs- Jensen
and Hae@dorn do not lure any one to love
these grim old forebears. There is only
one likable person in the play. and he has
sense even In his cups. Samuel NoNes'
clerk Of the court But such bloulodS
clerk is Samuel. in the Salem OF lSsZ that
n. makes one suspicious of The Rage-
dornian accuracy. Besides. tEIs Samuel per
fsbed too soon. Had he lived Tor another
act he must have exposed these terrific ex-
pornaers of Holy Writ in any number OF
slv hvpocr.sies 'Tis a thousand plties the
dramatists killed him of.
Son Gabriel is a coniemptible and spine
less ctlh He has been divinity student.
and has lust returned home from Europe
20 ioin in the ministrations of his stern
PRAY father Absalonl. But you feel at the
start that he must have studied something
besides divinity at Geneva. for he makes
love TO his fathers young wife before he
Se,s foot in the house. Joan, with an
.cs,atic fash not easily accounted for, ex-
claims al the delight he must have felt
when he stood where Calvin stood, anu
then she begins TO make love TO him in
K.agnF FA2r
from her about Calvin. The Joan Of the
tjranatfsts is mere sketch. but Bertha
Ealicb makes her wonderful, passionate,
tragic creature. whose young, dreamy, ar
DENT nature has been stified and tortured N
this .rest of narrow, canting. hateful lives
Her psrson husband lusted for her lowell
ness hut snivered over his psalms and
texts 10 conceal the truth The actor who
tisys the Rev Absalom Hathorne does an
admiral bic piece of work. but IL he would
indicate in the parson a love of heshly
,ovs craftily concealed from his associates,
Joan would a. least be rather more clearly
explained than she is now. After all IS
said. nothing can mitigate Gahriel's treach-
cry 10 his father. nor when you come 10
that his readiness To excuse himself a the
expense Of Joan. For he would have de-
rounced her if her viii had not been the
stronger OF the two Joan goes mad VIII
they hang her. Gabriel may hang himself
if he have The courage. II they would hang
Parson Putnam TO the tail OF his Personal
Devil q good work would be done.
The play j. plunged in that deepening
gloom which some persons, usually the
Young. consider the sign and glory ot true
art. The work is worthy OF consideration.
bat one cannct help asking why II was
produced II il admirably acted: no other
ply al The New Theatre has had all its
PARTS so We'll performed; il is earnest work;
il mas brains-an unusual possession ia con
temporary plays-but il is so unpleasant in
theme. SO grim ia effect. that the wonder Il
il should be done at ali 1t j. very diff
cult" the doilng mother said Of her da ugh
ter's musical parade. Difficult roared
Dr johnson. Would to God il We're inn
possible"
The Witch" serves good purpose-it
The New Theatre, where an actress Of an
common quality and power has been sadly
~ eded.
Mime. k8lich's stay may b. short pc
agemeTt tuat stars shaH remain there for
any long term. Indeed. stars ar supposed
not 10 be stars while shining more or less
brilliantly before rhat ornate auditorium
not be called. 10 suit the eNigencies OF that