The Washington herald., 1910-02-20

Those who remember seeing Theodore
Roberts sluice Off his face in bucket of
cold water. as the sheriff in Sue" will
recall that he was a splendid actor then.
There Is a quality in the Roberts type OF
character on the stage that makes one
feel. whether he has met such charao-
Ter in real life or not, that II is true TO
aife In other words he plays with an
Authority that is always convincing. He
never did a weak or unimpressive thing
during HIS occupation Of the position of
heading character actor. His Candy
ia ARIZONA" was so well conceived that
succeeding players in the part thought Il
well to COPY him almost exactly. There
IS no improving on a Roberts part. for
Ia gets out Of il absolutely all there is
IN It,
The feeling one has after seeing The
EASIEST Way" is best paralleled by the
sensation derived from that horrible can
vas "Absinthe." one is fascinated by its
terrible reality. but turns away with a
feeling of crushed helplessness. In the
face OF some social problems the vast
majority OF US are helpless. We know
that certain evils exist, but our helpless
ness has engendered cowardice and We
prefer not to be reminded of what We feel
we cannot help. These things are for the
sociologists. crimonologists. neurologists,
not for the playgoer The only good.
perhaps, which The Easiest Way" can
do. is TO give US a shuddering reminder Of
what we should all avoid. The trouble Is
that these object lessons do not reach the
people who are in need OF them.
Does cleverness Of technique IN its con-
struction and good acting in its presen-
4ation atone, in a play, for an utter lack
OF moral quality in it's theme? Hardly
so, unless, perhaps, the first mentioned
high qualities are augmented by
powerful moral at the close, depreciating
the conditions set forth in the drama, and
pointing out some way whereby those
participating therein may rise TO higher
things The Great Divide" for instance,
has a most repulsive opening, showing
man who, by evil association and careless
living, has been drawn into participation
in an attempt at the lowest rated crime
known TO man, but pure love comes to
him. and at the finish he is shown re-
5uvenated in moral character.
In The Easiest Way no such result
is apparent: indeed. there is faint evil
dsnce OF any such purpose. Upon an
aIysis. II seems TO be just a plain
recital OF the sordid and narrowing de-
tails connected with q life Of moral OBJ
uqufty, and the circumstances seem to
conspire toward the ruin OF the heroine
throughout. never. at any point. reveal
ing any method or escape, nor is the
charm OF poetic or musical expression
invoked. No one can question its fidelity
20 human life, for the distressing condi-
tons depicted in Mr.. Walters play are
visible IN everyday life 20 greater or
lesser extent. which fact brings the ques-
tion 10 the point. II such things are alb
horent in their actually, why not more
so when pietorially presented upon the
stage? That is about what the thing
amounts TO, and il is a great pity that
playwright of such high mentality and
attachments as Nr. Walters could not find
q more pleasing subject.
Harold B. Chase, class II, University
of Pennsylvania and son Of P B. Chase.
OF Washington, has been elected to the
advisory board of the Pennsylvania, the
university paper. For more than a year
he has been circulating medium for the
Punch Bowl" another college publica-
ton. Upon completion Of his course at
Pennsylvania next year, young Mr..
Chase will come to Washington for a
course az a local law school, and win be
associated during that time with the
management Of Chase's Theater.