Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-07
THE EASIEST WAY
PRESENTS STRONG,
FORCEFUL MORAL
Miss Frances Starr and Cast
POrtrays Underworld at
The Newark.
PROCTOR BILL GOOD;
ACTS MUCH APPLAUDED
Columbia, Empire and VALID
mann's Have Good Attrac-
lions, as Usual.
THE EASIEST WAY"
An American play concerning a par
= ticular phase of New York life
in -four acts and four scene
u. In.nnrnno AALnltar

- ticular phase of New YORK lie
in four acts and four scenes
BY Eugene Walter.
Of the play:
John Madison. 49,. Edward H. Robins
Willard Brockton. Joseph Kilgour
lin Weston. ...........John P. Drawn
Laura Murdoch. Frances Starr
Ellie ST. Clair. ........ Louise Randolph
Annie. Violet Rand
The broad u crooked lane which
branches off from the path commonly
described as straight and narrow
the fork having angles smoothed into
alluring curves that invite hayward
feet. and presenting a brief vista OF
shining blue skies and brightly colored
flowers, even though designated by q
sign-board bearing the legend The
Easiest Way is eve prove to con-
ceal misery untold beyond the first
turn. The flowers wither at the first
touch, and the skies only appeared
blue.
Along this path wandered a young
girl marvelously fair and sweet, just
made for laughter n happiness, of
innocent eye, and unsuspecting heart,
treading lightly and passing the flow
ers, being absorbed, perhaps, in scan
ming the seemingly bright skies. She
had idly turned in there, attracted by
the sign-board, and assured by her
companion, aeons older in years and eX-
perience, one who might qualify as an
official guide, hat everyone does.
Then her eyes fell to the pretty flow
ers and she plucked gay blossoms, only
to see them wither, while some thrust
,,o1N +hopna fnfo hpr 6n1inafo hands
She turned about and saw a figure
with honest eyes and outstretched
hands standing in the little roads
well-worn with ruts, and she ran back
and started along a rut, but It was
very long, and she was hungry and
weak, and she knew there was food
along the broad path. So she stayed
the youth with promises and lies and
sped back. She found the food and
the guide led the way to the turn,
where misery sprang out, thenceforth
to be her invisible companion.
Powerful, skiIfuI Drama.
Such, in brief, is the powerful drama,
SO skillfully designed and moulded by
Eugene Walter, that plays battiedore
and shuttlecock with our emotions
and sensioilities, and leaves us bruised
and gasping, impaled on the great
question, Can this thing be-" 1t
tackles a great question and strips it
bare. its filth and squalor only accen-
tuated by the soft satins and lace in
which 1t p~arades. And to what end?
teach a lesson? Perhaps-but does
it?\ Does it teach those who are with
out the pale of possible hunger or
temptation and ignorant, a way by
they can help their straying sis
tiers to struggle along in the narrow
path? Does it fill those who are weak
and might be hungry or tempted with a
horror SO great that they would be pre-
vented from straying? And does it
give to any who may have turned down
the broad path the determination to
face about and be strong, in spite of
all odds? Does the final reckless dash
to Rector's ito mako a hit made by
Laura, through hopeless misery, a
victim of circumstances, Gre
ated by her own weak self, offset, in
it's tragedy, the near-happiness of en-
Ellie, the degradation of whose
is agreeably covered over with fine
raiment, a queer philosophy, a matter
of-fact and ~good-natured motto to
grab everything you can get, for you
break a mans heart, you car
only fracture his bank roll" and all
the material comforts, from American
Beauty roses-a reward for nearly
kicking him downstairs''-to a player
piano, to which she must be staked by
Jerry?'
Those ~large-and long-questions will
be left for you to decide. Our personal
opinion is in the negative. There is
much to be said on both sides. Nc n
can say that 1t entertains 1t is not
meant for that.
Had Chance to Reform.
There was q splendid chance for
Laura to reform. She had erred, but
she had met the right man, had gone
back to New York to work honestly
and wait until lie had money enough
saved to build their home. She even
met with no opposition from the other
man. But she was not a good actress,
she could o find work, and so, when
the landlady threatened and she was
hungry, she fell at h temperance
of the other man. And there h was
not honest-she lied to the one and de-