Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-31
Columbia.

At the critical juncture of The Chal-
lenge." presented at the Columbia Thea
ter last night. the audience man tested
powerful but conflicting emotions. The
play had worked up through much that
/ is unusual to climax that is supreme y
extraordinary. The hero of the story is
a typographical engineer who. notwith-
standing his love for the girl who owns
property and refuses to vacate. is de-
! termined 10 do his duty At the conclu-
sion the girl surrenders both herself and
the property While the tasic principle
of the plot is not novel. its treatment
is extremely SO. both in writing and in
acting. The relation of the principal
characters is clearly defined. and its out
come is according to the accepted rule.
The method of accomplishing a romantic
finale is ruggedly unique. Compared to
this lEStN young engineer and the young
woman who puts in her time lassCing
strangers by the foot and shooting Up
the works. Pc,ruchio was molycoddle
and Catherine shrinking violet The
climax at tie close of the third act re-
suits from hand to hand struggle be-
tween the girl and the man. 1t is
struggle for the possession of a six shoot
OF. for tho Young lady is absolutely de-
termined TO aSsaS snate the intruder,
whom she regards as responsible for the
flooding of her land and the destruction
of her Nlive stock
Noises of bursting dams are heard in
the distance, and the water somewhere is
making its way toward the particular
house in which the combat occurs. But
it is cisureiy and obnglng freshet ana
does not arrive until after the fight Is
concluded and the curtain is Tung down
In the meantime the man and the girl are
engaged in desperate conflict 1t is a
, wrestling match. mostly on Graeco-R o-
man lines. with the strange hold not
barred 1t carries the combatants clear
turning table and threatening to dis
locate the back drop. At last the man
succeeds in forcing the girls hands be-
hind her. his arms encirclins her in order
that his hands may hold her wrists. Re-
alizing that she has been conquered her
head droops slowly till it rests on his
shoulder. and-he kisses her. 1t remains
only for the orchestra to play waltz a
la Merry Widow The episode is auda-
cious. It's psychology is not beyond the
range of possibility. but the method of
presenting it needs the utmost dizziness
to prevent the sublime from becoming
hopclessly entanSled with the ridiculous.
The emotions of the audience found cx-
preston in laughter and applause; both
Enthusiastically sincere.
Throughout the performance crude en-
phaSiS asserts itself where more delicate
forms of expression ought to suffice. A
woman in cowboy costume. and the readi-
ness of a girl trained to self-reiance IN
the western wilderness to defend her
rights by physical combat is not beyond
the realm of plausible acceptability. The
role however, is intrinsically so uncon-
ventional that it's treatment needs ideal
iZation and not eXaggeration.
The hero, role allotted to MIR. Guy Bates
as a star part. is INSTANTANEOUS in sew
eral respects. lie is an ex-convict and
the author has shown undue reluctance in
providing him with the customary eX-
tenuating circumstances. His attitude in
the plot though necessary to the devel-
opment of the story. is unchivalrous. so
far as superficial impression is concerned.
and his lines do not give any great OPP
portunity for declamatory vigor or poetic
warmth Miss Maud Gilbert is an actress
| of graceful and magnetic personality, who
has studied the requirements of a most
difficult character with careful intelli-
gence AS an individual picture 1t has a
fascinating interest which is hindered
ONLY bv the incidents in which the story
involves hcr Richard Taber makes a
brisk and lil<able modern yonngster or
the engineers friend. and Francis Car
lyle is good actor with opportunities
which present themselves rather spas
medically.
The popularity of Mr.. Post. earned
through long acquaintance. and the ap-
probation of Miss Gilbcrt's excellent work
was testified to by repeated curtain calls