New-York tribune., 1911-12-05
THE: DRAMA
Ethel Barrymore in "The Wit
ness for the Defence"
Tho Irish Players in Pieces by
synge and Boyle.
r,sie Ferguson's Return to New
York.

York.
,rss Barrymore conquered her audience.
=. ono way it was not difficult to do this,
,..a,se. from the first moments of the
,isv an the sympathy Of the audience was
.,,b the troubled woman she portrayed. In
.,other way the conquest was difficult, be-
,a.se. no matter how deep and how
s,-onr the springs OF sympathy may flow,
-. Interpretation Of the character of Stella
,s,lsrtvre demands from the actress not
.irtensest feeling and deep sincerity, but
s..,.le and exquisite art These demands.
ia and incessant, Miss Barrymore met
.rd fulfilled without at any moment over
aof,s her exacting task. She has not acted
CIV other part so we'll as this. 1t is not
,,,, ~ her. She has acted II two months
4, otber cities. Her work, as well IS that
-, her associates in this play was familiar
- the present writer before the perform
or,e Al the Empire Theatre last night
..rbe Witness for the Defence" by A. E.
" Mason. was one Of London's chief sue
.ssses last season. IL was played at the
81 James's George Alexander mot then
trichteO had the part which Mr.. a. l..
Anson takes here. and takes as If 1t be-
Ionred to him by every right Of fitness
Henry Throsk, barrister. defeated lover
witness for the defence. Leslie Faber had
IN I.oudon the same role he acts at the En-
p'rc-a refreshing presence-and Ethel r.
vim won there. as Stella, honors no less
distinguished than those now iiung with
enthusiasm 10 Ethel Barrymore.
u may have been managerial aversion
20 fve-act plays Of modern life that caused
Mr. Mason to describe "The Witness for
the Defence" as a four-act piece. The play
IS actually in five acts, the passage Of more
than month being indicated midway of
Act IT" by the lowering Of the curtain.
Had the third and fourth acts been com
rressed into one there would have been a
substantial gain in constructive effect and
dramatic power. But even as il stands
and acted as it is by a company unusually
well balanced. uncommonly skilled in most
~ its members. THE Witness for the De-
fence" is a drama conspicuous in merit An
evening spent in beholding it at the En-
pire Is an evening gained.
The better some plays are the more is
taken from them by any long account OF
rIot and action. and then the less effective
becomes their thrust and unfoldment in
performance. This play Is one for which
the details Of movement may best be re-
served 70 the playing itself Bare outline
N what occurs viii be enough for the
critics narrative Henry Thresk, barris-
te-. Of London, visits India, where he calls
uron a former sweetheart, now some years
married 10 an officer Of the Civil Service.
stephen Ballautyne, a coward, most COW
ardly and british in his cups. In Thresk' s
presence Stella Ballantyne is Inundated
grossly insulted by her husband. After
Thresk's departure she resolves on suicide
but instead Of killing herself kills her hus-
band point for which gratitude may
be expressed to the dramatist is that the
EllinS does not take place within sight or
hearing Of the audience. What leads up 70
80 is seen, and that Is grim enough. The
aimed rife IS seen just as the first curtain
falls The shot. the tragedy the wearing
episodes Of two following years. are left 10
the imaginatiou Of tho audience. Persons
most easily appealed TO by large type and
noise may require gore, powder and dec
Iamat!on. but the simple suggestion in the
stage business Of this incident will be
enough for others. Mr.. Mason, substituting
The simplicity of suggestion for the large
caps and explosions Of melodrama, credits
his audience with intelligent imagination
and leaves an interlude for emphasis.
When the second act begins, two year.
have passed over the lives OF the persons
n tho story. stella is then in England
She has been tried for murder in Bombay
and acquitted on the testimony Of Thresk
who has honorably perjured himself IN hei
defence. How she comes 10 love young
Ergllshman. Aow, AT Thresk's insistence
,hs latter is told by her the truth Of the
Aom.cldc. and how an ends with the hap
u1ess which audiences exact as by right
divine. YOU may see FOR yourself in the
theatre. Perhaps you are Of those who
find so little compensation I'm real life that
You demand il OF the mimic life Of the
playhouse. or you may wish 10 congratu-
late Thresk upon his loss of the lady. But
anyhow you look at it, YOU will admire the
acting Ct Miss Barrymore, be interested by
NJ Mas5n's story, and by his telling OF d
good Jhree-quarters Of it.
Nr. Abingdon. an expert in villains, drink
Aards and british men Of position, gives
sladdeIy imner.onation OF the sot and
NS''aAHr A'aIlalli iiNf a man ''-Ar
himself as odiously as he pleascs in jun
el,s and deserts. whatever else he may do
and be among his ncighbors. There are
possibly. two or three touches too much
.n Nr. Ab.Hedou's drawing even though
Hey acceutuste te rather than eXaggerate Tho
facts Of BallalUnes character.
Nr. stallagd. as q half-bothersome, wholly
tL.TU-y old bird OF a man. makes a HkablC
figure in the play He IS there 10 brighter
'Ee spirits of the spectators But this may
.e said without conveying the Inference
that tta play is over sorrowful. 1t con
ts!rs tears for those who would weep
smiles for those who would take theil
pleasure in lighter mood. Perfect play it /.
S9t. bu; play worth seeing It most certainly
% the beginning there is mystery
shadow. and the inevitable approach oi
death. The succeeding hours II pierced viii
struggle ANA poignant confession. and If ac
oompauea by the silent disappointment Of
courageous man. are also 'graced viii
poish'd manners and fine sense anc
blessed with the common sunshine Of life
There are more hearts broken than the
Norla elesses. From their tatters there
cue threads enough for the looms OF the
cramatists Even I'm this play there are
Possibilities which Mr. Mason may ye
NorE into another collection Of acts. In the
meantime. whether for signing or for smil
ing, tls play is commended. And for eooC
acting an round 70 is highly praised.
Ihc Irish Players changed their bin agaiI
20 Maxine EIiotts Theatre last night civ
Ing. and giving well. Synge's touching lit
ul play Of poetic spirit Riders TO th'
Sea- and William Boyle's three-act com
edf The Mineral Workers pleasant
memories of their performance el4eWher'