Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-25
WHERE THE TRAIL
DIVIDES SHOWS
INDIAN SUPERMAN
Robert Edeson, at the Newark,
POrtrays Redskin of Sur.
passing Nobility.
CARELESS SOPHOMORE"
SUCCEEDS AT PROCTOR'S
AT Other Theatres, Too, There Il
Abundance of Wit, HumOr,
Fun and Beauty.
d ATTERNED after the old-stylo

u AFFIRMED after the old-stylo
melodrama, but mixed with a
little of the modern problem"
play, Where the Trail Divides" the
attraction at the Newark Theatre this
week, pleased an enthusiastic audience
at that playhouse last night. The
play is written by Robert Edeson, who
also plays the leading role. Although
Mr.. Edeson wrote a pleasing play, it
is, nevertheless, certain that he is a
better actor than playwright.
The play Is in three acts, N treats
of the West. It's theme revolves around
2 white girl who marries an Indian
and subsequently regrets doing so. 1t
treats of the nobility of the redskin
and the frailty of woman The time
worn and much-talked-about treach-
cry of the native American is torn to
shreds in this play, and, instead Of the
rev, lgeful savage, the audience sees
a God-like creature, a man who, al
though deprived of a wife by the
villainy of a cultured white man, re-
turns good for evil.
Full of Western Color.
All of the three scenes are laid In
south Dakota and naturally are full
Of western color. The drunken COW
puncher of whom everybody is afraid
is given his inning. The town marshal
and the grocer man are all pictured.
But none of the Western characters is
overdrawn. The author has guarded
against the exaggeration of the cow
10y type and has sensibly clothed his
haracters in modern dress.
AS a straight melodrama, Where the
Trail Divides'' is good. 1t falls only
when it touches on the deep subject
of interracial marriage. If Mr.. Edeson
intended to argue against the advis-
ability of such marriages he did not
put forth a very strong argument.
True, he showed hat the white girls
remained with the Indian only four
months, blu he also showed that dur
ing those four months the poor girl
had no companionship but that of her
husband and a few Mexican servants
and cowboys. On top of this. the
world frowned upon the. marriage. Left
alone with her mind and the cold of a
Western winter it's NJ wonder that the
young wife began to think strange
things, no wonder that she succumbed
to the pleadings of a dashing East
erner as readily as she did. n then,
also. there rang in her ears h cal
of the East. She had been there o
enough to be dazzled by It's brightness
and longed to see more of it,
Doesn't Anow for Homesickness.
Mr.. Blossoms argument was MOI at
all strong. Many a young wife who
has married the mar of her choice and
her peoples choice becomes lonesome
a. 49, - f1xx. ~-<AIy1 - a4Nrtn
life away from home. That should
have been allowed for There are
enough other good things in the play,
however, to insure its success.
A picture of the West always APP
with it, and in this play the pictures
of Coyote City seemed real, at times
humorous, always interesting.
Robert Edeson has played Indian
characters long enough to know just
how to do 1t. His portrayal is free
and natural. 1t is difficult to imperson-
ate q character of this kind, for in ad-
dition to the instincts of the Indian
his character possessed the education
of a white man. He had associated
with white men for years and was real
" part of them. The star deserves to
be praised for his work
There is another first-class actor In
the company, and that is George w
Barnum. Mr.. Barnum played Bob
Manning, the old grocer. He did it so
well that his continued presence on
the stage was wished for Josephine
Lovett has the honor of playing the
leading feminine role, Bess Lander,
the white wife of the Indian.
Miss Lovett cannot be called
strong She spoke her lines we'll n
went through the stage business salts
factorily, but hei work lacke inspira-
ton. It seemed mechanical. She did
not respond to the h~alf-savage owe of
her lifelong friend and lover.
Shep Camp as Bud Smith was fat
and funny, and Cordelia Mcdonald,
the WILDLY was good.
The performance last night was for
the benefit of the Young Mems Catho-
lie Association, and was well attended.