New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-17
"CHAINS" DlSAPP0lNTS
Drama Founded On English Play
Does Not Take Itself Seriously.

\ play hat requests the serious attcn-
ton of au audience during -four acts Given
over to the solution OF problem, only 10
throw It's problem out ON The rubbish
heap durius tho last minute OF so OF the
action. is not one that calls for serious
consideration afterward
What satisfaction there may have been
In the original play. Chains" by Eliza
beth Baker only those who saw IL per-
formed In England during the last season
may know. The play was spokra or very
highly as sincere and interesting set
ting forth Of the problem OF the city man
with small income, who has nothing
ahead OF him but drudgcry. ana who
wants 10 90 away 10 the place where be
feels that he can make good Lack Of
money. lack OF courage. family ties. are
the chains that yoke him 10 his desk.
When be goes 10 h.e young wife with
his story Of anxiety 20 get away 10 make
a future for her and for himself IN an
other and more possible place. ard then
to send for Der directly he has his feet
on the ground. she Is brOlson-hcarted ard
tells him be IS tired OF her.
IN Chains the man grows desperate
finally, decides 10 80 in spite Of all oppo-
silon, and leaves q note telling his Vie
what ne dare not tell her face 10 tacr.
Then she comes iu biushing 20 give him
~ great piece OF news more important
than salaries or new places or anything
| else" IN the original, the only other
rebel in the play remarks briefly over
this announcement OF the coming child.
We'll she's got him now"
And that IS the end. The man is
| chained for good and all pathetic and
| sympathetic piece Of work from a young
woman who was telling, IN part her own
story II the play had value at all II was
for the spirit and feeling Its author put
| into IT and not for It's theme alone
The formula for America however. is
certain amount Of comic relief and
! happy ending, together with the subst
! tute Of dollars" for pounds" New
| York" for London" and Bowery slang
for its nearest English equivalent. The
prescription was filled by Porter Emerson
| Browne. who rewrote Chains" for its
| presentation yesterday afternoon at the
HCriterion
Generous doses OF comic relief have
been injected into every scene which
| threatened 10 continue serious for more
| than three or four minutes, and at the
| end, when tho all-important news is
whispered in husbands cor, he says.
| Wen, gee whiz'" and becomes 1ubilant all
OF once. suddenly recollectlng lots ot
| things in his bookkeeping department that
he can improve so that he'll not need to
20 away 10 make a career after ali. The
problem Of existence IS apparently solved
| with the increase in ones family. The
| fact that the man had Just had word that
| his pay was to be locked" that there
was no future for him in the city but
clerking, that the only business he had
! ever studied and cared for was intensive
farmlng-all these things over which we
had mourned with him for four acts were
all at once OF no Importance.
Shelly Hun, who played the part that
| turned out II be so incorsequent, looked
| thoroughly inconsequent from the first In
spite OF his lines the fact that he should
| have ar ambition was unbelievable all
through. Olive Wyndham played agree
! ably as his wife. Edwin Nicander. TO
| whom fell the task Of keeping the audi
| ence laughing during this story OF repres-
sion and struggle, played a slangy sales
man very well. The others were good
along usual lines. Mrs Thomas Whifren,
! to whose lot fell the dreadful necessity OF
I singing a verse OF Abide with Me-" ac-
compllshed the feat with grace that
won her round Of applause
Chains OF this sort are not the kind
| that bind US to the theatre.
CAST or CHAINS
| n. o. s o.