New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-27
4 SCRAPE: 0 THE PEN
uoHat's Folk Play at Weber'S
picturesque, but Not Vital.
LAS PLEASING SIMPLICITY
p,av Written for It's Atmos-
rbere Rather than for
It's Drama.

Thpre Is Cu'HSH VI "ii'e'''N '''NN 80
,,,ham Moffat's latest sketch "A scrape
4 ~ Pen" 70 make q good little one
,o,k play. In fact, the Scotch comedy
,...d for the first time in New York at
r.A.r.s Theatre last night looked and
.,dsd very much as though 1t had been
4dosIly a one-act piece expanded to
=. an evenings entertainment. II also
:, ,be unconscious air OF being an ear
. ), work than the celebrated "Bunty."
4 a,ough which Mr.. Moffat has won an
i liable reputation in this country as a
.,ywright and an artist. No such infor-
.,aon about the play is. however, forth
.,.ns Mr.. MofIat has offered "A Scrape
ns Pen" as his latest work, and as
..h Il must be accepted. II is not
q a, clean cut. virile achievement that
q ~srn,y" was. but II is entertaining I'm a
4 net way.
not that the procedure OF the play was
A LEI last night. on the contrary ST was
4 rther noisy Weber's lie a ve-y small
4 asstre-denghtfully small. indeed The
a AYERS who are appearing in the piece
a ..,sd and spoke az though they were not
4 ,,nstomed to an Intimate playhouse.
A sslr speaking voices, their laughter and
Asr shouting were all pitched for a
s.stre Of the proportions Of the Man
,,esn Opera House, and this did away
a a certain extent with the cosiness Of
i 10 AFFAIR
"A scrape O. the Pen" is q much
vyher little play than ''Bunty." 1t pre-
vr,s mountain folk of the outdoor kind.
nd with not much education except what
hsy have culled from nature. the Bible
,od each other Tho theme Is OF the
suplest. The son OF the house-a bad ono
Las been gone these seven years. The
w1ng woman he married secretly just
s.ore he disappeared is happily married
ga better man. when he suddenly re-
j rms from Central Africa The child
4 Ast another woman bore the 'scape-
rare" is upstairs. asleep. Tho hith-
a ITO quiet and happy household-his
4 sther and mother. his wife and her
4 ..sssnd-face disruption II the prodiSal
4 aims his own and proves his right by
3 xsssnting the marriage certificate which
4 II then had been kept hidden. The Ger
4 .scste is legal II makes the woman his
ylis but IT is merely a scrape o the
4 IN. He tears II UP and throws II in the
I rate
Z Three acts and four scenes, largely COM
osed OF atmos pheTe, are taken up in the
4 cling OF this simple tale. The festivi-
q 1ss held in celebration of the New Year
4 .nm the chief item Of interest in the de-
1 Enytye parts Of the play. The welcom-
1 Eg Of the new year $50 at midnight at
he village cross. M!nnihive. the hosp
4 atty amongst neighbors, the cookies and
& tie strong drink, then the bells ringing
md the Joining hands for singing Aud
Lang Syns," make n delightful little
Isne. In spite Of the fact that II all has
3 title or nothing TO do with the drama.
q Is Just fol&-play. and that when It is
! re 10 life. is always charming.
A he conventional low comedy which IS
tgred into the scenes in the persons OF
a u paid nlourner from Edinburgh and
q q. village fool Is q mistake. II IS a PITY
4 Ia, this was thought necessary.
"A scrape o. the Pen" was produced In
s Jadoa early this month. and the critics
q we're for the most part less than luke
q ram Some of them were frankly bored.
:nce the opening the piece has been re-
s. ssd for London. Just what the re-
rsions we're is not known. nor is II yet
rnounced whether they will also be made
{ the version offered here.
j Perhaps no revIsions will be thought
iscessary In New York Those who know
he Draw Hollands" may like this little
4 'ay, with its snatches Of rough sincerity
nd kind spirit as well as they liked
i 5unty" for l,s sharper humors, It's keen
hsrscterization and it's perfect form.
Graham Moffat knows his Scots people
Fsa That fact shows up IN THE
sgspe." as Il Old IN "Bunty.'
word should be said for Mrs. Moffat's
Hsiames and for the scenery provided.
10Th were mellow and interesting. The
tts scene at the village cross was TN
q ausily intimate and real.
Tue actors who have come from Lon
sa-or are they all from Scotland?-to
resent this play 90 a satisfactory rem
aerrg Of parts Of which went at
u deeply Into ,er. Agnes Bar
hoonew and ca .c. as Leezie and
Astths Inglis, auc zen Baird. as Flora
~eGhp. had the o,...Ie OF the stage and
occupied 1t with nice case Of manner.
spits Of its utter simplicity, however.
lether play nor acting belongs. az might
expected, 10 the genuinely natural
thool.
cAsT OF "a scRAPE o THE PEN"
Miss Jean Evans