New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-22
THE PLAYGOER
A Middle of First Nights
John Mason's Superb Work
in "The Attack"

We're 10 have been TWO pay ia CSShINN
on one night until the powers that be
discovered the conflicting dates and
changed one Of the openings. Next
week there are TO be four on one night
viz, at DAYS the Hudson, the
Knickerbocker and the Moulin Rouge.
The Attack" is disappointing after
all the to-do that was made about 1t
last season when it was produced in
Paris. Guitry of course, lent il power;
but so does John Mason. TO say again
that Mason's acting is mastery Is
genuine pleasure. Mason gives to the
play-in its Englished form, at any rate
all the interest it possesses. In this
play Bernstein has moved backward
He is frankly working for curtains,
and il, by so much, frankly old-fash-
toned. Consider the endins o. the sec
ond act: Merital tells the glrl he loves
that he has been thief. and then he
goes away TO the trial of his libel suit
leaving the girl alone. 10 draw such
conclusions - ShC may.
What a man Of Mcritals strong and
fine character would have done-on the
stage-would have been quite different.
He would have explained at once to the
woman he loved that his theft was
committed TO save from starvation his
Young wife, now long dead, but then
about TO become a mother, that by
hard work and sacrifice he HAD suisse
qucntly made restitution OF the stolen
money. and that his sufferings OF that
time had stirred within him the germ
Of principle" He would not have left
Renee in suspense But on such lines
Bernstein would have had no third act
lie leaves all this so that he may have
an effective curtain" for the ending
OF his play
Bernstein does not work his trick as
cleverly in this play as he has done 1t
before. Perhaps the simplicity Of his
theme troubled him. He was not fol-
lowing his usual course, with q love
problem. But he could not get away
from the stage to real life, OF into a
life which an American audience can
understand or with which it can sym
patbize. What had Merital TO fear?
That is what the audiences in Both
street will ask themselves, although
tho audiences in Paris may not have
put the question. Tell the truth
should have been Meritars guiding
motto. His restitution. lis thirty years
Of honorable and distinguished life,
would have made harmless any scan
dar' arising from the trouble Of his
youth The world has passed far be-
yond Bernstein's view of the case. or
il this is not so in France it is so in
this country, and That ts one reason
why the play may not seize our public.
There is more charity OF opinion for
such affairs than in former years. y
man is not to be forever pursued and
forever punished for the slips OF his
youth. certainly not when, IS with
Aerital, gricvous affection vas tho
.ause Of an offence for which he had
made full atonement. Bernstein is
soeking to give US a stage situation
not much else.
. But with what art John Mason plays
Merital's anger. his tenderness, his
patience. his irritation, his sorrow, his
resentment his love, his courage-all
these in swift succession he depicts 20
admiration. And the reserve power Of
the man, You feel that no emergency
will find him lacking; that any demand
the character and the situations may
make upon his powers as an actor will
he filed amply. with power to spare.
ON the first night YOU felt that what
ever might happen TO the play nothing
could happen to M0son-he would go
through successfully. And he did But
every one would like to see him in a
play more worthy of his powers.
The staging Of The Attack OK
hibited a refinement Of taste which has
100 long been absent from certain the
aires wherein adaptations from the
French have been performed during
tho last three or four seasons. Doubt
less there was the Paris model to as
sist But the Paris models have cX
listed in the other cases, and have
probably been passed over without too
close TN observation Of detail, How
ever that may be, The Attack is set
with real appreciation of color and
artistic effect The programme says,