New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-26
Ides ECkert GOOdman'S Weak
pIay on a Strong Subject.
SOME EXCELLENT ACTING
crecial Matinees Take the
Place of Proposed Sun
day Performances.

18th Street Theatre, a series OF spe-
.,oI rnetinees, in which the first item Is
,be plav said 10 have been selected for
.to Arst OF the Sunday performances.
Trhs nlay is named THE Point OF View"
II. author Is Jules Eckert Goodman. who
rrote Mother" a crude but successful
risce OF q recent season. II is to be
so,ed that the succeeding plays in Mr..
prady's special series will be superior TO
"The Point Of View"
Doss marriage right the wrong cone by
O man who takes all from a woman he
docs not love? This is the question Mr..
Goodman raises in his play. He answers
,hs question with an emphatic Mo-
IN the circumstances set forth by this
author there will be few 10 disagree with
his conclusion, though not many may care,
ar dare, to express their agreement with
him. A good deal Of cant is talked on
this subject in the everyday world, and
qood deal OF harm hds been done 10
human lives by carrying out the DEGREES
Of cant. Mr.. Goodman's purpose is TO
show the world its own hypocrisy. In
this purpose ne may succeed to some de-
gree, but he has not succeeded in making
good play. He has made a very poor
plsy. With proper guidance II might
have been made a very good play. con-
sistent. artistic, powerful But IT is APP
paIingly crude, IN some respects rdicu-
.lously crude It contains an entirely
superfuous act; two foolish characters
that have nothing whatever to do with
the story; much dialogue that the matt
nee audience accepted as wit, but Is
merely unmitgated slang; incidents that
are so Enthusiastically overcolored that they
have the effect Of cheap daubs, and coin
cldences so thoroughly Of the theatre
rather than of life that they rob their
moments Of the power to convince.
Il cannot be denied, though, that MI
Goodman has at times keen eye for
scene. The point is, however, that he
sees his scenes, or presents them, as sep
arated episodes, so many points in an
act. or in a play. He does not relate
them or connect them with skill And he
seems 10 have no idea how TO Tighten his
play without dragging in characters VINO
are wholly unconcerned with II. lie
seems TO have said 10 himself: I'VE must
have a laugh here. and another there" and
then 10 have brought In an impossible
person, and a silly incident. for that pur-
pose alone, with no regard for the IL
ness Of things. Again the question arises:
Why are not defects Of this kind, so
commonly occurring on the stage, de-
tected al rehearsal and then eradicatsd?
~ 1l.1 Co. q
new profession: that Of a Saver of Plays.
Good judgment, good taste, some world
~ wisdom, and a more than ordinary eX-
per!encC Of the theatre could have aided
Mr. Goodman in making his drama a
finished and powerful work. But such
aid seems seldom sought by playwrights
or managers. or II sought, rarely utilized.
Myra Dimsley comes to New York 70
cultivate her voice and obtain an engage
ment at the Metropolitan opera House.
She is determined 10 make "a career"
OF course, she goes about II In the wrong
way certainly she does not 90 about II
In a way that leads to the Metropolitan
Opera, as the playwright might have
known or ascertained. But even this
may be passed over. The girl falls in
love with q Robert Lawton, cheerful
young scapegrace Of ricn family. Law
ton wooes her under a name not his own.
He does not love her, but he takes all
she has 20 give. She disappears. Frances
IRwton, Roberts sister, an heiress de-
voted 10 good works. finds Myra a pa
tent in q maternity hospital Frances,
bent upon her rescue work, becomes fond
Of the girl and takes her to her own
home, never dreaming that her own
brother, Robert, is the girls betrayer. OF
course, Robert and Myra meet in
FTances's home. Robert meantime has
become engaged TO marry anOthc- girl.
But he now thinks II his duty 10 marry
Ayra, who rejects his proposal because
he does not love her. Marriage would
make q bad matter worse, she says, and
she Is right Her child is dead, and TO
that extent matters are sImplihed. Up
country is a man who loves Myra and 20
whom she was engaged, or about 70 be-
come engaged, before her enlargement
with Robert This man is Stephen
Wright, to whom she tells her unhappy
story. Wright is big minded. as well as
loving. lie again urges her to be his
wife. She is on the point OF consent
ing, when Robert appears once more.
Myrs, now trying to save her benefac-
tress, Frances, from discovering Roberts
past relation with herself, and TO save
Robert from Stephens anger, lies away
hor own hope and her own character.
She had sold herself for money. she de-
clares. sold herself 10 others. Robert and
Frances. believing this astonishing dec
laration, depart. Stephen, who does not
believe II, remains. Myra, touched by his
faith, falls weeping and rejoiced in his
arms. Here, at the close Of the third act,
L. the end Of the play. But Mr.. Goodman
goes Oh for another act, quite a needless
act 1t does not forward the fortunes OF
the play so far as Myra, Stephen or Rob-
ert is concerned. II does put Frances
into a matrimonial engagement OF her
own. The spectator is, on that account,
rather sorry for Frances. She is quite the
best person In the play, and the best
acted. A wholesome. gracious, kind heart
ed woman Of the world. Lucille Watson
acts this part, ard acts Il to everybody's
admiration. Emily Stevens is Myra. and
In the emotional scene OF the third act she
attracted general and loud applause. The
necessary burden OF the moment did not
overweight her, although she in no way
departed from the conventions Of the
stage in playing this kind OF a scene.
Has IL ever occurred 20 an actress, an
author or a producer that there If
another WAY 10 act this kind of scene a