The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-25
The TheQteTS
1.-THE IRISH PLAYERS"
BY Esther. Griffin White

~ eoSnef. Ofsrtan WnaSe
Those grapes that set Mr.. Wilton
Lackeye's artistic teeth ON edge and
brought forth the observation that the
Irish Players" couldn't act were evil
ty.
After seeing these delightful histri-
ons Mr.. Lackeye is easily understood.
The grapes he masticated 20 savagely
were very. very sour.
The truth is that American actors
actors of any nationality for that mat
ter-may take the lesson OF the Irish
Players to heart and thus md out
what's the matter with the theatrical
situation.
It isn't at all that the players are
Irish
The truth 10 the American public is
very catholic in its theatric appreciA-
ton. 1t doesn't care particularly
whether the actor. or actress, is an
American or a Hindoo or a native OF
Paris, or Kamchatka
What it really wants. although it is
sunk deep within its sub-conscious-
ness, is truthful and realistic inter.
probation, filtered through an unvizual.
| lied artistic medium which is nonetke.
less existent
It wants this. But it doesn't know it
wants it.
1t gropes round blindly through q
maze Of glittering tawdriness, gazes
dissatisfiedly at distorted pictures, ap
plauds the grotesQue, because it rec
ognizes the latter as something genu
ine-but when it finds gem Of pur:
est ray" it grasps it and pins it in its
breast.
To twist a certain famous quotation
you can fool the theatric public part
Of the time. but not all of the time"
| These observations are called forth
by the appearance of the famous the
atrical aggregation known as THE Ir
ish Players" at the Gennett last night
in three plays, THE Rising Of the
Moon" and "Spreading the News" by
Lady Gregory. and 1.-The Building
Fund" by William Boyle.
The history and origin of this or
ganization has been commented upon
at length in the Palladium and the 10
cal public knows that the members OF
the company are not drawn from the
rank of the Legitimate" but are the
product of the Abbey School of Acting
conducted by the Abbey Theater, in
Dublin, and are, therefore, entirely un
hampered by the ordinary theatric con
ventions.
| That, however, they do not violate
any fixed rule of dramatic art, by ig
noring it's artificialities, was seen in
may SO be put, in the presentations OF
last evening.
Their exits, in instance, were exits
or rather they weren't "exits"-they
were just going out" as people leave
a room or a locality.
| This in itself, was a relief.
| While it is denied that exiting" il
done nowadays by other than stocl
and repertoire actors, it still holds. Gel
constantly to be seen exiting.
| The absolute simplicity and natural
ness, indeed, of the Irish Players
which Is, of course, admittedly theil
dramatic ideal, is their most compel
ling manifestation.
| Lady Gregory, in the two shor1
plays put on here last evening, shows
herself a skilful playwright as we'll a,
the possessor Of the comic spirit" the
first THE Rising Of the Moon" being
invested with certain poetic charm
aside from that induced by its setting
1t is the story of a policeman, imper
sonated by Mr.. Arthur Sinclair, on th<
lookout for certain offender, fol
whose apprehension a reward of ont
hundred pounds is offered, ant
the struggle between his cupidit.
when he finds that a certain "ballat
singer" taken by ]. NJ. Kerrigan, VIII,