New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-01
ANN BOYD"
Rural Drama at WallaCk'S
Theatre.

I'm our sectional fiction Georgia has
been for many years VIII y. Harbens
exclusive province. He has exploited II
in a number of novels depicting the man
ners. customs. speech and philosophy OF
life Of the rural Georgians that are or In
terest now. and will be of interest here
after on account OF the fidelity OF their
color and their glimpses OF human nature
as il reveals itself under the conditions
of that particular envii onment. POT ne
,ses only as a means 10 his end, and the
fact that one Of his stories. Ann Boyd
contains more plot than most OF tnein' no
doubt led Lucille La Verne TO suggest its
dramatization. as she told the audience
last night at Wallack's, 10 Mr.. Broad
hurst to Charles Klein and TO Clyde
Fitch. who promised to turn the book
into a play for her. but died before he
could do SO Thus it came TO pass that
Miss La Verne made her own dramatic
version. and presented il on the road.
Last evening the play came to Broadway
with Nance ONeill in the title role
Ann Boyd has been married five years
10 her Georgian farmer husband. she Is
happy but Jane Hemenway, her one
time rival. has never forgiven her, even
though she has since been welded ana
widowed and has daughter Jane sue
ceeds in rousing John Bovd's suspicious.
Leaving home for the night. he returns
UNEXPECTEDLY. finds Ann III the arms of
Colonel Chester. of Chester Mansion
she was in reality repulsing him-throws
the Southern aristocrat out OF the house
ana wrings from Ann the confession that
the man had wronged her in her early
youth He obtains a divorce. chiefly on
the ground of Jane Hemenway's testi-
mony and leaves the place taking their
child with him.
Fifteen years have passed when the
curtain rises on the second act Ann Boyd
has become the richest woman OF the
neighborhood- how, We are not told,
though tho book does. She owns the larg-
est and richest farm. she controls the
stock OF the cotton mill. the -four mill,
the bank. She is ostracized. but tolerated
on account OF her wealth. And Jane
Hcmenway still pcrsecutes her. To COM
fort her in her loneliness Ann has adopted
a boy. but he is away now in Atlanta,
making a name for himself az a journal
list All this requires more explanation.
which Is given by the gossiping neighbors.
There has been a clash of Wills for iif-
teen Years but u f. the clash Of wills Of
fiction. not Of drama. And il Is as old as
rural fiction itself Ann Bovd's oppor-
tuuity comes az last She learns that the
son ~ the man who scduccd her has
persuaded Jane Hemcuway's daughter 20
VISIT him at night al the Mansion. She
will let the girl 90 70 her ruin. and
triumph at last over her enemy. But at
this moment her adopted son arrives and
confesses that he loves the girl. where
upon she starts post-hastc 10 save her.
The third act has. therefore what IS
not quite 81 punch. hut might he called a
"punchlet" complicated with comic re-
lief by two drunken visitors. The fourth
act brings q happy ending.
That the character of Ann Boyd con
tains bilites for an actress or
Nance O'Ncins strongly individualized
talent is evident Unfortunately the part
Is not written with sufficient strength 10
give her q wide scope She does her
best. however. With the decidedly mo-
roionous opportunities 70 gives her. The
whole play. indeed. suffers sadly from
/ the iucXperieuce OF the adapter Drama
tizations are but rarely drama. None
/ Of the other members OF the cast rs pro-
vided with q thankful part Lucille La
! Verne. as the vcngeful Jane Hemcnway.
deserves mention. however. FOR con-
sistcut picture OF malignant hatred;
Troderika Hemans gave few moments
~ realistic comic relief az the washtub
in the second act. and Freddie Reynolds
made q duck OF four year-old girl