New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-04
THE GHOST BREAKER
New Play at the Lyceum
Theatre.
PLENTY OF LAUGHTER
Come Romance, Several Thrills
and Some Capital Stage
Settings.

Tho proGrammc does not venture upon
,.e,ition OF The Ghost Breaker" by
49,, mickey and Charles W. Goddard. the
s,av which had its first performance in
,.s,s c,tv last night at the Lyceum The
SEQ I, starts a. good romantic melo-
Lama with a darkened stage, two shots
..,,bo,t. door forced open, and woman
scanning out Of bed. who turns on the
-, and bravely confronts the intruder.
NJ arc in A suite In New York hotel,
nd u il O'Clock IN the morning. The IN
,,,,,der is d Young Kcntuckian, who has
,.s, shot a man down In self-defcnce in
.,o,ber room. otter he had been decoyed
,he-c nv a false offer of ending peace
n,uv true Kentucky feud. The woman
n ,ha Princess Maria Theresa Of Aragon.
IN, man pleads for his life: she grants
I, nv hiding him when tho hotel detective
srocks at ner door. But she makes a
condition. This Young fire cater must
.ccompany her 10 her castle at Seeura. in
tsnain 10 slay the ghost that has killed
her father. and perhaps her brother as
nell and to discover the treasure it
,,arls 50 icrcely. Does her highness
,sarv believe in ghosts" asks the Ken
,nckjan. indeed she does. and so will he
once ne reaches Segura. Since this coun-
~, produces trust breakers and strike
h-eakers. why not ghost breakers" says
tho man who has sworn fealty TO her.
Thus far al goes along swimminglv.
The Kentuckian is packed into one OF the
,sdv's trunks and sent off 10 her cabin
q, hoard The Lusitan.a. But henceforth
comic relief takes charge. and forces the
romance moro and mere into the back
Ground. IL even intcrfcres unwarrant-
ahlv with the melodrama when that IS
reached again IN The fourth act Indeed,
this plsy Is another. and an extreme IN
stance OF tho minglinS of genres mat
msses our present drama so difficult TO
classify. II is owing 10 TINS IN essant hid
for laughs that this fourth act which
needs p.i.ing together hard. puts one so
freouenuy in mind of the castle scene ID
The Chimes of Normandy.
In tfc second act there arc. besides inc
yillain-hcr Mghucss's Cousin-tWo comic
central office detectives. who arc com
pletey fooled. there is the comic servant
always al hand. and the hero himself has
an unfaling sense Of humor tnat serves
10 illuminate the American point OF Wow
as eontraste6 with that OF the sonora and
her Spauards II he often spoia se'-
ous point he makes up for it by raising
q laugh.
So here the play is. II amuses. and VIII
bg fourth
has been shortened by good deal Of sup
preston Of the frightened servant.
"The Ghost Breaker Is superbly
mounted. and il H. well acted II. =. War
ner. as the young Kcntuckian, hardly
suggests his native state. but otherwise Is
capital. debonnair. insouciant in the face
Of danger and mighty gunman. kath-
sfine Emmett makes tho princess an at
iractiye rather than a commanding wom-
an 10 the greater danger TO her cham
plon's peace OF mind. William Sampson
wrings every bit Of humor out Of the role
OF the black servant--a good piece OF.
work and Frank II. Westerton. as the
Duke q Aiva, is q s;rikingly distin-
r1ished villain. Frank CampeaU makes.
sinister masterful Spanish bravo. while
Sara Biala has q good dramatic moment
10 the third act.
The play is admirably staged. The
siateroom on the steamer in the second
act with he effect Of motion realistically
sugge.ted through an opened door, or by
the passing Of buoy before the windows.
received a round OF applause, and 20 dio
a beautiful set at the beginning OF the
fourth act. showing the haunted castle by
moonlight
$500. l.,,-e--. mn .r~trr,