The Washington times., 1913-03-25
ACCURACY OF WORK
Wins FOR MRS. F|SKE
Effect of "High Road Is One
of Realism Rather Than
Dramatic ArtificiaIity.

THE High Road a pilgrimage in five
acts, with Mrs. Fiske as the star.
opened last night at the New National
Theater. A strong play is the High
Road" Mrs. Fiske is most effective in
the genuineness of her deplcticn-
The story of the High Road IS not
entirely uncommon. Through II runs a
thread of sound morality, and a stra II
of high political aim that is refreshing
In a few spots, tie author might rr"-
duce a little more dramatic effect, out
the whole effect is ono of actqa i.S
rather than of artijiciality. Mrs. tiske,
IL seems in enc or two moments, is hot
frlly up to the dramatic possibility OF
the scene, but the next second her au-
dience realizes that II is really the high
est OF dramatic art to be SO natural
and So calm.
The climax comes in the fourth act.
Mrs Fiske, after battling nobly TO es-
cape the meshes of the political in
tricuer seeking her husbands downfall,
gives UP the fight. She realizes that the
misdeeds of Eer past life have found
her out. Her husband, crushed and
weakened in the crowning hour OF MS
fight for the Presidency, stands in con-
trast to the strength and nobility of her
character. Knowing that perhaps all is
over, she defends her past weaknesses
in the glory of a big work she had ac-
complished in later years.
start. The first scene, laid among the
hills of eastern New York. shows Il lf-
tie country home in the glory OF a
midsummer moonlight night. May Page,
played by Mrs. Fiske, is the central
figure. There in the romantic night,
Alan Wilson, artist, itterateur. cosmo-
polite, woos the charming country iIs S,
whose mind is full Of pictures of beau
o..
Three years later in the grandeur of
Cd Hor IDnf ffS
the man, who at first regarded her as
an, addition to an art collection. and
then came to love her. The thoughts of
Socialism, Of women doWntrodden IN
the grueang factory life. allure the girl
whose life has been filled only with
art, music, and literature.
That night she goes out to become
a factory operator. Eighteen years
later, Governor Barnes, of New York
the Winfield Barnes she had known
loves her for her accomplishments in
the uplift of women They marry.
Barnes runs for the Presidency. John
Stephen Maddox, unscrupulous news
paper owner and trust magnate, know
ing of Mrs. Barnes life with Wilson.
threatens a Senatorial investigation IN
the course of which the whole scandal
viii come out. Mrs Barnes fights
nobly to escape the charges, but fails.
Then she makes a counter move, telling
<nooooSh ohc VIII slNC hCT NClSioIl VI
tn. story and show the motives of
Maddox in his fight against the re-
striction Of women labor. a cause cham
pioned by both Mr.. and Mrs. Barnes.
The investigation is called off.
Mrs. Fiske is splendid as Mary Page,
the romantic girl on the upstate farm,
as the trades union worker, as the gov
ernor's wife. Frederick Perry, in the
part OF Governor Barnes, shows a
strength Of character and purpose that
has the ring of genuineness. In only
one portion of the play is his acting a
bit oyerdrawn-where he proposes to
The act gives a touch of humor. how
ever, and is not sadly out of tune with
the sremainder. of the work. Herbert
Oemcre has the part of Alan Wilson.
He plays well the man of artistic teM-
perament, lacking in human sympathy,
and shut out from the world Arthur