Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-07
ADJUSTMENTS.
Columbia.

An interesting departure from the beat
en- paths of theatrical entertainment is
afforded the auditor at the Columbia The
alter this week. "Milestones" bases its
claim to distinction on novelty of con-
struction rather than Importance of idea.
1t is serenely pictorial. an elaborate ar
| ray Of costuming and makeup being en-
ployed to illustrate the matter-of-fact
manner in which human events repeat
themselves from generation to generation.
The plot is a genealogical tree. The SEN
timent is safely rooted in the conven-
tionalities of romance. II has its prob
lems-the conflict between impulsive
youth and cautious age being the one that
tinges the work with thoughtful interest.
Intricacies of family relationship are
presented with clearness that repre-
sents panstaking effort, and the embel-
lishments of incident are endowed with
vitality that is remarkable considering
the Importance which details of mathe-
MATES and mechanism necessarily as
sumo.
In spite of the excursions into the un-
conventional which have characterized
the other work of both Mr.. Arnold Ben
nttt and Mr.. Edward knoblauch, Mile
is cynical: but synical in SO diffident and
apologize a way that it's originality of
form is allowed full and conspicuous adj
vantage. No striking thought is permit
ted to intrude In the inevitable course or
human events that is depicted The sem
timent required for play is provided by
the well recognized principle of romantic
fiction that when a youth and maid
love 1t is dangerous for parental author
ity to attempt an autocratic interference.
The moral is pointed by the pathetlc
spinsterhood of the woman who could not
marry the right man :nd by the dull,
commonplace existence to which the man
is doomed because he insisted on tread
ing the beaten way. In order to point
this moral more keenly the play makes
the suitors who affront parental author
ity inventors who are pecuniarlly sue
cessful. 1t is the fortunate privilege OF
the dramatlSt to present the eXceptlonal
instance as the basis of a generalization.
But the dash and ardor of life are in
teresting; the restraint of prudence is
not. Youthful impulse. like the other
stupendous forces of nature, is sublime
and powerful. Old age relinquishes its
ambitions, feeling that what has been
done with so much toll and self-denial
must he worth preserving, Yet forced to
surrender its standards step by step.
All this is we'll known but "Milestones"
diagrams the proposition into three
scenes, during which conversation is ex-
changed without leading to any episode
which really thrills with the warm red
pulsing of defiant individuality. Even the
inventor, whose commercial instinct gives
him faith in ships of steel to replace ships
of wood. consents to wait on his bank
account for the girl who would elope with
him on the instant if his practical judg-
ment had permitted him to waver by SO
much as the tremble of eyelash. 1t
is a procession of families, each plodding
along with faint protest toward the 1pev-
liable
The French have said that the differ
ence between French comedy and Eng
lish comedy is that, while in France, the
authors conclude the play with mar
riage, the English go on and rear chill
dren. "Milestones" goes still further and
introduces us to the grandchildren. 1t
would be quite possible to proceed, like q
Chimes play carrying the repetition OF
family history into centuries beyond.
The play Is so complicated study OIL
technique that the matters of costume
and makeup take on an extraordinary i'm
portance and these details are we'll at
tended to. The panorama of generations
is picturesque reminder of the people of
other days. the superficial we'll as the
serious types being we'll delineated by an
evenly balanced company, in which NAL
colin Cherry and Miss Gwendolyn Floyd
meet the most conspicuous responsibilities
with distinct success.
Its cleverness of craftsmanship. both In
the writing and in the acting, gives
..Milestones" far greater interest than
usually attends the theatrical production
which is frankly and first of all study
for novelty of form.