The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-22
NEW DRAMA SHOWS
LIFE IN NEW YORK
.sWhat Happened at o." Pre-
spnted at Harris Theatre,
Is of 1914 Model.
PLENTY OF MELODRAMA
PLAY by Paul Wilstach Teaches
Mistake Of Taking Too
Much for Granted.
PLENTY OF MELODRAMA


Ntsa x FuN ........... EPtar BANKS
Carfuth,rs ............ wadsworth Harris
paul Wus,ach. who made a play out OF
Anato.s frances "Thais." seemed 10 be
k,ep.ue az far as possible from the
pseudo antiquity OF that work In What
Iar,.pcd AZ 22" which John Fisher pro-
duccd last night at the Harris Theatre.
The new play Is OF life in this city
a, this day 1t follows the 1914 model
In delliug with more or less melodramatic
material and is thus Of the same school
a, "on Trial" Innocent" The Trap"
'T'ndc- Cover and tho rest OF the new
pays seen and TO be seen which came
INTO existence IS the result OF within
the Law
The interior Of an employment agency
and the library II residence In New
York are tho frames in which the play
wright has exhibited his characters and
their actions The spectators saw In the
employment agency. which was conducted
nv a forger and crook. a young gentle
woman who had been compelled by her
misfartunes 10 go there in search OF
work.
The vilillr0us proprietor falls in love
with her. but she nevertheless attains her
PURPOSE and Is engaged az companion to
an invalid In a house on Fifth avenue in
which the action passes. Thither the VIII
lain follows her having 20 take employ
p1snt In tho house himself to be near
her His agency Is OF course only
cover FOR his other criminal practices.
But II enables him 10 become a valet
10 the gentleman who lives In Fifth ave-
niue This IL the last house In the
world 10 which ne ever should have come.
since u happens that the master whom
ne has been engaged to serve is the IA
nous attorney who Is at work trying 10
unravel the mysteries OF the forgeries
which his valet has committed
This is the posture of circumstances
in the Fifth avenue house. Here ere
the young girl pursued by criminal.
who loves her and has found a place In
the house to be near her and the mas
ter absorbed In working out the mystery
Of tho forgeries committed by his valet.
Audience sometim Bamcd.
This situation was introduced By rather
a long act, which should have been much
more interesting than II was. since the
'dea OK an Intelligence Office which sup
Piled crooks of various kinds to families
looking for servants was not without Its
tureuent to the wandering attention OF
he spectators But this theme disap-
peared and was soon as cloudy in the
minds OF the listeners as the great Ten
Eyck forgery, OF which the proprietor's
partner had been guilty. which combined
to battle the audience awaiting something
definite as a starting point
THIS had been reached, however when
The curtain arose on the second act and
the surger was installed as valet to
watch the girl ne loved. II was here that
The fog grew thickest. The forgor-valet
listened al doors. changed will while the
family was at dinner and ended by muir
deyrc the head OF the house.
one WAS reminded OF the famous
Meg. stupbcles Of the buffers pantry who
In The Master Mind" performed on the
same stage such feats of villainy. Had
the audience had ketncr perception Of
what was happening there might have
been criuym.ut of al this virtuosity
rainier tatu complete mystihcation. \
itW discerning persons suspected that the
Nalct-igum mis- love Of the companion in
the family AT work to separate her
from DO" Young man with whom she was
81 suddenly and frankly In love. That
turned out 20 Doe the real motive. But
It took some concentration to develop IL.
There MAS more to absorb the audience
the last act OF the three. a murder
had been committed by the valet and the
audience know H. So there was the in
'vnthlr suspense in watching the effect
y that knowledge in the other char
actors IN the play All that the stupid
ny OF ~" police could accomplish TO
throw SUSPICION on the innocei son came
readily.
Gilman Comes suddenly.
To valet testified that he had heard
dispute between father and son over
ne t.-'r.ng'.ou NJ the fathers estate.
nom Oh, young manly the circum =
'id'lal evidence which Mr.. Wilstach made
me theme ~ his play-was To- be marched
't i' prison his sweetheart, hy means
%. a sudden trick winch brought the cur