New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-21

Maxine Ellott's Theatre.
TIE CAST.
Maggie. a maid ................E Ethel Wright
Mr. James O'Donnell Kndeen. Frank Lose
Miss Celia Kildeen. ..... Florence Huntington
Father Felix Kildcen. Thomas J. Carrigan
Wilhelm HOFFMAN. -...-.T. Morse koupal
jimmy ............ Master Norris Millington
Madame Norma Edith Wynne Matthison
There is no room for doubt that Miss
Turnbulrs play scored an immediate and
solid success at its first performance in
this city last night. There was abun-
dance Of applause. Of course, but that,
after all. counts for little on such occa-
sions. What did count Enthusiastically and
heavily was the tense interest with which
"A crowded house followed this drama
from scene 10 scene and from act 10 act
as il unfolded the initial situation and
drew from il all that II contains OF emo
ton and perplexity, and Of the conflict
OF two wills, over which there hovers
throughout a stronger than human will
that Of the Roman Catholic Church in its
intransigent stand on the subject of mar
rage. And il is in he- recognition Of
this third will in the end that Miss Turn
bull has wrought best Of all She could
so easily have resorted TO a deathbed
scene and its facile appeal to the emo
tions, sufficiently wrought up 10 be ready
for Just that. but she has had the courage
OF logic and chosen the better. the only
true, way.
The plot Of THE Deadlock" has already
been briefly outlined in these columns.
James OConnell Kildeen. an Irish-Ameri-
can. grown rich as a contractor, had des-
tined his son for the Church. The boy
, Felix falling in love with a girl not OF
his faith had run away with her, con
I tracted a civil marriage with her and &C
companied her 10 Germany. where she was
going TO train her voice. But the father
masterful had succeeded in having his
way after all. He separated the two, who
had auarrelled. and had made each believe
that the other was dead. Thus Felix, I'M
happy. Indifferent, had accepted his i'm
posed career. and in course OF time had
| found I'm il consolation and a mission. He
/ is a power for good among the Italian
/ factory hands in his small town, he is n
composer Of note; if not happy. he has
| at least found consolation in incessant
, good work IT is his interest in music
that leads him 10 request Nine. Norma.
! the great public singer. to sing at the In
auguration Of a public institution that he
! has founded. and thus husband and wife,
who had believed each other dead, come
face TO face And between them stands
their child, Of whose existence Felix had
never known. Here the struggle begins
between the father and the woman over
the man: the struggle also in the priests
breast between his love and his duty.
The theme fills the three acts TO over
flowing with the tensest interest. for the
author has explored 1t from every direc-
ton and makes every new approach TO
II tell. The father, an unbending fanatic.
unable to see any viewpoint but his own
the woman, from a world of larger ideas
and wider life. no less insistent on the
supremacy of the law Of the land. resent
fuI Of the injury done her and the treach-
erv behind it. holding the whip hand.
moreover. over husband and father-in-
law through their awakened love or the
child: the bearing upon 1t all by the
/ counterplot OF the love OF an irish ser
want Girl for a free-thinking German
chauffeur: the sudden revelation by the
priests sister. IN the third act. OF still
another side Of the problem-eyeTthing in
/ this drama IS made 10 contribute TO an
admirable unity OF subject within the
unity Of time. The whole play Is a rising
climax from the opening or the first act
onward.
/ The dialogue is capital: the speeches
! carry" and Miss Turnbull is as success
! full with her individual scenes as she Is
with her play as whole. Her character
izaton is sure and rapid and her comedy
| is not machine made
| TO Edith Wynne Matthison go the hrsl
( bonors Of the acting. Rarely has she
! played with so complete an Illusion oil
deep feeling Frank I.osee, as the ia'her'
gives consistency 20 a part whose piso'fE
| requires careful handling 10 carry con-
victlon Thomas }. Carrisan conveys
fully the cropping bewilderment OF the
priest in his dilemma. Ethel Wright as
the Irish servant was delightful ana
scored heavily in her pathetic moment J.
Morse Koupal was manly chauheuI
| and Florence Huntington made the sma"-
4 or mart Of the sister count for All theis