The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-31

be seen at all-would better be acted In
its entirety or left under its dust Lamb
and the other critics who admired Hey
ward-from the little that Is ever read
to-day out OF the ESQ plays he wrote
were attracted, OF course, by the beauty
OF his language II Is that part OF his
plays. therefore. that is really important.
not their dramatic interest, for audiences
OF to-day.
scenic Mechanism Meagre.
At its dress rehearsal and at its last
public performance in the Lyceum Theatre
yesterday afternoon the Stage Society
presented a versi'.n Of "A Woman Killed
by Kindness The manner OF its per-
Torrance was altogether Elizabethan and
there was an attenip' to bring forward
this dramatic bric-a brac with sugges-
| ton of the circumstances surrounding its
original performance. Scenic mechanism
was meagre and the draperies that fell
about the stage were but slightly varied
to indicate the changes OF scene IN the
progress Of the stage. Musicians added
fitting complement to the proceedings
from a side OF the stage without the two
doored arch In which the tapestry curtain
rose and fell. Footlights stood In front
of this curtain ana through one OF the
doors IN the arch there appeared servant
| to announce the changes OF scene.
Whether or not the version used was
| identical with that arranged by N. Copeau
! for Paris, II adhered to the thread OF the
plays story. eliminating the episode OF
| Sir Francis Acton and clinging to the
seduction and forgiveness. The most i'm
pressve scene was the death OF Nan. al
though much OF the play more or less re-
produced the spirit OF the theatre OF the
day In which II was played first II Is not
| to be denied that the entire performance
seemed only u WEAKNESS OF the flesh to
| the spectators 1t takes. Of course. IA spe-
| clal patience for the contemplation OF
such dramatic work. II Is not alto
| gether certain. however, that the exhibition
| OF the Elizabethan stage in a French lit
| erary theatre should serve as n model for
| the performances of the Stage Society
! Dorothy Donnelly produced the play.
which was well acted by william Ray
mond Eugene O Brien. Montagu Love and
| Charlotte Ives
| II seems as II the Stage Society had not
found anything this season so well worth
! its time as Granny Maumee." by Ridge
| ley florence II IL called n negro tragedy
/ II followed "A Woman Killed by Kind
ness" The scene passes In the cabin OF
an old negress Years before her son has
been burned at the stake because he was
| thought TO be guilty OF "a murder com
mitted by a white man. His mother has
pushed herself to the flames to be near
her son and Is dragged away blinded by
the fire. For years she is sightless, proud
| OF her African descent, pure in blood. and
ever moaning the son and bewailing that
only daughters have been born to her
family since.
One of her daughters, however. has a
son. But this girl has been seduced by a
white man, and the child shows traces OF
it's descent. The grandmother has always
believed that her sight will be restored TO
her before she dies. She prays to her
departed son to interccde so she may have
her sight to look on the first man child
born to their race since the burning OF
her boy at the stake. Sight comes. She
sees the child and realizes II has white
blood Then the old savage fury for the
voodoo seizes her. She will ''conture" the
man that ruined her granddauEhter-it
was his father who helped to execute her
son She "conjures" the two daughters
also that they may help her to punish
the man.
She incarnation is a powerful episode.
the language-here. as throughout the
play-touched with Imagination and as
much poetic feeling as the theme admits.
and the climax OF the scene. unexpected
and dramatic, thrilled an audience that
could scarcely be expected to sympathize
with a play 30 far from their ordinary
experience as to contain only three negro
women for Its characters. In her ecstasy
the old negress sees the spirit Of her son
In the emb"rs OF the hearth. He cautions
her not to Kill the white man. but to for
give him and to help him to live so as
to mako his peace with God.
On the door Is heard the knock Of the
white man. BY her "conJuring' he be-
comes insensible when he touches the
door, just as her two daughters. lying or
the floor, are unconscious from her herbs
and lamentations. But she sends him
away and falling on the floor In "A frenzy
dies before the eyes OF her two children
whom she has awakened.
!. Mr.. Torrence's little play In starl
tragedy. liz up with the exotic glow OF
the negro nature. 1t helps to show tina
picturesqueness may be found In the hum
, blest milieu and that II takes only quicken
ing Imagination TO hnd material at hant
worthy the inspiration Of any poet Th'
, play was acted most impressively b,
Dorothy ponneliy, June Mathis and Lois
Clifton The Stage Society has rarely ex
, pended It's energies In a better cause
At the annual meeting of the Stag
Society OF New York. held yesterday a
the home of Joseph b. Thomas. rag Eas
Nineteenth street, the following Officers
and executive committee were elected To-
the ensuing year: President. Mrs. Norman
: Napgood vice. presidents. Harrison Rhode
and Mrs. william Aston Chanler: secre
tary. Miss r. NJ. Cottenet, and treasurer
y Joseph r. Thomas, Executive committee
The officers OK officio. Miss Dorothy Don
nelly, Henry q. Gray. Amos Pinchot
uli II