New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-20
Is, NCTON DAVIES.

IS the opening dramatic aJJlaclIoll
for the beautiful new Gambler Thea
tire Managers Conan and Harris pre-
scented last night play entitled "On
Trial by a new playwright, Elmer
l. Re.zenstein.
The play made an instant appeal not
alone by the compelling power OF IT'S
story and the big human note which
throbbed through all its acts, but by
the unique manner in which It's scenes
were presented.
Here at last is a youthful play
wright and Mr.. ReiZenstein looked no
more ancient than a sophomore as.
biushing profoundly, he bowed his
thanks from an upper box at the end
of the play who has not only dared 20
take his dramatic bull by the horns.
but has. to carry the animal smile
still further. succeeded in putting his
cart before his horse with immense
success.
The curtain rises on a courtroom.
where a man is on trial for murder.
The regular proceedings Of the court
are gone through up to the time that
the first witness for the prosecution
takes the stand. This witness is the
wifi, OF the murdered man, and the
moment that she begins 10 speak the
stage darkcns, the scene changes 10
the home of the murdered man and all
the testimony of the woman, which in
cludes the murder itself, takes place
before the audience. The first act
closes with the courtroom scene again
Just as the wife has concluded her
testimony.
The novelty OF this act and the re-
markedly clever manner I'm which Stage
Manager Sam Forrest had presented it
caught the fancy OF the audience in
simultaneously.
The second act showed the courtroom
again, with the prisoner making de-
spairing appeal 20 the court that his
little nine-year-old daughter should not
be made to take the stand. But as the
prisoner had refused 20 make any state
ment on his own behalf, even to his
lawyer, and has maintained a grim
silence since the night of the murder,
the court orders that the child shall be
called. Little Miss Constance Wolf, who
played the role of the child, played her
short scene with so much simplicity,
that while she explained TO the court
that she understood the value Of an
oath the audience hung on her every
word Then as the District Attorney
told her to tell her story the court
room faded away once more and out
Of the darkness came the sound OF
zone wo-three-four, One-two-three-
four" thumped by childish hands on
a piano. The curtain rose again on
the home of the accused man. The
little girl was practising her music
lesson. The child's mother then entered
the play for the first time and all that
has happened in the accused mans
house Immediately preceding the MUIR
der Is shown.
The third act shows the courtroom
on the second day of the trial. 1t Is
the prisoners wife who now takes the
stand. and the moment that she begins
to tell her story the scene changes TO
a roadhouse on Long Island nineteen
years before, when the wife, then girl
Of seventeen, meets the murdered man
tor the first time. II was in this act
that Miss Mary Ryan as the young glrl
did her most effective work. The end
OF the act showed her pale and trem-
bling on the stand.
The pathos Of her story had made rs
big an impression on the audience as 1t
had on the jury.
Then followed the scene in the jury
room. with the jury standing eleven to
one for acquttal. This episode was so
remarkably well acted by all concerned
that il made one of the most effective
scenes. The final scene in the court
rooms. showing the acquittal Of the
Young secretary whose only crime was
theft gave Hans Robert a chance 70
distinguish himself. His performance
of this crafty young scOundrel was a
remarkably clever piece Of work. It had
subtlety.
The plot Of the play, which has been
scrupulously avoided as it is far too
interesting to be spoiled in the telling,