The Washington herald., 1914-03-01
nr LANES 5. MErcALF.


New York. Feb. Ave thought we
had something OF a theater row here the
night that Lady Gregory's Irish Players
first performed "The Playhoy OF the
Western World" but our Irish critics
aren't to be mentioned in the some breath
with the patriots of the small town oil
Westport in ireland when IT comes to
breaking up a show.
The story has just come to me OF the
way the natives of that town welcomed
the attempted presentation OF canon
Hanay's General John Regan. and "
sounds like chapter from the annals OF
Donnybrook- So many lrishmen, not
only in America, but as well in many
large and small towns in ireland itself.
have enjoyed the fun Of this delightful
comedy that the cause of the recent
ruction was not so much Irish as local
TO the town where it happened
Natives DIsPIcusrG.'
For years Canon Hanay lived in West
port in his capacity as n clergyman of
the Church of England. Ii was there he
gathered much OF the material ne has
put to such good use in the books he has
written under the name of George Birm-
ingham, and in the play which made
both London and New York laugh at the
harmless fun ne derived from his village
neighbors. The company that met with
disaster had not intended to visit West
port. but being at Castelar,, only eleven
miles away, concluded to compliment the
town that furnished its inspiration with
a performance of the play. In other
Irish cities there had been no disturb
ance, and several times the houses were
packed with enjoying audiences.
The row started with the first curtain.
Not word of the play was permitted to
be heard When Mr.. Flood, impersoHat-
ing Father Mccormack, came ON, the
audience rushed at the stage and stripped
him OF his costume. Here the police took
a hand and the disturbance became
riot The stage door was baTricaded and
the police directed the company to shut
themselves in one OF the dressing rooms.
Whes the mob outside raised ladders TO
the windows of this retreat. those OF the
actors who had revolvers loaded them
and prepared to shoot the first invaders.
Before this became necessary the four
teen policemen who were fighting the
mob OF more than half thousand man
aged to get the upper hand, although at
the cost of a good many wounds from
clubs and thrown stones and with an
inspector OF conSta bulary very seriously
injured. The tfeateT was pretty thor
oughly wrecked, but the company was
able to get away from Westport the next
morning under escort and with only tri-
fling casualties. The next performance
was given at Sligo to a big and orderly
audience.
The form Of criticism INDUCED i'm at
Westport makes II unlikely that there
will be any performance Of General
John 'Regan" in that interesting village
for some time to come.
American Parallel.
II the inhabitants OF OIdport, Me. were
as thinskinned as those of Westport.
ireland. there's no telling what might
-
visited that down-east metropolis To
be sure, Mr.. Holman Day. the adapter
Of this comedy from the Belgian. hasn't
been able to get anything like as much
fun out of his Maine folk as Canon Han
ay did out 6f the Irish villagers. but he
has done quite as much to affrOnt local
pride. Nor is il probable that he will
be made the object of libel suit such
as the agCrieved inhabitants of a Cape
Cod village once brought unsuccessfully
against an author who wrote an enter
tanning and widely sold book describing
frankly some of their weaknesses, ab- |
surdities. and shortcomings.
Along CAM. Ruth" pictures the re-
markabie career of, Young woman who. |
with no capital but her good looks. per-
sonaI cleverneSs. and normal school |
education comes into the sleepy town.
wakes up the dormant energies Of its
stupid inhabitants. and puts it on the
map as business city. Incidentally. she |
raises havoc. with the affections of her |
self aud several citizens. but eventually |
all ends well with prosperity prevalent /
and matrimUny triumphant.
The piece is rather Stilted i'm talk. the !
hUnor is on rather threadbare lines but |
it may pass the time for those who are |
looking for light amusement indeed. |
Irene Fenwick and Mr.. Joseph Kilgour |
would both be improved by a little more !
variety and 'Yivacity in their work. The |
former has a curious feminine charm /
and makes much of a very fragile phys /
ique, a limited range of facial expression.
and not extended acquaintance with the /
art of acting. The principal fun-making |
falls to the lot of Mr.. James Bradbury.
his business, has gone completely to seed /