New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-25
by HECTOR TURNBULL.

waiter klilgNnfd, BENJAMIN kauser. Forrest Ma
comber Gushing Donnell. Master Carroll. Miss
Emile roiin, Miss Jean Murdoch. Mrs. Emily
Carroll Mrs. Marion Holcombe
by HECTOR TURNBULL.
Holbrook Blinn has finally succeeded
in lifting the Princess Theatre from
, the quagmire of it's "Grand Guignol"
period. And with the programme OF
plays presented for the first time yes
terday he rises triumphant He has
not discontinued his policy of thrills"
so widely advertised since he took
charge of the little playhouse. but he
has evidently determined that his plays
must first prove their artistic merit
before they be permitted to thrill. In
the present programme he has used
fine judgment and prepared gradual
crescendo Of interest leading up to his
principal Offering, ACROSS the Border"
by Is. NJ. Dix, whom we suspect is Miss
Buela Marie Dix, who has written so
many delightful war stories and will
be remembered for her dream" play,
"The Road to Yesterday"
Across the Border" is a real achieve
ment 1t is one of the few pleas for
peace that touch both the heart and
the intelligence of its audience at the
same time. And by virtue of its re-
markaJle blending of stark realism
with eXtravagant fancy it strikes home
in fashion that deiies analysis. 1t
is undoubtedly a playlet of power, and
one who has seen it played by the adj
mirable cast which appeared at the
Princess will find food for serious re-
Election for long time, as it is we'll
nigh impossible to rid ones mind of
its stirring effect. II begins in a hut
within the zone of the present war. A
squad Of men are trapped without sup
plies, and the junior lieutenant starts
out for relief across a country thick
with the enemy's troops. He IL sho:
and cut Immediately after leaving
the hut. The scene changes to
quiet farmhouse. He enters and, de-
manding a horse, is disarmed by the
householder. The strange atmosphere
of the place at first appals him. Grad
ually he learns that this place OF
quiet" is cover the border" from life,
and wher the Master of the house
speaks he learns what war really
lltNI0 lUi lllf ltl0A tAiilNs III VAIN Ht
pleads that he has been schooled to
war from infancy and has grown 20
manhood without home influences. His
guide then leads him into another
scene, "The Place of Winds" Here he
hears the walls and awful cries of the
battle and the battles path for the
first time clearly. All the sounds and
sights he has been deaf and blind TO
in his work are in his ears and eyes.
He finally determines TO make men
listen 20 his exhortations that they
stop killing if he but be given another
trial on earth. The next scene is in
field hospital. The young lieutenant
is dying on an improvised bed among
a few wounded men on cots. His first
efforts at speech are an attempt 20
convince his comrades that their way
is wholly wrong and cruel, but none
will listen. When he is desperate and
weak from the eXertion the dream girl
whom ne met i'm "the place of quiet
visits him and soothes him by saying
that all is well and his welcome is Ger
tain. When the doctor returns to the
hospital the lieutenant is dead. This
meagre account of the playlet cannot
even suggest the power of its appeal
nor the beauty of its fancy. II Is
play that makes itself felt at once by
the sincerity of It's theme and the ad-
mirable manner in which II is written
and constructed. Mr.. Powell, as the
Junior lieutenant. gave splendid por-
travail Of the symbolic figure. Mr.. Blinn
made the Master both digniiied and
sincere.
George AIDES "Nettie" is a merry
little piece of urban sophistication, and
the authors humor shines through his
lines on the stage as clearly as it does
through any of his printed fables. It's
plot concerns the horrible disclosure
10 two Young men that they have been
awfully dome" by a young girl upon
whom they had showered gifts. II all
comes about in corner of a restaur-
ant. and after they have realized their
plight they are granted the slight sat
isfaction of seeing a friend, zone OF
the old guard" led to the slaughter, as
they were before him. The three char
acters are we'll played by Messrs. Ire
vor. Edgard and Blinn, and the whole
i carried Off with spirit that makes
the humor OF the lines and situation
douhly telling.
"The Fog" is written by Frederick
Truesdell, an actor, who is now play
ing in "On Trial" II is a remarkably
compact and we'll made playlet, con
structed with no little skill and writ
ten with a deal Of cleverness IN dia-
| logue. ship chandler is carrying on
a love affair with the wife oil "a ma
rine engineer. While the lover mas
gone TO secure tickets for a ball the
husband returns Unexpectedly and dis
covers her secret. In the fog young
gentleman steps in and asks for shelter
/ till the fog lifts. The angry husband
/ takes him for the lover and kills him,
and when the real lover returns leaves
the two with the body while he goes
for the police TO accuse the pair OF
murder. Mr.. Blinn made the Scot quite
real in his dour rage. and Mr.. Edgsrd
brought out the full value of his lines
as the craven Cockney. Miss Pollni's
work as the wife was excellent.
"The Denial" play of Sing Sing
and the death house, was grewsome
enough. but made most effective by
the work Of Mr.. Stein His playing
of the convicted man saved the sketch
from a touch of mawkish, unreal senti-
ment that threatened. A murderer
condemned TO die deceives his aged
mother as TO his identity, so that she
may 20 away from the prison gates
believing that her son has died abroad
an honest man. Mr.. Stein made the
doomed man real. but the rest of the
cast did not appear to distinguish
themselves.
Altogether the entire programme Is
well worth visit, and decided I'm.
movement upon any OF the sets OF
productions previously shown at this
theatre.