New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-28
Experience" Paints a
Vivid Picture of Youth
full FOllieS.
GEORGE V. HOBART
TURNED PREACHER
But His Sermon Is Happily
Softened by Hope and
Love.
Experience" by George Y. Hobart.
At the Booth Theatre.
BY HECTOR TURNBULL.

ny nEtioN LhNbt LII.
Many years. ago, before the days of
theatres, certain goodly priests, con-
founded by the wickedness of the world
and the apparent futility of their plati-
tudinous preachments, made the inter
Csling discovery that if they but put
their exhortations into the mouths of
players and turned their sermons into
plays their hold on the public interest
would become great and their good in
tlueuce increase accordingly. These
lively sermons were called Morality
Plays, and that they have never lost
their hold OIL the sentimental public
has been proved again and again since
then by their constant recurrence in
the history Of the stage.
Whether such plays are welcomed
because Of our morbid delight in
vicarious wickcdness and suffering
when presented in high colors, or
because of our curious Willingness
20 pay money that we may be
spanked for our sins and sent home
with d stick of candy, IL il difficult to
decide perhaps il is both. At any
rate, George Y. Hobart now become
either appalled, at the wickedness OF
the world or weary Of writing farces,
has taken advantage of our sentimental
streak by giving us new morality
play, called Experience" which is
likely 70 prove just as popular Us any
OF its fOrerunners.
The author has wisely permitted its
newness 10 touch nothing but the sur
face. however, and the same whip
l1shing truths that arose to confuse
and eventually humble Bunyan's hero
have lost none of their world-old
sting. Pitfalls ancient as Methuselah
may sport modern lure, but they are
Just as desolsting and degrading at
the Booth Theatre as they were when
the world offered no cabarets and had
not yet discovered the lure Of the
tango. And as for the healing power
Of Love--why, bless YOU hearts. Love
may have q costume designed after
Joseph" bat her divine light is as
bright as ever aud puts the audience
in d veritable bath of grateful sentl-
ment at the tnal curtain.
The play is arranged as series Of
episodes picturing Youths adventures
with Experience. In the land where
dreams begin Youth sets out to follow
Ambition, after a touching farewell
with Love and q word Of cheer from
Hope. He leaves his beautiful garden
and steps into the Street of Vacilla-
ton, where he disregards the ominous
warnings of his companion Experience
and follows the alluring lady, Pleasure.
He is led TO gay resort called the
Primrose Path, where he meets many
characters, who symbolic the pros
porous types of worldly humans. Here
are Song, Style, lntoXication, Passion
and their various familiar spirits IN
many DISCUSSES. He sings aud dances
and spends and drinks till his fine new
friends lead him to the corridors Of
Chance. He loses his worldly goods
In the adventure with Chance, and
staggers into the Street Of Disillusion,
where he learns OF the lonesomeness Of
poverty.
Next he arrives at the House of Last
Resort, where he is again downed IN
the struggle with life. From the Street
Of Remorse he reaches the House OF
Lost Souls, and, draining the dregs OF
his cup of misery, he is ready to con-
sort with Crime, when he hears the
voice Of Love calling and humbles
himself in the dust. Penitent, he re-
turns to he starting place, now called
the Land Where the Dreamer Awakens.
Here Hope gives him strength to face
Ambition, and Love heals his hurts
and gives him comfort.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to
give detailed description of the vari-
Gus scenes. All of them are carefully
staged, and q judicious selection Of
the cast lends a fine air of reality TO
the more elaborate and deal OF con-
victon to the more dramatic. The
third episode. which was presented as
a complete play at q recent Lambs
Gambol, is particularly well done, and
the two most impressive are the back
room of barrOOm and the House OF
Lost Souls.
The last mentioned is such realis-
tic picture OF a cocaine iiends' hang
out" that the long peroration against
the drug habit given by Experience Is
rendered unnecessary. The scene Is
greweome enough to cure on sight.
William Elliott, the producer of the
play, is the chief player in the long
cast, and impersonates Youth. His nat
dral, engaging and somewhat lngenu-
Gus manner fits neatly with the re-
uuirements Of the role. and, altogeth-
er, he uses his talents well 10 make
the symbolic figure convincing and sin
rere. Miriam Collins is d Love that
rs sweet to look upon, and "hough she
appears but seldom, We have it from
the author ard Experience that her
mower is infinite. So what more could
lady wish? e.,
Ben johnson is an Experience with
such Il fine voice that we wondered at
Youths unheeding folly. Margot Will
Jams had two fine opportunities as
Frailty and IntoXication, and she made
the most of them. Tears trickled and
splashed upon the just and the unjust
alike in the audience as she played
the weak sister Frailty who bestowed
a hopeless, sacrificing love upon the
needless Youth. The cast as u whole
wrought we'll for the general effect of
Mr. Hobart's sslutary play, and the
players as we'll as the author deserve
commentator for the great light they
have shed upon "the pitfalls and the
gins" that beset our earthly path.