The Washington herald., 1914-02-01
Repiew of the Past Week
In New York The1terS
ny JAMES $. MErcALFE.


ny JAMES 8. MErCALFE.
New York, Jan. a.-we get all sorts and
kinds of plays in a crowded season hke
this, but as a rule both authors ano
managers are shy of putting on the stAee
anything that deals with religious belieis
and doctrines. no matter how dramatic
the possibilities involved.
In THE Deadlock" Margaret Turnbuil'
the author, has not only tackled, fear
lessly in one sense, an important ouesuon
In religion, but has subordinateo tne
dramatic possibilities of the play TO q very
outspoken discussion OF It The matter
at issue is the well-known prohibition OF
the Roman Catholic church against tne
marriage of its communicates with those
outside the faith unless pledge - gwen
that any children resulting from the
union shall be brought up as Catholics.
As a play "The Deadlock" largely sub
stitutes discussion for action, but there
are two well defined problems running
through the piece. and as all the talk
bears on these and as the topic Is an
interesting one TO both Catholic and nom
Catholic. the result Is play which should
engage the attention OF \ numerous
public.
Less carefully written and acted. The
Deadlock" might easily give ohense or
undue exaltation to one side or the other
As IL is, II sets forth In very clear terms
a problem Of great Importance In. a good
many lives M-. T. J. Carrigan handles
the role of Father Kildeen with excellent
taste. He is the devoted young priest,
hut none the less q man with manliness
and heart Mr.. Frank Losee as his
father, James KiIdeen. a wealthy domi-
aeering Irish-American, more Catholic
than the Pope himself. Is forcibiy por-
trayed by Mr.. Frank Losee. Miss Edith
Wynne Matthison's role as the priests s
wife is no: SO important as many she
has had, but she carries strong conviction
in 1t. and her delightful enunication has
lost none OF its charm. Miss Florence
Huntington as Kildeen's daughter is an
essential foil TO the other characters in
. bringing out the story. and fulfills this
not very grateful function with unusual
skill. In the character roles of the maid
and German chauffeur, Miss Ethel Wright
and Mr.. 7. Koupal round out one of the
best casts seen this season. and one which
does exceptional ensemble work under
the stage direction. of Mr.. H. S. Had
ield
The Deadlock may be too little dra-
matte to please very long a public that
demands sensations. but IL is too un-
usual in theme and too well done tech
nically to be dismissed with only passing
mention.
A BIT of Wales.
New York has had plays of. almost
every other nationality, but never until
now one of pure Welsh extraction. The
piece the Welsh players present is called
Change is written b. a Welsh author
and acted by Welsh company, with the
scene laid among the collieries of Wales.
The attraction has been successful in
London, and is brought here in its en-
tirety.
The play itself rests its title and what
ever lesson it may teach on the changes
the older generation always finds in the
younger. Here the protest is voiced in
the sore and indignant disappointment
OF bigot father that his sons will not
realize his ambition that they shall use
the education he gives them to become
ministers and pillars OF the dissenting
church, which is his own greatest inter-
est. Instead, they turn themselves to
more vital questions of the day. Social
ism and the relations Of capital and Ia
Dor are more to their taste. and the old
man cannot stand this desertion OF his
standards, the result being that his in |
tolerance breaks up the family. In con-
trast is placed the mother. who puts her
love for her children before everything, ,
even that of her God and her husband.
In its entirety, Change" is A very well
acted and apparently faithful depletion
Of a phase of Welsh life. 1t has few
dramatic moments. some good, but over
empha sized character drawing. and a
tremendous amount of commonplace talk.
II an equally good company presented an
equally faithful picture Of any aspect OF
American local life, a play with so much
talk and so little incident would hold the
boards in this alleged American city only
so long as the management could AFFORD
to keep it going. Mr.. Tom Wise tried
it last autumn with disastrous results
In f1W afN-Gal
amusing fashion. life among the Penn |
sylvania Dutch
This London success gives Change"
good send-off here, and ii enlists the in
terests of that section Of our highbrows
that is vastly interested in anything that |
isn't American. 1t does not seem likely. |
though, that these two factors Will be \
sufficient to overcome the gloom the |
piece casts over its audiences. |
1.-The Dear Fool"
The prompt failure Of Eliza Comes to |
Stay must have been rather facer for \
Mr.. H " Esmond, the author and star, |
and his co-star, Eva Moore. The theater
was closed after the first week, and !
new they are trying again with a dra- |
matte comedy called THE Dear Fool. !
also Mr.. Esmond's work.
The present piece has very much more ;
originality in its plot than the other. and |
iS also better equipped Win DrlSnt lines ,
The heroine is rather scatter-bralned \
Young widow dependent upon spinster 4
vist.r. 20 whom their far-seeing father |
l.f,,! eft the family fortune. The widow |
f., IA love with young man who is !
rbout leaving for India, because he is
100 Door to marry a poor woman She |
in turn is loved by Sir Esbert 1ngleheld,
an amiable gentleman Of the tame cat
species pleasantly impersonated by Mr..
Esmond The night before the departure
OF the youg man for India the widow
slips of to London with trumped-up
story 10 spend the night with him. Her
young son chooses that particular time
30 have a serious accident, with the re-
suit that the household learns she has
not been where she said she was going,
and the rest is easily surmised. This
leads to her casting off by the spinster
sister and her prompt acceptance OF Sir
Egbert in marriage.
Perhaps the advanced condition OF
English society makes it willing TO stom-
ach such a solution of such a dilemma,
hut il does not go down easily here,
even in a play. When the feminist move
ment has gained greater headway In
America such an improvement over the
old code of morals and conduct may gain
general vogue, but in the case u THE
Dear FooI' it turned what promised to
be agreeable domestic comedy into rather
unpleasant drama