New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-28

efr, Thatcher. ............E Edmond Kennel y
Traac PuFh .....................T Tom owen
Lewis Price. .....t ...s..s.. *. - HOPKINS
John Henry Price. ............ John Howell
DAT Matthews. ......... oct. 3areth Hughes
TWIN Powell. ............. William Hopkins
jimmie Puzh ............... Doris owen
Lizzie Ann .............. Eleanor Daniels
BY ARTHUR RUHL.
We have had the peasant poetry Of
Synge and the other writer's OF the new
Irish school We have had Mr.. Gals
worthys scrupulous realism and the re-
belilous pieces out OF Manchester. The
new drama OF character. somewhat
sweetenei and pretthed. has appeared In
Scotland In "Bunty." Wales was the
only corner OF tive British Isles yet to
hear from. and last evening at the Booth
Theatre. came j. o. Francss Change.
Change" which won one OF Lord
Howard de walden's prizes for the best
play by a Welsh author. and has already
been produced In London. Is much in the
manner OF Mr.. Galsworthy. in such plays
as Strife" and in manner II not in
matter. The Pigeon" II represents. that
Is to say. the drama In which situation
springs from character instead OF the
characters being hung TO the situations
like clothes on a line.
The action consists not in the external
motions OF certain persons from one part
OF the stage TO another. but in the mo-
tions-and resulting connict-ot certain
hostile or irreconciIable ideas, opinions or
Compartments which are an inseparable
part Of the persons before us. The villain
does not wear a mask and carry a dark
lantern. He may be nothing more tan
gible than the prejudices or earnest de
Sires and enthusiasms OF ones father,
or wife, or son.
IN Change" which Is laid in A Welsh
coal-m1ning town. this clash is between
the old and new generation-between the
father and mother who were brought up
10 work fear God and prepare 70
escape hell fire and damnaton. and the
sons whom they have educated who come
back TO the old home with their free
thinking and skepticism in religion, their
unionism and strikes and everlasting
fighting over the rights OF the working
man.
IL is at the moment that this clash
reaches its long prepared climax that the
play begins. John Henry Price, the pride
and pet or the two old folks. who have
struggled and starved TO make a minister
OF him, has read and thought too much
in the university at Cardiff. Some say
that Darwin is TO blame" he explains 70
his heartbroken father and mother
some. in their desperation. would be for
turning TO the Roman Church. Some
how the Catholics leave n place for Joy IN
their religion" says he. looking back on
the harsh purltanism he has been brought
I'D in. Al any rate. ne decides to leave
the ministry-he can stand il no longer.
His brother, Lewis. the fighting one OF
the trio Of brothers, is urging the men
on in their strike-theres new spirit IN
the world. he cries, and Lewis is yer,
eloquent. he is out Of patience with those
too narrow and stupid and bigoted 10 I'M
derstand IT, even though they be his own
father and mother.
I'VE used 70 preach the living truth FOR
men who had got to die, said his father
The old mans whole life was wrapped Wy
in the chapel on the hill. that his bows
thought they had outgrOwn.
It's always been hell here answered
the boy, thinking OF the lives the miners
led Ike animals underground You're
prisoners Of the past
This situation, set forth with the mod
ern realists perfect fairness and impair
TALLY, takes the better part or the first
two acts-really the most interesting part
Of Mr.. Francis's play.
Through the eyes Of Gwilym, the invalid
son. with a touch OF the poet in him, we
see the nobility and tragedy Of the par
ents' position. as we'll as its narrownes'
and egoism. The younger ones have time
on their side They have but TO wait &c
( win. But the old folks can never win
They are I'm a world they cannot under
stand a world grown away from then
az their sons have grown away, and one
that soon Will slip from them altogether
The fathers harsh stubbornness, tn
mothers more personal clinging TO her
sons. the establishment of John Henry
the restless eloquence OF Lewis. the gentle
understanding words OF Gwilym trying 70
bring the two sides together-all this IS
brought out with intelligence, ricn
hunor and real dramatic effect. Through
il all. a sort OF bitterly humorous re-
frain. are the good naturei comments OF
| the Cockney, Sam Thatcher. who Is a.
for for physical comfort the main chancS
and peace at any price. There's toe
much feelin about here for comfort
SAYS he. contrasting his own middle
course methods with the fierce intransl
gence OF the more high strung, idealisu'
Welsh.
All the first half Of the play Is excel
lent. II is absorbing, human. humorous
with the humor that springs. not from
gre POPULARITY, but the deeper ironies o.
/ things. and II is acted-and looked-b,
everybody about as well as II could be-
The interest begins TO flag somewha
with the third act. although IL closes witt
the most violent external climax-the Kill
ing Of Gwilym by the soldiers sent doWI
IN suppress the strikers. just as he is try
ing 70 drag Lewis out Of harms way
And something Of a continuing descent II
interest Is felt through the succeeding
and final. act
/ The static drama has been set forth g
| painstakingly and completely In the mrs
two acts that the spectator begins to fee
when the same note Of despairing regre
/ from the parents is sounded over an'
over again that the author has shot hi
bolt and IL beginning TO repeat himself
| Not that the drop IL sudden or In an
sense Nlogical-it is merely that there Il
| q limit to what one can pleasurably en-
] 49, norfF Il ~