New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-13
PRINTED PLAYS.

HRINIfD fLh1o.
cnupEEv ot EARTH a pay o Neg Ert
lard ~ Alice Brown limo. ID III The
Macmillan COMPANY
ROBERT FRANK By slrurd Ie,co. From n,
No-ttr1an ty Marcia Hatrs Jsn,on Au,horiied
translation. l2mo. % 1872 Charles senohei
rLAYs ~ rAond Aadr.ysa The BiseA
Mssksn The LIE % Man. The ssoine
ss o1 Mssi., ssd Frcs Ssvtoa soo,, win
~ iniroduetor esssy ty V. B-usytnin A.
'lonSei elron. i:mo. ~ 1TH +f 'ha"e'
Se-o-s's Sfs
II IS 10 be regretted that the season
% MISS Browns play on the New YORK
stage has closed so soon. Here was an
American drama worthy OF the heartiest
support Of the American tneatregoing
public. page from the truly native
life of the nation, magnlficenuy writ
ten. a series Of capital studies OF char
acter that reach TO the very roots OF
The ancestry and the environment when
created il, a play Of literary merit That
has genuine acting qualities as well.
One can only congratulate Miss Brown
upon her achievement, thank winthrop
AmeR for his sincere efforts IN the
cause OF the American drama, and re-
ioice in the knowledge that the now
well-established habit Of play reading
will carry Children Of Earth FAR and
wide through the land. TINS prize play
deserv the prize 70 has won. In BOOK
form IT, viii be one more story worth
preserving added 10 that body OF Ne"
England fiction which is one OF me en-
during glories OF American literature
The book is cot up with due recognI-
ton Of rs Significance. There is
brief statement Of the competition for
which II was written, Of the number OF
manuscripts received. and Of the date
OF the award. together with the names
Of the Judges, MeSsrs. Ames, Augustus
Thomas and Adolph klauber The pro-
gramme o. the first performance. on
January - Of this wear is given, Ellie
Shannon's name leading the cast. One
could wish that the publishers had
added 10 this record the appreciative
reviews Of the play and the production
which appeared in the dramatic col
umns Of the New York papers on the
following day.
Sigurd Ibsens drama is play with
a great idea, which, unfortunately, is
drowned in endless talk It's real ac-
ton takes place off-stage; hence the
necessity OF exposition throughout
the three acts. The first of them Is.
moreover, unnecessarily proliX and te-
diouS: the son Of his father has not
attempted TO follow in that fathers
footsteps. which carry us forward
mile minute In those technically
amazing first acts OF his. Mr.. lbsen,
then. presents 20 us the Prime Minister
of a Scandinavian state, who denoerate-
ly forces on a conflict between labor
and capital in order 20 hasten the real!-
zatIon Of his plan for the solution OF
this great problem through profit-sher-
ing The plot, with its syndlCallst
strike. its riots and their bloody sup
preston, fails; the Prime Minister -
driven from Office, but finds his reward
In the love of an American girl, 10
whom he IS introduced by her aunt, the
American Ambassadors wife, who, a
familiar caricatu-e, is introduced IN the
first act with unnecessary pomp and
CIRCUMSTANCE dialogue-for the
sole purpose Of introducing her niece 10
him. Thereafter she disappears. Rob
crt Frank" is not an acting play, GER
tainly not for US; it IS, moreover, not
reading play except for those who
share rs authors seIiou9ness OF pur-
pose and do not mind hard reading. The
narrative, not the dramatic form, was
plainly indicated here. This plot and
its characters would have made far
better novel than they make a play. Or,
at least. Mr.. Ibsen might have borrowed
from Shaw his trick OF introductions
and stage directions, and thus have IN
burthcned his dialogue OF much of its
wcarisome exposition. its explanatory
content, addressed by the speakers, not
10 each other, but directly to the audi
ence or the reader.
AndreveH, so far az he is more than
name as yet 10 American readers, IS
known TO them chiefly as the reallst
who wrote THE Seven Who We're
Hanged" As drsmstist he is now