New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-03
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

/ nhleNer lne NcTulCl OF New lOIk
State may be, the new play at the Prin-
/ cess Theatre gives the weaker sex all
the best of H. "Hobson's Choice" is
distinctly feminish in its philosophy
and the heroine is it, hero. Woman
was the first 20 taste the fruit of the
| tree of knowledge, and man, who
started from scratch, has never been
able to overcome that handicap. In
"Hobson's Choice" woman leads In
everything.
Miss Molly Pearson, beloved Bunty,
Is such an efficient actress that she has
not the slightest difficulty In convinc-
ing the audience that she can sell
shoes, catch and mould q husband and
wrest her reprobate old father from the
tavern side. Molly pulls the strings.
But the clever play Of Harold Brig
house is by no means one-paT
comedy The author has succeeded In
putting breath end blood into all twelve
/ folk around whom he builds his story.
/ The actors have seconded the success
| OF the playwright. Set six Of the char
acters on one side of seesaw and six
on the other and the board would not
move an inch. This Is a cast Of per-
/ feet balance.
Dramatically the play suffers trihe
from its fidelity to life It Is interest
/ ing and humorous always, but its best
moment of drama. its thrill point, is Mt
| the end Of the first act. That is the
way of life. Truth may be stranger
than fiction, but II Is q poorer writer
Of scenarios.
There is a story throughout the play,
| but on the whole the author is some
what more concerned to tell you what
I 4 . I,vN hot
/ they do. They come from Lancashire
and sneak its broad dialect, but that is
tongue which every New York thea
/ tregoer of any activity knows by this
time. "Sit thee down, lad. Shut door,
| lass" Leave out your "thes" and set
down your "thees" and there you are in
| Lancashire.
It is good dramatic country Is Lanca-
/ shire. "Hindle Wakes" came from up
I that way, and so did Whitford Kane,
who gave not-to-be-forgotten per-
F Torrance In chat wonderful play Of
Stanley Houghton's. In the new play
Kane Is forced TO bow to the will Of
Miss Pearson at every turn, but artist
/ cally they are equals.
{ "There is just suggestion OF
"Quinneys'" in "Hobson's Choice but
/ the new play has bit more body than
7 the story OF the furniture shop and a
greater investiture Of interesting char
acters. Hobson's is a boot shop.
/ Maggie. the eldest of three daughters,
| Is the real manager Of the place. Her
ability as a manager gives her father
4 freedom 10 drink as much as he pleases
/ and more than is good for him. \ re-
mark of Hobson's that Maggie is hard
/ " likely to catch a husband irritates
I her. and when wealthy customer
sends down cellar to compliment q
workman named Willie on the quality
of the boots which ne has made Maggie
decides to make the skilful lout her
husband.
She does the proposing, chases away
the girl 70 whom the workman is be
trothed and forces an unwilling ac-
ceptance from tive bashful young fell
low. He balks. however, at kissing his
bride 10 be. When Hobson hears OF
the proposed match he RACES. Willie
Is called up from the cellar again, and
hi. employer cells him that he will
beat him with a strap for daring TO
I look at n Miss Hobson. Willie pro-
tests that the match was not Of his
making, but he adds that II Hobson
touches him with the strap he VIII
make good the marriage plan. Hobson
strikes and Willie is won for Maggie,
and takes his first kiss TO spite the
master. .,
The rest Of the play concerns Itself
with showing how Maggie gained nus
bands for her sisters. how she made
man of her awkward and ignorant hus-
band. and how rhe and he came back
to Hobson's after a year and took the
business over into their own hands.
The play joys along with truth at Its
] elbow every stem Of the way.
Ii lacks continuity OF action. but
contains much fine episode drama. Inc
clash between Maggie and The girl who
had planned TO marry Willie Is one
of the best bits in the show, and
Agnes Dorntee makes her few minutes
on the stage tell. Robert Forsyth as
Scotch doctor also makes an impress
sion in one short scene which comes
in the last net. Viola Roach and Olive
Wilmot Davis are the sisters of Mag
Gle, and they ere associates worthy Of
the skill Of Miss Pearson.
Whitford Kane is Willie. and A. G..
Andrews is splendid Hobson. Famed
as tavern debater. Hobson gives one
or two stupcndous examples OF his
oratorv. Harry J. Ashford as Timothy
Wadlow. and Barnett Parker as Fred
Beenstock are other actors prominent
In the cast.
"Hobson's Choice" is keen, true and
humorous observation of life in terms
of drama. By the way, If you like TO
cry a little In the theatre the fin !
scene between Maggie and Willie
should suit your purpose. II is easy
20 cry about real people.
JOUN r MERRITT