New-York tribune., 1916-02-16

l.
F,rl n, Kilion. ....... Clarence Dergen'
~ Eci,s Tsnio, .......... Louis Cslysr
sht III Hon ''''T Doa, Irsiona conwI Tearl,
Wlrhsci Dickson ....... Ernest Lawfori
Rncrr Nlorrisl ........... John Cromwell
Jame. Hori ''''...........G Guthrie McCln.it
n~v. Malcolm Mackenzie ......... Richard Clark.
jfoc,o- sfroIsc . Arthur Eldrcd
HenD Robinson .....-.-..--.' he'ieru r Brg,
Iupper .-.....-.--.-.........-. .-..t.- 1870 @ @b.,s
Countess of kiilone ................ Grace Georg.
Lliy Susan stouuags ........ Charlotte Gfan,ii'e
Mis-, Janion .................... .NOrah Lamisj1
"The Earth Grace Georges fourth
production of the season at the Play
house. enables one TO look upon the
newspaper when it is yellow. II also
permits ono TO gaze upon the publisher
when he is yellow-a yellow yerglng on
black. James Bernard Fagan's latest
comedy-the latest to reach New YORK
at all events-is packed with bright,
entertaining, wholesome satire. judged
purely as a play, it has no great stand
ing But with its cleverness OF line
and Characterization, and with MISS
Georges company TO interpret II, II IS
possible TO condone its dramatic lapses.
Last night many of its Satire shafts
were wasted, but not every audience Is
made up of first-nighters.
The central character, Sir Felix
Janon, owns two-thirds Of the news
papers and magazines in England. lie
runs them, as he tells you, for the man
in the street, and it is his theory that
l the man in the street is but a step
from the gutter. There is no such thing
as n dull Janion newspaper-if there IS
/ somebody is fired. No news? Well
see that you don't let the reader know
il. Hit him in the eye every morning
and do IL week after week and yeal
after year. That's what he wants
actionl
Pagan has sketched his saffron pub
/ Usher with loving care and infinite de-
| tail. He has ilumined the character
/ by means of dozen interesting side
/ lights. introducing scenes and charac-
ters solely for this purpose. In the
hands of n DETER dramatist, Of course
these sidelights would have been caught
up into and made q part OF the story
| of the play. The said DETER dramatis'
would have accomplished it, not by
bending the sidelights to his plot, but
vice versa. For it is in plot that The
I Earth" is weak
The story is concerned with Janion's
efforts 70 defeat certain bill. Ills
opposition Is characteristic; it was be.
gun, lest rival papers should beglr
ahead of him, before the provisions OF
the measure were definitely known. The
! Hon. Denzil Trevena, sponsor for the
| bill, becomes a shade too intimate with
married woman. Janion learns Of the
intimacy, and then IL IS merely mat
ter of blackmail, with the woman out
whiting the publisher in the end. This
IS rather a thin story TO spread ovel
four acts-it could have been tolC
more dramatically in three. Better still
it could have been abandoned for some
thing more TO the point. In its present
shape the play virtually falls to pieces
in the third act.
As a character study Of Janion, how
ever, the play is delight. And TO
once, here is an English play tina
means as much in New York as il doe
| in London. Pagan, an Englishman, Il
satirizing Northclitfe. but New Yorker
are not required to transport them
selves across seas They have a htti'
fairy in their own home. Is there
starving family for whom COLLECTION
can be taken up in a showily philan
! thropic manner? Then the columns o
"The Earth" are 10 be had for the ask
ing. Is there occasion for series o
| highly idealistic editorials, deplorlni
| the materialism OF the age2 Then "Th'
Earth" will be the first paper TO prin
J them. But comes bill to raise wage
and TO curb private fortunes-and IN
! Earth" will fight to defeat il, honestl.
or dishonesty, the while piously claim
/ ing that 10 represents the Will or TN
! people. DO you doubt that | repre-
/ sent public opinion?" cries Sir Felix
/ Il. a. lot ION fur mi
| Ton a day"
Miss Georges splendid unselfishness
| could not be better emphasized than BY
| her production OFT Earth" Although
| the role OF Lady hillone IS more impOr
! tant than a brief telling OF the ploi
would indicate, Janion is undoubtedly
the star part. Miss George, as the wife
| Of the caddish kiilone, never IN hel
! life looked prettier nor acted better
/ Using the merest suggestion OF an Irish
broCuc, she gave performance tina
/ fairly sparkled Her speeches, many
/ Of which appear exceedingly hat upor
/ the printed page, were, in her custody
wonderful lines. To her went unre
servedly the highest honors OF th'
evening.
Louis Calvert, barring tendency to
! frst-night nervousness, gave brisk
| businesslike and forceful impersona
ton of the multicopy publisher. Con
way Tearle acted with considerable
! distinction as Trevena, although a bi
more power would not have been amis'
/ IN some Of his scenes. lie was tiff,
Young TO be a Cabinet minister, bu'
! this is doubtless explained by the fac
that he had been pushed ahead by
Janion.
Ernest Lawford succeeded admirably
In the rather showy role OF Dickson, /
loud, red-tie-wearing person, quite dlf
ferent f.om the characters that he ha!
been playing. 1t was a surprise e
learn from the programme that he haC
| been cast for the role, but ne FULLY
| justified the choice. Charlotte Gran
Vile scored decidedly as the gossip
Lady Susan. and Norah Lamison was {
sister whose pride in her brother
achievements seemed quite real Th'
acting throughout the evening, in fact
was of a distinctly high grade, al
though John Cromwells Morrish lef
considerable to be desired.
THE Earth" despite its shortcom
ings, is decidedly worth viewing. 1t :
possibly less brilliant than Arnold Ben
nett's what the Public Wants whicl
deals with the same subject, but 1t i
bright enough tO repay the auditor VIII
sits with cars and mind open. II an,
further recommendation is needed j
should be recorded that the play wa
produced in Chicago several years ag
and failed.
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