The sun., 1916-08-19
The Guilty Man"-a4 the Astee
Theatre.

Guilty Man. which was seen last night
At the Astor Theatre, has been impending
for three years. Yet It was so long ago
as October. 1913. that Its production was
announced by the same organisation that
had introduced Eugene Brieux's Dam
aged Goods here. But Ruth Helen
Davis. who made the drama out Of a ro-
nance OF the same name by Francois
Coppee, would not have her drama used
as a means Of propaganda. Even In
these early days this band Of reformers
by means Of the theatre had read into
the story an gun for birth control.
Mrs. Davis would not have h play
acted for this purpose n it was ulti-
mately acquired by 4. H.. Woods.
II II be true that this same manager
kept the play In which the Dolly Sisters
are appearing for seven years before he
put 1t or the stage. Mrs. Davis is fortu-
nate. She has waited a much shorter
time. although In the meantime the late
Cn rles Klein rewrote the manuscript.
Mrs. Davis has also made the Eng
lish translation OF Coppec's novel. The
play seen last night at the Aston is d.
| vided into four acts. The first shows an
| uIai III u ~ "i' vi . 81
and the second. which takes place eight
cen years later. shows a room over the
cafe OF Flambon. An Office In the Palais
de Justice and a court room are the back
grounds Of the other acts.
story Of the Play.
Out Of the material In Coppec's novel
Mrs. Davis or Mr.. Klein. or both Of
them. contrived a feverish melodrama of
the kind New York rarely sees in this
year OF grace. The first act revealed the
desertion OF the betrayed milliner by her
lever. n In the second. which ca me
after an interval OF years sufficient to
explain many changes. the daughter OF
his connection had reached an age
which enabled here to dance in the cafe
chantant Of the man whom her mother
had married. She had to murder him
when he beat her mother, who had aided
her IN the effort TO hsht OF an aged
voiuptuary determined to marry her.
OF course when the girl was tried
for the murder. the prosecuting attor-
ney was her father. and he helped her
10 the inevitable freedom which came
with the trial scene that ended the play.
II was difficult TO believe that any So
Geological association could seriously
have contemplated the production OF a
play so conventional az a means Of prop
uganda. Naturally such organizations
are not expected 10 know anything abou,
the theatre. Otherwise they would no,
have mistaken the perfectly natural out.
growth Of Adolphe Belo,, Alexandra
Dumas, fills. D'E.nnery. Sardou and the
rest O: that immortal school,! rs a play
with a mission. Geniuses OF that era
thought they had done themselves credi,
when they succeeded in writing a good
play that the public liked. They neve.
needed the aid and comfort OF sociology
cal organizations. Sociology was their
material when II WAS at hand, jur as was
any other subject that provided a theme
for the exercise OF their skill. They took
the good where they found Il.
Il. Dramatic Scenes.
As 4. was last night Tho Guilt,
Man possesses some extremely movlns
and dramatic scenes. 1t was interesting
to observe the attitude OF a Broadwa,
audience brought face 10 face witt
something like the drama that used tc
be called emotional" Emily Ann Well.
man. dressed IN q frock Of the late COS
played the first act with poignant seel!ns
and q dramatic depth that is 20 rarel,
seen nowadays because there Is so littl,
demand for 1t. Then she was the de,
serted mistress. As the unhappy wife
anu buItcTiNE tlOtT1cT III inc second &C
, her mood was denoted by simpler blu
no less effective symbols. Indeed, IN,
ane truthfulness and restraint of he,
acting were the finest histrlonic events o,
/. the evening.
; The play was throughout admlrab,,
; performed II one could overlook tn,
lack Of the French feeling which should
have p%ervaded "A piece o: such essential,
Gallic character. Mex to Miss Well
mans performance there was nothinI
!. quite so fine as G;areth Hughcs's Low,
{ scene In the SECOND act. which was elo
Qucnt with truth and passion. Iren,
!. Fenwlck was The heroine n displaye,
" a variety Of expression which had neve
before seemed within her power. Lowell
Sherman. when In the trial scene he an
nounced himself as the cause of all tn
misery which had befallen his daughter
read his speeches with genuine feelinp
But 1.-THE Guilty Man. was throughou
admirably played.