New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-06

"Margery Daw" is the title Of ten
uous and tedious drama which last
night saw the footlights Of New York
for tho frst time at the Princess Thea
ire. IL Is the work of new play
wright, George D. Parker. somewhat
assisted here and there By Dorothy
Donnelly. whose name does not appear
on the programme. II bears evidence
OF the hands OF the tinker. for some
of it's peculiarities one OF them, in
particulsr-could not possibly be ex-
planned as anything but dramatic after
thoughts.
This new play is slavishly conven-
tionsl In its first act. hardly less so in
its second, slightly confusing in its
third and absolutely battling in its
fourth. II begins by introducing a set
of characters Familiarity known to every
theatregoer-the central situation. IN
fact, parallels that of "Pollyanna.'
Failing to secure the girl of his choice,
the hero has shut himself up in his
house for a score of years, and when
the shutters are thrown open in the
first act it is TO receive his ward,
daughter of the girl he loved.
The girl has been brought up in a
convent and is childshly eager for male
society. Add to this young man, and
the play begins TO be foreseen. Throw
in a line about his departing for South
America in three weeks, and things be-
come even clearer. Put the part in the
hands of George Probert, champion cad
of the American stage, and it all be-
comes too simple for words. Or so it
appeared to last nights audience at the
Princess.
II must have been at that point
even after the engagement Of George
Probert-that some one got the idea
Of outwitting the audience. The hero
inc goes unblemished into the arms
of her ward at the drop of the curtain,
and IL is true that many of the audi
ence are fooled. Throughout the play,
however, the authors have firted with
the dramatic possibilities that would
have followed the fullfilment Of what
must have been their original idea,
and the result is hating and un-
certain drama. Nor does the conclusion
justify the limping. It is all very well
to deceive an audience, but there must
be some cleverness about the deceit
The authors Of "Margery Daw" have
succeeded only in denying the audience
an obligatory scene, and that, If you
know your Archer, is a fundamental
error.
The central character is played by
Kathlene MacDonell, who, In addi-
ton to being Mrs. George D. Parker,
is an actress of unquestionable talent
In "Just Outside the Door" and in
Strindberg's Easter" she gave memoir
able performances last season, perform
ances which are certain to rank above
her work last evening. She was a CUR
Cling, tremulous and even strident Mar
gerry, obviously trying very hard, and
Just as obviously defeating her own
ends, by the strenuousness of her eff
forts. Her scenes of emotion in the lat
ter part of the play were excellently
handled. however, and it is quite pos
sible that the strain Of a first night
was responsible for much of her earlier
overacting.
George Probert, although he hardly
suggested boy of twenty, was gener-
ally satisfactory as the youth with
whom Margery carried on her filtration,
and Frederick Perry played the guard
ian with all his accustomed sincerity.
The best acting of the evening was
done by Maude Eburne, who deserted
her limo of comic servants 70 give
good characterization of an elderly
spinster. Forrest Robinson contrib
uted another of his kindly old men.