New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-02

young girl
New phases in the character Of Dale
must also be brought out Just here
may be noted the difficulties Of charae-
ter development in play. Even
though the dramatist is ungrudgingly
granted his "ten years later he cannot
show MS character in process OF
change. Unquestionably a man is
moulded by O number OF minor events
and not By q few big crises. Roman
ROLAND can show US Jean-Christophe
from day 10 day through many thou
sand pages and we can see the soul OF
the boy change ever so slowly as souls
do. But Miss Ellis may merely say
Here IS William Dale" and little
later, Here is William Dale again, and
look how he has changed
That is not character development.
Il is mere hopping from height to
height. Much more efficient is the
method Of "The Great Lover for in-
stance. Jean Paurel is just the same
man at the end Of the play as he was
at the beginning. There has been no
character Development, but we have
been allowed 20 watch character re-
actions. At the end of the evening the
audience does not know what Paurel
became in twenty years. but IL is IA
miliar with the manner IN which
definite and interesting person viii be-
have in any given circumstance within
Given week or st most q month. OF
course this theme and point might be-
developed with recourse 10 much more
notable plays. Shaw's best play,
Cesar and Cleopatra" Is concerned
not in developing Cesar, but in ex-
pounding him. Galsworthy's Pigeon
leaves its folk Just where they started.
Fanny Hawthorne, Of "H.ndle Wakes
IS an interesting figure because Of her
consistency.
At some points in "The Devils Gar
den" Miss Ellis has departed from the
novel TO good effect The novelist, for
instance. aces not let his reader know
until late in the book that Dale muir
dered Barradine. The play imparts
that fact almost Immediately, and this
IS undoubtedly much more effective.
The folly Of not sharing a confidence
with an audience was str.kingly shown
in "The Ware Case"
The nature Of the ending OF the novel
IS not well adapted to stage purposes.
Since the book provides that Dale shall
die when tho burning orphanage col
lapses. an OF stage death is necessl-
tated for the play. This very fact con
tributes 10 the impression that Dale s
danth is not the wtll ordered last step
ia the march Of Nemesis, but merely
an accident BY so much as cnance
instead Of fate determines the death
of Dale the play loses in Its power 10
inspire pity and terror.
The death of Dale is not the only
important incident Of the book when
is forced OF stage Do the play Inc
novelist was able 20 report the seduc-
ton Of the heroine. The playwright
can only bring 10 10 the attention OF
the audience second hand some eleven
wears later. In spite Of their preVa-
lepce IN plays we never have thought
much Of seductions as dramatic ma
ferial. In fact, we dislike them IN,
tenselv. because they invariably lead
10 a scene where man shouts ana d
Nyor,an heats her head upon the floor
ar q table. We viii never approve OF
. seduction until the confession rs
made with the woman sitting Do "a chaIr
talking calmly and the man on the
onno.ite side Of he room also seated
"a remaining so. lie may be as tense
os Won please. lie can grip the arms
OF his chair and possibly rock TO ana
fro violently, but he has no rGht 10
heller We saw this in all seriousness.
Sew IS an important factor IN the
world. 10 be sure but 80 is by no means
tho one interesting thing % me- as
s-cb . number Of dramatists OF the
,.car seem 20 believe. Thank heaven
Tor Treasure Islaudi' TO see every
plav this season IS TO become tre0 or
The continual Insisteucc on sex. Even
the attempt 20 stimulate interest," .py
well defined suggestions OF, p'etVei,sI I.i,
tn ..Tho Devils Garden failed 20 tnrill
,,e Sew pervcrsion is an interesting
subject. ID affords good opportunities
10 the novelist. but IL is not ovaiiabIe
material for the playwright because OF
its completely.
sTbe Devils Garden" asks TOO much
Of an audience in requiring that II be
allowed TO say something about perver-
sion i'm both It's big scenes. That IS at
least once too often, and, in our opin-
Jon. twice. In spite Of the fact that we
said 80 once before, we are gong 70
repeat the statement that the incident
which has done more to harm me ing
ljsh drama thol any other in the his
tory of the world is recorded IN the
third chapter Of the Book Of Genesis:
"And the eyes Of them both were
opened. and they knew that they were
naked. and they seWed hg leaves 20
gether and made themselves aprons,
II that incident could be stricken
from the worlds history there would
he in New York to-day no Common
Claw no Eternal Magdalene" and no