New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-26
By Ralph Block

In New England people are not AZ
hicted by the ills of temperament that
scourge other regions where the
human race dwclls. In New England
there is no sudden death, rat poison
never invades precincts to which it is
normally a stranger, all children come
naturally by their parents, and tho
land is one song Of cheer, from Maine
to Connecticut. do not really believe
that any Of this is SO, but | would have
to believe it If were to take the words
of Kate Douglas Wiggin and Rachel
Crothers, who write of it with great
air of knowledge.
went TO the Cort Theatre last night
hoping against hope that somehow the
two ladies involved in the play had
written a play about Broadway. From
the New England viewpoint Mother
Carcy's Chickens" sounded promising,
and as | had never attended those
Libraries where the novel OF that name
is doubtless well thumbed and worn.
allowed myself all sorts OF strange
visions-the sinful theatre; sewing
woman fondly called Mother Carey;
her fierce warfare against the evil
Founders in silk hats who court the
stage entrance, etc. But it was not to
be. faced, instead, three acts of much
diluted "Old Lady Thirty-One," with
a mixture of Pollyanna sweetenlng on
Ear beside the mark-the only differ
Hampshire village instead of Broadway.
81. NJ 70 ha 40
Of a cheerful lady who manages TO find
happiness in village life after her bus
band, a naval officer, has gone TO what
after New England, at least-could
rot be a happier and brighter land.
One or two acts of "Mother Carey's
Chickens" would be relief at any
time If they were scattered throughout
the New York theatrical season. The
play has a certain righteousness about
It and a refreshing delicacy in its man
ner Of spreading the syrup. But while
there is nothing very much wrong about
L. there isn't very much that is right.
Even the lady villain repents in the
last act and weeps to be forgiven. /
waited with deep longing for some per-
son with a cultural voice 20 utter one
deep curse, for some disguised pirate
of this peaceful New England village 10
suddenly throw off his mask and gloat
in his evil. But no! Miss Edith Talla-
ferro and her cheerful associates pat
ted each other on the back and smiled
and smiled and smiled with the heroic
grin of the damned.
All Of this labor is devoted to the
story of a gentle widow who comes to a
New Hampshire town with her flock,
takes an old house and lives on her
husbands pension. The children are
interesting, but scarcely interesting
enough for material for the theatre
One Of them discovers that the house
has been willed 10 the son of the for
mer owner by his grandmother. She
makes up her mind TO reveal 1t to the
young man himself, but catty relative
who comes to live with the family
messes things up and destroys the
Young mans trust in her. Fortunately
il is early enough in the play 80 It can
be fixed up in the last act and provide a
pretty closing tableau. The rest Of the
action is feStooned with barn dance
and the comic antics Of another village
family. The acting is competent and
surprisingly tempered, considering the
temptations of the material. But the
only real spark last night was in the
pleasnnt juvenility Of Lorin Raker as
the eldest son of the family, so natural
a youth that If he ever gets chance at
Booth Tarkington's Seventeen he may
be expected to give Gregory Kelley a
hard run of il.