New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-23
FASHION" PROVES
BRIGHTEST SPOT
Years Fail to Dim Wit of
Play by Mrs.
MOWatt
BY HAYWOOD BROUN

drama is not so slgnlhcant as IL useu
to be and never was. AT the end OF
yesterdays matinee the impression was
strengthened that America can boast
of no play of the first rank, and can
claim the second rank only through
Moody's Faith Healer" and possibly
Mackaye's "Scarecrow."
Scene after scene in the long pro
gramme at the Republic Theatre
showed the same striking defect of
American drama. It is naive. but not
sincere.
However, for all the underlying trag-
edy of the afternoon it was vastly d.
verting. The programme moved with
CELEBRITY. The scenes we're we'll played.
The reproductions of oldtime sets not
only interested a modern audience. but
flattered its taste by showing that in
one direction, at any rate, our theatre
has moved ahead. The entire affair
reflects great credit upon Arthur Hop
kins, Robert Edmond Jones ana II. W.
Gilmore and the Drama League.
Before the performance began NJ. j.
Moses promised that it would show the
development of the American drama. 1t
can hardly be said to have done so. for
the scrap Of Clyde Fitch play which
was presented was much more antlquat-
ed than Fashion" comedy dating
from lS45.
The entire first act of Anna Cora
Mowatt's 1S45 play was performed and
IL was decidedly the hit Of the bill. Not
only was il bright and interesting in its
own right, but il revealed the roots OF
q popular school Of American drama.
When a socially ambitious woman de-
ciared "Liveries are all the fashion an
honest rustic relation answered: The
fashion. are they? To make men wear
the badge of servitude in free land =
that's the fashion. is it? Hurrah for
republican simplicity"
Though the character is called True
man, can any one doubt that he is the
direct ancestor of Daniel Voorhees,
Pike, the man from homer The claim
Of relationship could be strengthened
by playing the final act, which ends
when Trueman steps to the curtain and
says: 1--WE have kings. princes and
mobiles in abundance-of Natures
stamp, if not of Fashon's-we have
honest men, warm hearted and brave,
END we have women-gentle, fair and
true. to whom no title could add no
bility"
Mrs. Mowatt may be identified as the
fcrerunner not only of Booth Tarking-
ton, Harry Leon Wilson and William
Hodge, but of Winchell Smith, Owen
Davis and Eleanor Porter as well. The
heroine of Fashion" is a household
drudge and an orphan to boot II is
Trueman who saves the orphan from
the French count in a scene in which
he exclaims: "Ill teach you the way
we natives joke with a puppy who don't
respect an honest woman!"
Bat if there were any lingering doubt
Of the debt which the modern Ameri
can playwrights owe to Mrs. Mowatt it
should be dispelled when il is recorded
that in 1912 she wrote "The Fortune
Hunter" We know nothing of this
work except the title. but there is lit
tie reason to doubt that it is the an
nual American play with a pump and
Helen Lowell.
The first act of Fashion" is so gilt
tering that the opinion was freely ex-
pressed that il would stand reviving.
This is questionable, for the wit of the
first act is not sustained, but there is
no denying the fact that the humor of
the play has not stalled. In fact, at
least one laugh has grown into the
comedy. Mrs. Mowatt undoubtedly did
not anticipate the sensation caused
when a gentleman in the first act re-
ferred to lady as "a bale of damaged
goods"
The sprightly performance Of Fash
ion" was due in large measure to the
comedy with which Edwin Nicander in
fused the role of Zeke. Mary Shaw,
Walter Connolly, Sarah Shields and
Aimee Dalmores were also seen TO ad- |
vantage.
BY the way, it is interesting to note
that this. the most amusing American
fragment of the afternoon, was writ
ten by a French woman.
The early numbers on the bill were
chiefly of historical interest. First OF
all came a very short scene from
Royal Tyler's play THE Contrast
This. we are told is our first comedy.
II serves to introduce the stage Yankee.
The scene chosen for performance yes
terdav is a brief bit from the third
act in which Jonathan tells Jenny how
he inadvertently entered q playhouse
and saw performance Of THE School
for Standardization" The fragment OF
this 1887 play was mildly amusing.
Next came a peek into William Dun
lan's "Andre." This was not in the
least amusing, as 10 was written III
blank verse Of such quality as to make
a modern audience thank Heaven Tor
"Seremonda."
The sprightly Fashion" came next.
Of tbis II is recorded that Poe at /
tended ten performances before decld- .
inc whether or not 10 write a favor
able review for his newspaper The IN
cident only goes TO show how dramatic
critics have progressed, although the
implied leniency of the paper IN walt
ing on the critics convenience shows
an equal retrogression on the part OF
editors, which evens things
up. Anyway, there is another version
10 the Poe story. which has IL that the
theatre where Fashion" was played
backed on a tavern and afforded most I
lounging place between
drinks. i
"Davy Crockett" by Frank Edward I
first played IN 1874, was the T
fourth number. This was sidesplittlng, {
although it might have been even fun I
nier If Lester Lonergan could have re- /
sisted the temptation Of kidding the I
part "a little bit. James J. Jeffries, who 4
once esssyed the trapper part, always |
took the business of barring out the 4
wolves most seriously. 1t may be said I
that though the pugilist was no actor /
he rose to great heights when he thrust I
that mighty right across the door.
The scene between Brander and Dixie 1
STYLE out Of "a Texas Steer" was
chosen as representative of Hoyts |
work. This afforded Tim Murphy a
chance for some excellent low comedy. |