New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-14
New Bill at the Comedy Falls
Below Last Standard
Set
By HAYWOOD BRoUN

Frank Moran. the prizehghter, sat
just in front of US at the Comedy
Theatre last night and obviously en-
joyed every minute Of the new bill Of
the Washington Square Players. We
wonder whether it is entirely fitting
that a Washington Square programme
should please a passing pugilist so
much. OF course. Frank Moran is an
exceptional fighter Sam Langford
might not like the bill at all, but it is
well within the range OF any first class
lightweight.
II is true that "The Death Of Tinta.
giles had Moran missing Just a bit.
Maeterlinck's reach seemed 20 bother
him. Still he was heard 20 say thai
the play undoubtedly had a punch. lie
acded that Jess Willard didn't, and as
serted that he would have knocked him
out If the fight had gone twenty rounds.
The rest of Moran'5 remarks need no;
be repeated, since they have no bear.
ing on the drama.
The Washington Square Players seem
70 Us 70 have made a more conscious
bid for popularity IN their new bill
than in many of their previous pro-
grdmmes. IL is not we'll that they
should stick too closely 10 a formula of
a serious play. comedy, a serious
play and a farce to send folk away
laughing. Tie Hero OF Santa Maria"
for instance, hardly belongs n the
programme Of an experimental theatre.
IL IS amusing enough, but distinctly
commonplace. Perhaps the players
wished to show their ability to handle
conyentionalized humorous character
iZation. They succeeded admirably. A
cast Of carefully selected types could
hardly have done better than did Rob
ert Strange, Helen Wesley Arthur
Hohl, Edward Fiammer and others who
conspired IN the fun. Such a resul.
By no means makes il certain that the
play is worth doing.
Our interest centred almost entirely
in "The Last Straw" This is an en-
crossing play and also an interpretive
study Of American city life. Certainly
originality must be allowed to an
author who seeks sympathy for the
tragedy Of janitor VINO is also a Ger
man American. The play suggests De
Maupassants story "A Piece OF
String Here cat and not a necklace
IS the cause OF the trouble. Quite by
accident the ianitor has killed a kitten
in manipulating the dumbwaiter.
He is accused and convicted of an
act Of intentional cruelty, and the
suspicion preys upon his mind until
he is afraid 20 face the tenants. Boys
in the street shout who killed the
cat?' down at the jantor's children
and the lads are loath to 20 to school
Finally the wife misguidedly remarks
"But you didn't kill the cat. did you,
Fritz" and the harassed man there
upon goes into the next room and
shoots himself.
The various factors which break
down the janitor's endurance are told
simply truly and wildly. Particularly
good are the two children. We have
seldom seen a play in which youngsters
were so natural and talked such real
talk. There is excellent observation in
drawing the younger boy. who has
picked up the trick of repeating the re-
marks OF his elder brother. Frank
Longacre is remarkably good in this
role.
Only one fault mars the play. In a
book or a college course or some place
the author has learned that if his chief
character is to kill himself with a gun
the audience must see that gun before
hand. This may be sound. but it is
unfortunate that the playwright has
felt constrained TO take such obvious
pains to lug the pistol ia twice. The
defect is only slight, and the play
treads not very far behind the mag
niiicent "TriAes" Of the last bill Ar
thur Hohl and Marjorie Vonnegut both
contribute to the success of this we'll
moulded play.
Next 10 1.-THE Last Straw" the most
impressive feature of the programme is
the work of Rollo Peters, who designed
the scenery and costumes for "The
Death of Tintagiles." Here is fine
Imagination. The artist, indeed, is
more imaginative than the author.
Maeterlincks play is rather constran-
eddy symbolic. 1t is mysterious with
out being particularly lofty.
Maeterlinck need not set his char
acters 70 wailing 20 impress at least
one theatregoer that death is inevi
table, somewhat terrifying, and not
little pulling. When a woman is put
to pounding on a great iron door and
10 loud screaming we long for the cur
tain. We know that nothing much can
come of it. IL is doubtful if even
Frank Moran could have battered that
door down. OF course, de did knock
Coffey out twice, but Dillon beat him
badly. The Death of Tintagiles"
would be more interesting if the char
acters could be induced TO let the spec.
tators regard the inspiring sets of
Rollo Peters without such frequent and
so loud interruptions.
"A Private Account" which Sarah
Bernhardt's company played here, is a
fragile comedy. II works up 70 an
amusing note, but the play demands a
more sure comedy touch than either
of the players is capable Of bringing to
the Interpretation. There is no scenic