The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-08
wisconsin Plays"

WE are all becoming aware Of the
w various links binding the world
together to-day. For one thing, we are
reading large number of foreign books,
and trying to understand our allies. There
Is, however, a more important point we
are beginning to be conscious of ourselves,
conscious of our unity as nation. It is
the duty of writer's to foster this interest
in native products.
1t is therefore a pleasure to come to
book like the Wisconsin Plays: Second
Series. The volume contains four plays:
The Feast of the Holy Innocents, by s.
Marshall Ilsley; On the Pier, by Laura
Sherry; The Shadow, by Howard Num-
ford Jones, and We Lipe Again, by
Thornton Gilman. The book is prefaced
by brief note from iona Gale, who says.
"Thc Wisconsin Plays are written By
Middle West men and women and pro-
1ueed by the Wisconsin Players
the Wisconsin Players are working SIM
ply and naturally with local material.
Burlesque, the inslncere, they are trying
to eliminate. Their hope is to express
character, the quality of their people and
their peoples work-not to force them
and their work to establish Methods
The four plays included in this second
volume are presumably among the best
specimens from this experimental work.
shop. The Feast Of the Holy Innocents
IS we'll written character sketch of two
old maids; it depicts their aspirations 10
take peep into the wicked life of the
Big City, and ultimately shows them de.
parting to attend consecration-and TO
see the great Bernhard in Camille! There
are homcly touches in the play, and one
feels that the author knows his people,
On the Pier is dialogue between a
young man and young woman, both of
whom have come from the West to fry
their luck in New York Both have been
unsuccessful. and are on the point of sui
eide. They meet by chance on a pier.
where they have come with the idea of
putting an end to their troubles, but the
woman gives the man renewed courage
and the two resolve once more to enter
the battle. There is "a point strained here
in having precisely this man and this
woman happen to meet at the same time.
at the same pier, for the same reason, and
there is mora than suggestion of the
style and atmosphere of w. w. Gibson.
who has drawn unforgettable pictures in
his Daily Bread. But Mrs. Sherry shows
that she can write real dialogue and han
die delicate situation.
The Shadow is somewhat reminiscent OF
Macterlinck and Pruneiia, but is none the
less charming Iittlc fantasy.
We Lire Again is less original plav.
though there are touches in it that reveal
unusual insight. The situation-that of a
woman who comes into a country churcl
during New Years watch service look
ing for husband who has deserted her
is dexterously worked out.
After all, it is not primarily question
OF how original or how beautiful or how
well written these plays may be, and on
the whole they are good plays; it is a
question at present of how far they de-
pfet American life. They do depict n
section of it, and depict it well. Far BET
ter to print volume of plays dealing
with Wisconsin men and women than n
play of Rostand or Maeterlinck. For
We do not have to make the
choice, but if we should, let us have
American work first.
WISCONSIN PLAYS: SECOND SERIES