New-York tribune., 1918-02-19

n, hlm to Washington at the beginning of
the war and enlisted him to play the
part OF southern sympathzer, to
osre the hatred of his neighbors and
ot o.. ms wife and son in order to serve
lne cause of the Union. The scene is
not entirely reminiscent. The happi-
ness OF the old mans granddaughter
is at stake end we see the reaction
oi tnc story upon the men who have
mated Milton Shanks for so manv years
and yet the thing in the scene which
moved mo most profoundly was the pic
'ure which the author and actor drew
ol tne meeting of Shanks and Lincoln.
1T seemed" said Shanks, "as if we
ewo were alone in the world" "How
much DO you love your country?" Lin
coin asked. Shanks said that he would
die for it, and then the President told
nm that he must make greater sacri-
nee, and he took his hand and laid it
on the stars of little flag and held
1T there, but said no word Ben Chaplin
IN all his whiskers never brought Lin
coin so vivldly before an audience as
barrymore did last night. The scene
Is devised with cunning artifice, for the
old man begins his story by placing a
mask of Lincoln upon the table and the
cast OF his fist gripping broom
handle. He picks up the huge hand
and says: "He was bigger man than
| in every way" And SO, in addition
to the word picture Of the actor. we
see the cast of Lincoln staring ut us
from the table, and presently the spec
tator is alone with the man who is
talking and will see what he sees and
go where he goes.
1T Is difficult to tell just what makes
piece of acting great. Lionel Barry
more played with tremendous emotion
last night. He was taking the part of
man almost in ecstacy, and yet for
all the emotion of the character the
actor was easy. At the end of the
scene the author of the short story
upon which the play is founded was
called to the stage, and he appeared
dripping, with perspiration, but Barry
more, who had acted the trying role
was able to step out of the character
entirely unshaken. He had that ever
lasting grip on himself throughout
which makes the supreme artist in all
helds. He could come up to his mo-
ments OF great stress with the same
ease that GalliCurci could take a high
note: Indeed, he received a regular
Galll reception at the end of the
play. We have always thought that
those people who rush out of the thea
VIC as SOON as Ino curtain QoSCendS did
not really have to 60 anywhere. They
didn't rush last night. They stood for
at least ten minutes and cheered Bar.
rymore and Thomas
1T is true that the play draws some
of its appeal from the fact that we are
at war, but | understand that the piece
was not pointed for this war, but was
IN fact, written several years ago. 1t
is fine thing that people should get
up on their hind legs and shout about
things in the theatre which they like
Our theatre has always lacked in.
tensity and emotion. If the war has
brought these things, it has done art g
service.
"The Copperhead" is we'll played
throughout. Doris Rankin was excel.
lent as the wife Of Milton Shanks, and
later changed her wig and did good ser
vice as his granddaughter. Thomas Car
rigan was agreeable. Raymond Hackett
did we'll in boys part, and Eugene
Woodward was good as a fire eating
grandmother. We were pleased to learn
from her that they called it "Dee-troit'
even during the War Of 1872 We were
also glad to learn that "The Copper
head was about the Civil War. From
the talk of some folks round about We
were beginning to believe that COP.
perhead was any person who did not
believe Newton Baker to be an efficient
Secretary of War.