The Washington herald., 1918-09-17
BeIaseo-LieneI Barrymore In The
Copperhead.-

! ne SOpptTutaQ, lle greatest pay
! OF the l911-ls dramatic season. opened
weeks engagement at the Belasco
Theater last night.
The harassed critic, compelled by
! journalistic circumstance 10 disgorge
his analysis in less than forty min
utes after his dramatic meal, finds
himself compelled to fail back on per-
sonal reactions instead of the careful
ana more accurate conclusion Of
| twenty-four hours later
Fortunately. however, THE Copper
head" is designed TO create reactions.
It's third act is daubed in with broad
er. bolder, more virile strokes, per-
! haps. than those of Clyde Fitch's old
shock piece called THE City" In
doubtedly Lionel Barrymore scored
his usual personal triumph last night
and the orderly witness of things dra-
matte must agree that The Copper
head is truly a great piece of dra-
maturgy that will long serve as a
landmark along the dramatic way.
There only remains, then. a word or
two of suggestion here and there be-
fore full agreement is vouchsafed the
seasoned verdict already passed upon
this remarkable play.
The Copperhead" takes its name
from the contemptuous slang of the
civil war period, when copper
head meant a man living behind
the Northern lines who sought to
afford aid and comfort to the Con-
federacy. Lionel Barrymore is cast
in the role of Milton Shanks, an
Illinois farmer. who openly opposes
the war program of the North. de-
clines to fight himself. permits his
boy TO enlist on the Union side and
is finally sent to the penitentiary
Tor his part in a fight between cop
perheads" and sheriffs posse His
son is killed. his wife dies from
grlef after spurning her husband a
unclean, and forty years later, the
old hate is turned against his grand-
child. To save her from unhappi-
ness and the stigma Of a murderer's
srandchild he exposes the fact that
he the supposed "copperhead." real
ly is a Union spy especially commits
stoned by Abraham Lincoln.
This is the opportunit given Barry
more TO rise to dramatic heights, and
his performance did not falter last
night. His impersonation OF the
aging "copperhead." fighting for
honor against overwhelming odds. is
a gripping, finished. artistic effort,
which has set half the critics of
Christendom be the ears for the past
twelve-month. Doris Rankin. n win
some. charming ingenue. essays the
role OF Shank's idealistic, loyal wife.
torn between duty and love. Miss
Rankin. incidentally, has one OF the
finest heads of coal-black hair on the
American stage, but 1t is too black,
too youthful for effective characteri-
zation of a rural wife past 30. Later,
as Shank's granddaughter. she is
sweet simple and appealing. The
part fits far better here.
There are certain delinquencies OF
performance on the part OF Barry
more's support that while minor.
slightly perturb the critical seathoid-
er To our mind. John Pierson. as
convicted ''copperhead" released from
the penitentiary after Ihhty-eisht
years, does not work up 10 a tensity
Of dramatic action sufficient TO coun-
terbalance his Elizabethan Language.
strong language needs strong acting
and Mr.. Pierson should intensity the
action since he cannot moderate the
lines. Edwin Holland. asa hatcr of
'copperheads." contributes perform
ance that is, Il not, brilliant. Alto
sether acceptable. Frederick smith, a.