Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-03
LITTLE BROTHER"
PLAY OF PROBLEMS
Walker Whiteside Star Of Drama
of Discussion, Racial and
Religious

Walker Whiteside, remembered for
his fervid impersonation of the ideal
istic young Jew, David Quixano, in
Israel Zangwill's play, THE Melting
Pot" impersonates Jewish character
of quite different externals, but some
what similar intrinsic qualities of spirit,
in his Rabbi Elkan. This is the
ostensibly stellar role in "The Little
Brother" in which Mr.. Whiteside
opened his engagement at the Adelphi
last evening, though the role of Father
Petrovitch, of the Orthodox Russian
Church, is virtually of twin importance
in exemplification of individual psyche
logical conflicts and as one of the two
characters whose opposition of trait
and tradition create the clash of drama.
THE Little Brother" drawn by Mil
ton Goldsmith and Benedict James from
Doctor Goldsmith's novel. THE Rabbi
and the Priest" is a play of problems
or rather of one essential problem, since
the mixed marriage which is the cardinal
point of the plot really comes under
the complex racial antagonism and re-
ligious differences which form the philo-
sophie background of the play. Union
of the young Jewess. the rabbits daugh-
ter, and the young Christian, the priest S
ward, serves merely as the immediate
melting motive of the drama OF DIS
cusson which is developed. The rappl
renounces his daughter and the priest
denounces his protege.
Back of it all is a pogrom in south
ern Russia of forty years before, IN
which Rabbi Elkan's parents had been
murdered and he and his baby brother
separated in the red terror OF religious
persecution, and later pogrom when
hid caused the death of the rabbi s wlte'
In the second fanatic slaughter the
priest. turned zealot and called the
scourge of God, had been the naming
leader of the peasantry against tne
Jews. Recognition of the two as olden
onnonents feeding fat the ancient grudge
comes early in the dramatic narrative,
but recognition of the fraternai identlty
is kent actually suspended, though op-
v;ouslv the logical denouement. 1or
tho third act climax. 1t is accomplished
bv the introduction of the priest peas
ant nurse Christian, VINO nau saVeu
the baby from the slaughter at inc loss
of her own reputation for virtue anu
had dedicated him to the church' lo
her service and sacrifice the priest owes
ali he has become and she in turn owed
the first inspiration, which eventually
uotoosed her from the mujik darkness
of her native condition. to the rapDi
wbo az a lad had taught her to read ana
,,.r;to Her intervention, as sort OF
"doa ox machina." :" is plausibly accounted
for and serves as the medium OIL recun
a;I;otion between the brothers ana pc
stowaI Of the long delayed blessing OF
the outcast lovers.
The playcraft is somewhat conVen :
tional and at times leans heaviy Oh
obyiously theatrical devices or teen
nioua and rather strained theatricalism
of atmosnhere and emotion. An lrish
Servant Girl and Hebrew marriage
brokor furnish comic relief, which does
IittIe to forward the movement and
which is stacy as well as excrescent'
The pro and contra arguments showiht
tho Jewisb and Russian Christian view
ro;nts and iustifcations, are economic
social and religious. By effective phras
inc and adaptability to interesting SIT
nations they succeed in achieving free
dom from the tiresomeness of stage
debate in costume.
MIR. Whiteside conceived the character
of the rabbi with great reverence ane
dignity, though it lacked the suptiety o
his Tokeramo in "The Typhoon ane
the passion ateness of his Quixano, Il
was admirably restrained and often
toucbinr m stephen Wright was the mil
liant priest who is $ wrought si. M..tar into tn
humility preached by his MA master, Troni, =
Risir was remembered by the presen
middle. aged generation by the presen
as the first emotional actress they knew
as asd II tbs entrance applause was deserved
by N the event Of her well, ,sehooisd Sd, i'm, =
personation of the nurse, sam s,a%s, srria !,
was ana the other roles were capabl.
significantly played.