Evening star., 1919-12-01

GARRICK-"Abraham Lincoln. -

Another link was woven last night
into the chain of events which SO
strangely binds the career of Abra-
ham Lincoln to the annals of the En-
glish-s h-speaking theater. The first pro-
duction in this country of abraham
Lincoln" at the ShubertGarrick last
night was an enterprise to be ap-
preached with trepidation. Within
little more than a stones throw OF
the scene of actual calamity that has
haliowed the very paving stones in
the attention of the world. the event
Of patriot martyrdom was submitted
to the perils of modern stage mechan-
ism In a system of theatrical pro-
duc.'on accustomed to appeal for
laughter on terms of broad farce. and
for applause on terms of direct me]o-
d-ar1a. the vicissitudes which might
overWh helm with worse than ridicule
what seemed so delicate an undertake
ing seemed incalculable. For in
stance, the orchestra selections inter
spersed through the evening. apart
from the incidental music provided
for the representation, constituted an
atrocity. The work asserted itself
not as specimen of fragile crafts
manship and exaltsd imagination. but
as A story of powerful simplicity
which requires its critics to answer
hut one question: is this the TRUTH
There is no middle ground of anp-e
c'ation. The work must be accepted
either as n glorious achievement or
"s n Wretched futiiity.
The audience last night necessarily
skeptical of nood remained lonr
after the close of the performance T."
"heAr the author. John DrinkWater
ard to hail him. not 'as a visitor from
Hhroad. with wares to Tand hut as an
intimate and svr'nathetic contributor
20 an American literature that is only
i"Gf beginning.
Go f,4
r"h"n1ed o-d 20 deere" narfe"t""
IN his transatlantic workshop does
NOT rreV.nt j. from being American
~ f"elnr and eyprasSi0n as we'll rs
~ theme The authorship has an ad.
van.age in .ha matter of perspective
He is enabled tn nick out the domi-
n"rt' ana scnificart characteristics
r;th 2 claarpeSS and accuracy wh'c!'
vvoIlla he irnpo for p writer s''--
ror1rd"d on evarr hand hv n1ultitu''- =
VOWS details OF fact 50 CLOSELY infar-
woven with revarent ranti'r"nt tha'
.he most r,'nnte incident takes or
an aSnnct of deeDaSt import.
Z, his sneerh Sir,nlc and c'oan o.
nS the pe-sonali'v Of the speaker. Nr
D-is,k ,-nr n,.s6cnt'v aware or u =.
Doubt uhc1, MUST eXiGf as TO the COZ"
-,-.arca Of E-rrish tI,ou~ht 20 refec
---ith acrr-"">- q diet'- rti"elv Am"-'- -
~rn nsvct~nn~v stn|ai in his "'"''
---r-l-. t'-t of "',.> -""'"-iSt r9ffc.
bow .rnt % tho n; a~-a anh~r.
",s~ i-rr-o"s;o" 1ef+ ~ h'S creat'o
80 -he cn~-~n-- AS " "~a ma neaS'
~ a-- &c thn 'fnr-'Eo- models
~ wo-,rl hove l:t"'a wore st"r@
:.s- +-a- q en-i,s - Va, 1i-oS f-o-'
~---h~~1- Ac A;o--aohv u .hrir~~
- --,"i!~~ :-+o oro-o ----,Do +Io.., 49,
o--'"~1 ~1:--- 49,, "'-i-,s +o- SO e,,h+,o'
- ~ o-e'-- +L~ ~I--:r, 40, ---h;ch ~
'-'" -~''- 90 ~-c-'-- o~oo-1e Nut ~
-" o~@ ~-@+it'-'- -%t~l> --aa,
-~-~r"""-% - . h"-,a- We
y '-'---o+e-.s .I--La., r;-o,1-n .
~-H-n>oI - ~ ->,ooJ 80 ~. .o,,,.
= sho--S ro,-'r+e,t1v AID oo--
Wv. $50 oh-eo ~ tho man ,pd w..
"~~> 'ha -ohlaet
'H ~'""' 80 ;-+eIron+ua, e,,,-
---H'"h en1i~nra5 h;s +Houob+ ,,d
y" y t~"1"ha~t p-oapoo
"""" NO. ~'ir+ e-nu, the arc-
"."H go God s+nadeost on ona ,o-.-
~@---.h~ . ~'>ol:+io, o< .,o,
'"'0~r" hnw---- rnr,;pe e,,n.
I'D With ~-nnt et''l ia ir,proeend ..
|aot that he would no. sacriecn ~
"-~S"""' hA'iAf however n-ofon-
H"H WORTHY tho laws and ecoror,;c
-Hs's of the country he so re-.
vered
"a tho LINCOLN Of heart mo--
than the Lincoln of brain that NJ
'-'ntwat"- .'nnicts THO ;rte1lecfna,
-" of "hara"+ev ;s m.ios+jc- but. ie
NOT relied on chiefly in the aonaal t.
'~@"-"St Trio an.he- .sid we'll in in
trusting so nerilous a role tn a.
""--o- of Ern-b NcC1vnn,s acco,-
~'ish~erts His nlarire was as s;-,
~ direct and <o-cafnl as the sto--
'-~n,fs
= sT'n chn-srte-s ave al, ,panIa-s,,,,
T6-Esd onf' :, +Ee- yns+1n- oe +ec,,-
81 Yr1s. F-T
80 vat roe-e'-.'o ohso--e. tho Sow
% 'ee~ nass "a Jike looking thro,.--
collection % o'i prints II ;e ~
f"~trrro'n that +Nn ex-nrd~I c,--,
"e""=s"-r r. ri-e irHiv+I,a' c-at1
eor wo,derfnl yrork IN MANY ;,s+anr
cannot be attempt ed within tho ,:.,-r.
at "HS OF current re-iew The.
a-e q ''a'f "o-cn no-traitures a,v o.
% which = ~ ordinary rroduc.ic-.
would sten' out as rastero'e.
TIE profon-d ino-eSs'on howe
made by Ra"nond Hackett as vow
Scott, repr'eved by Lincoln. shou~
not pass without notice. The episod
is a. little drama unto itself. lis On
portunities were improved 10 the u.
most.
There Will be. no doubt. many points
OF detail which close students of
times and people of the Lincoln era