New-York tribune., 1920-03-07

aensl game that q pitcher. fails
~ to be greatly effective when he
tries % put too much on the ball. The
man Who uses nothing but sharp and
bsxildsring curves and refuses on any
occasion simply to lay the ball across
the plate invariably weakens. Much
al We dislike intruding the affairs Of
The diamond into the drama, we can
not resist the analogy, because both the
plays produced during the week suf-
Tered from an excess Of effort on the
part Of their authors.
There must be . stirring drama in
the life Of George Washington ready
for tie hand Of anybody who will treat
il With the same simplicity which
marks the abraham Lincoln" Of John
Drinkwater. Mr.. MacKaye has taken
quite the opposite course. He has
tried to give US q new Washington
and In new manner. Rebelling
against the hampering conventions Of
the stage, he has invented technique
Of his own, which is far more trouble
some. He has peppered his play with
ballads and various stunts, which trip
up his narrative again and again. In
TACT, one can hardly avoid the impress
sion that Mr.. MacKaye was more in
tsrested In the trimmings than in the
play itself. He has fairly worn him
self out In trying to be different, but
ne achieves a difference which makes
eonventionality seem y much to be de-
Tired quality.
Washington presents more difficult
ties to the dramatist Of to-day than
Lincoln. Not only do we know less
about him, but we know. far more that
ISN'T 90. He has taken his place among
sns myths. And yet, though he pos
'sssed less Of the highest common fac
@s o3 sil mankind than Lincoln, he
vas no attitudinising stick. he might
nave wrsstlsd With Abe himself and
pssaaps have thrown him. Probably
warrington was the most athletic of all
sus PFssidsnts. Roosevelt knew more
.oeos boxing, to be sure, but even his
YOU might not have availed against the
sssat and height Of Washington. he
must have been almost ~ tall 40 Lin
so'a, and he was broader and faster ON
a'' 1sst. Still. there is no getting
sWsy from the fact that he was . coun-
" esntleman In an age in which en-
'essanins was among the professions,
quo as can hardly have been as con-
'1'ens IN his training as Lincoln. It
would have been = good match.
=, ~ leskdas back At Philip Moellsr's
S'pa's" Ne fe l that our review Of
40 play vas not altogether Just. Tho
psy does run down in fearful fashion,
" % sure, but before the disintsgra-
"0u mas set In there Is much that is
.'m0ls' Mr.. Moeller, however, has set
ulsn aurdles for himself. For an act
30 No clears them beautifully. Often
;, mas something to spare in his quick
.ssp.' out BY and by there 10 less spring
a's fancy. At such times It Is ad-
,. .''s ior playwright to adopt the
s.suens even though ignominious ex-
pso'ent of crawling under tho hurdle
~. Walking around 1t. Moeller IL more
',ns and less wise. He approaches
49, 80 barrier boldly. and up he goes,
ssa 70 come down on the side Of his
ws sa' on his neck or nat on his back.
81. 'n ne began Sophie" he set him
~ the task Of being brilliant for
t. se acts. 1t should be counted In his
:. .', 'nat for the greater part Of an
g.. 10 helds up to almost the best
m..4, aoafds Of artificial comedy. The
Nsss Nss.ns Of Sophie and Dorval is de-
sas Au,iy done. Thereafter the wit
s' back only in occasional flashes.
:, - course. artificial comedy As ono
ts... sse most difficult forms II the
=. i.sf. Tha playwright must bA tire
.A. s mis- cspacity to coax wit out Of
k.... 0n'eious or he must palm his
a.. lines NEST cleverly to make
- seem genuine. Moeller does not
a.. sA. When his wit is not of the
= .s II Is quite easily recognized
81. sss * fifth class. In fact some
= he play are nothing but