Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-31
AMUSEM ENTS
abraham Lincoln. "

John Drinkwater's character drama,
drawn with consummate skill, with
series of seven scenes deplctins ms
toric incidents connected with me
civil war, reinforced by Frank NC
Glynns marvellous portrayal of Anra-
ham Lincoln, the man of sorrows, VINO
gave his all for the preservation Oh
the Union and his faith in the tree
dom of all mankind. apparently faliea
to interest official Washington ana
the army of patriotic war workers
with which Washington has been
flooded since the outbreak of the war
with Germany. at the Nationai
Theater last night A small. but SEEM
more or less enthusiasm in the inn
pressive climaxes, and especially
upon the appearance of James pur-
kin, made up as Gen. Robert E. Lee,
when the applause suggested some
thing more than patriotism as the
cause.
Mr.. Drinkwater's work is not a play
in the ordinary acceptation of the
term. He simply utiliZes the great
events immediately preceding and
which occurred during the civil war
to furnish the story that unfolds
with masterful results what Abraham
Lincoln really was and what he stood
for Frank McGlynn'S realistic por--
trait of our first martyred President
is a masterpiece Of stage portrayal
To one who is sympathetic with the
subject it is a living replica of the
original save only in the occasional
disposition to inarticulately slur over
passages of the text in a manner to
suggest nervousness. a something IN
conceivable in the tall, gaunt, sturdy
character that Steered the American
ship of state through the stormiest
voyage of its career and never once
lost his head or his nerve in spite of
the small, narrow. pickering parti-
SanShlD of his who often
hindered than helped him to a port
of safety. But in all else Mr.. Nc
Glynn reached the pinnacle of dra-
matte art and skill His work is
nothing short of wonderful.
A mammoth cast of thirtysix peo
pie assist in carrying out the authors
evident purpose Of painting, with big.
broad strokes, a master portrait of
perhaps the greatest character in his
tory. Albert Phillips looked true to
the pictures of Gen. Grant. but he
also, in quick nervous steps and the
almost painful manipulation of his
cigar. probably fell short of a true
conception of the stolid general whose
skill finally put the quietus on the
Confederacy and brought to surrender
the redoubtable Lee.
Exceptionally impressive portrait
lures were those of John S. O'Brien,
as Seward, and David Landau, as
Stanton. striking likeness of the
original. Frank f. Jamison. as Sal
mon P. Chase, and Carson Davenport,
as Gideon Welles. also exhibited rare
skill in the art of makeup.
But in the unfolding Of the great
drama used as background for the
outstanding portrait all the cast
merits more or less Of compliment 1t
is doubtful if all the audience was
familiar with the authors explana-
tory note, printed in the program and
calling attention to the fact that the
character Burnet Hook is not a real
individual, but fictitious and embody-
ing the peculiar traits of many whose
lntrigues and ambition were a con-
slant thorn in the side of Lincoln
Comment quite audible in the vicinity
of the writer seemed to regard the
character as read and "a dab at the
south"
The seven scenes Of the play, OPEN
ing with Lincoln's home in SPRING
field, Ill, in 1860, with the tender of
the nomination for the presidency,
also represent incidents in Stewards
room at the White House. drawing
room in the White House, the cabinet
room. Gen. Grants headquarters near
Appomattox, in April, 1865, and the
lounge back Of the boxes in Fords !
Theater, the scene Of the assassina-
ton.
A visit to the National Theater this
week should prove an excellent aid to |
all Americans who are struggling to
rise from the narrowness of parti- |
sanship to the exalted heights of real
patriotism