The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-08-24
PeSSimistic Play
of the Soil Is
DaviS's 'DetOur'
Realistic Drama of the Trials
of Those Who Live From
the Land.


How the torch fiickered and then went
out altogether as II passed from the
shaking hands OF the older generation
to the hesltating grasp OF youth IS the
theme Of 1.-THE Detour." monotonous
and rather pessimistic drama by Owen
Davis which the Shuberts presented at
the Asror Theatre last night. The new
work. II Is needless 20 say, Is In the
latest manner Of Mr.. Davis. Like all
melodramatists who have suffered
change OF heart MIR. Davis has gone as
far as possible in the opposite theatrical
direction.
There is no ingeniousiy arranged
melodrama IN THE petour." Indeed
there are few high lights to distinguish
the progress of the story. When the
mother who cherished in her youth am
billions to he an artist became the wife
Of more or less grubbing farmer the
end Of her own hopes had come. But
she lived in the thought that the talents
OF her daughter would make. real for
her the aspirations that had faded out
OF her own life. She self sacrificingly
saved the little purse which should en-
able the girl to make her start on the
path she planned for her. She would
put the torch of art into her daughters
hands.
But again ambitions failed In the sec
ond generation just as they had In the
first. More land was needed to assure
the value OF the farmers holdings. The
young mechanic who loved her daughter
had to sell In order to make sure the
success OF his shop. Then had not the
painter after all shown disposition to
doubt the degree of the girls talents?
Again there was the same motive that
sounded the lknell OF the mothers
aspirations. disappointment came
second time, but with It resignation as
ven.
Mr.. Davis successfully resists in his
three acts the temptation to be anything
else than realistic IN the prevailing
fashion of the day. Nobody knows
better than the New York thcatregoer
how readily the realistic intent Is con-
verified into the altogether commonplace
achievement. THE Detour" is In fact
rather commonplace during most of its
sketches. II is well enough for the
mother TO lament the choked ambitions
for art which have, in her words, ruined
her life.
To convince the spectators 1t would
be much more effective to show some
trace OF the idealism which such am
billions must have aroused In her breast.
TIE attack on her husband in which
she blamed him for her poverty was
especially untrue to any kind Of reality.
she loved him. They were poor and
10Th OF them worked. None OF his
ambitions was selfish. She. as well
IS his daughter, was TO benefit by any
prosperity that came TO him.
Mr.. Davis was writing of the suffer-
Tugs OF the men and women who live
by the soil. But his ethics were alto
gether OF the theatre. So was his real
ism. The hard hearted father did not
often appear unreasonable TO the audi
ence. At times he seemed to be the
only member OF the family who could
truthfully be accused OF common sense.
Miss Eflie shannon does not appear
- the best advantage In the bedraggled
dress OF the farmers wife. She is NOT
a powerful actress, but she possesses a
lovely quality that Is not disclosed In
such a part as Mr.. Davis has written for
her Mr. Duncan, who staged the play
with his uncompromisinC realism, gave
an admirably grimy Study Of the father.
Miss Angela NacCahill was too hard
and IN her expression OF feeling too
Va gue to win sympathy for the daughter.
Willard Robertson gave a natural sketch
Of the country lover. IL was one OF the
best character studies Of the evening.