The Washington herald., 1921-04-03

A FIRST BLUSH. one might decide that stage
~ portraiture of the Drinkwater' style would find
the going safe only when dealing with such
remote characters history, as Ghengts Kahn.
Judas Iscsriot, Rhamases III. onhand. one might
say that the slightest OF history
tion in portraits Of George Washington Abraham
Lincoln. Robert f. Lee or other famous idols would
call down storm of denuncation the head Of the
author. The facts however indicate that such is not
the case. Provided furnishes amusement and en-
tertainment in the theater paint almost any
old portrait Of any old popular idol the hun
dred-odd millions Of the Republic smack their lips
and call it great stun.
Drinkwsters Lincoln" the notable in
dcation of this ever given the stage Even overlook
ing necessary stage conventions such transros-
tions Of history Lincon's recitation Getts
burg speech from thestcr box and Lincolns pardon
ing Of condemned soldiers without mentioning the
matter to Grant. it is frankly Impossible for any
student OF Lincolnisna, however superficial b,-
lieve that Lincoln strUttod about drawing
he posed, that he spouted. that he mouthed nesly
patriotic platitudes that he in short.
actor.
Yet Frank McGIynn. the stock actor who was
raised the theatrical cardtnalatr his so-cacd
brilliant Interpretation of nrinkwaters Lincoln
only postured. spouted but he
failed. in the slightest particular.
glimpse of that vast prophetic vision Of tho real Ln
coin that undertone Of bound'ess pity and bound
less generosity that still keeps Lincoln towering above
his fellow Countrymcn.
Drinkwater's Lincoln" violated not only history
but historic Characterization with which. may
intimately familiar. Did nopulace.
outraged this manifest and clearly
of a great popular hero. fall upon the ~
author and him to bitsc
Not to any appreciable extent. did the pop s1e,
Instead a EoodIy percentage of the theator .ocrs
OF the Republic seized Mr.. Drinkwater by the light
hand OF fellowship. decked his brow with few rands
of florists laurel proposed him for member zip In
Drama League, the Committee one Hund TIE
Society Of American Immortals. tho United States
Chamber Of Commerce. and voted him by all odds q .
greatest dramatist OF them all -
TT is ALTOGETHER DIFFICULT TO appra. a. srs
harm prinkwater has done to the country 30. an
educational sense. The mere fact that tho = -
of Americans accept his Lincoln" the real
is enough indication of the national erudi'on
but yet. the thousands the mark
probably regard Lincoln in the light OF the character
that Frank McGlynn portrays nightly.
Mary Stuart" the latest Drinkwater play. -
now in the initial stages a New York Whether
score enectually with the populace lin
coin is another matter. Ii serves, however TO reveal
a stage personality in Claire Esmes, who Will
be remembered in the role OF the red-hsired Eliza
beth Favershsm's recent production Of The Prince
and the Pauper.' That alone makes it noteworthy-
regardless any other shortcomings q may
Drinkwater. however has again revealed in Mary
Stuart" his devotion the idea that history is or
small consequence in dramaturEy. which is a queer
idea to hnd favor with a man whose sole forte. urs
the time, has the delineation Of his-
toric portraits before the footlights.
Drinkwater announces. in breath. that hs
proposes to reveal famous characterization ano IN
breath. pleads the widest possible marg M
of dramatic license in ignoring historic Incidents
and characteristics nseparably associated with that
character. It's a good deal like delineatinG HUc<i
Little Lord Fauntleroy makeup and contends
ing that costume and chronological verify need not
be considered.
II Drinkwster writing plays around those
famous characters o his. a much greater latitude
might be allowed him. Then the play would be the
thing with the Characterization secondary. For in
stance Clyde Fitch while accepting the whittier
legend of Barbara Fretche authentic. erected a
romantic civil war around the incident which,
was considerably odds with the facts Whittier
outlined them yet play stood primarily play
with the Fretchie characterization Of minor im-
portance.
Drinkwater. however, builds no dramas He paint .
portraits But unlike the famous monarch. who d
have no spurious portrait himself minus his protu-