Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-04
MACkAY's FRANKLIN"
IS WELL CONCEIVED
Play Should Prove as Good
Production as Dis
racli.''

FRANKLIN. y play IN four acts.
BY Constance darcy Mackay. Item.
~ Hoi: & 60
The playwright has -ayen number
az periods IN tn. ~. OF this st.,
wart figure OF Colonial histur. and
has fashioned them into "a PLAY when
reads well and should be "a good AZ; .
ing production.
In her preface she states tina, her
aim has been to give pictur. Of
IN" man Will" keeping az clos. 20
historical data az possible" Al, Of
IN" events in the play have 8 fnun-
haiion OF fact, and all OF the charac-
tors save Rr"t"ll" had their counter
parts In Frankiiu's lif.."
Frahklin'S arrival at philad.lphia.
with tn" now celebrated loaf unde,
his arm. his employment by K.i,n.r
~ "a printer. his meeting with he.
hptah Read. 10 whom the playwright
n"rri"s MIN. his "Np"rinen;q In cleo
riciiy. his Cho.c" by the assembly ~
It's agent 10 petition the English king
against unjust taxation. and. nnaiIv.
his representation Of the colonies at
The French court in Paris In i77S.
upon the negotiation Of tn. Fr"ucu
treaty are the leading Incidents OF
The play.
4 Nan or Ni.inns.
We hnh him d man 81 visions. sav-
ing. Ia Act l.. ~ man can fight hi,
own way {" any goal n. dreams Of
] mean that even an humble printing
press can be ladder 10 tn. stars -
Ills motto is 10 work carly and late
"mi say" tin ! have nay own printing
press. A. this tim. he plans Tn.
SATURDAY. Evening Post Tn. second
act diSci"sss his experiments IN .lcc-
'TlgliS Nra lC.ii,- CT f,, q,
thunderstorm. and sul s.qucntlv.
electrical apparatus j. Sh"wn or
hint-d at IN each scene 1t is USED
e" obtain Eret"ii.'s confession as a
hired spy. through -utangliug HIM
with a charged battery.
Tn" De W-issenst.in letter. 20
which reference is made In IN. pre-
fac" and accompanying notes APP
pears ia act three. brought by LORI,
R"chMinstcr. The EarOn d. W.is.
s"nstein - one OF the titles Of the
King Of England. 1t il pointed out.
and ihe King has written Franklin
tc obtain his aid In subduing the re
h-!lious colonies After lapse Of
som" years. Franklin is made 10 pro-
d"c" this letter In order Ia oppos.
English influence In Paris. II is cited
by the dramat;st as one Of the evil
d"nc.s az Franklin's astuteness In
diplomacy. He tells Deborah that ~.
VIII us" the oldest weapon SHOWN
10 statcSmon-stratc
Well Conceived.
There are notes on historic sources
and on staging the play BY dupli-
cation Of parts. thu play may he pro-
huced hy cast Of fourteen rharac-
'-rs. 1t il Well conceived. con.
structed with ability. and should
prove as good in production as Dis.
racli." or any similar play which ha.
its foundation i'm historical incident
Franklin is made an Inspiring fgurs
throughout.
As an afterthought, ii may H..
stated that the character Of Rretelle
is taken ~ the author To represent
the forces arrayed against Franklin
throughout his career. AS painted
by the playwright. Breiellc is shown
as sinister figure, transparent TO
The reader. and obvious enough not
10 have deceived Franklin through
three acts and a par; Of the fourth
Taken as symbol. however. II is
probable that the writer was Obliged
:" defer the exposure Of Bret-lle as
long as possible. This explains
frannlin's apparent obtuSeness as to
l!retcile's true character