George Dury Hart and Co. (3).

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18 Mins.; Five (Parlor or Library). “The Pardon” and the George Drury Hart people afford a chance to point out what has seemed to be a grave oversight on the part of sketch producers, particularly those of the drama. Very briefly, it is this, that “The Pardon” has a well-balanced cast, or perhaps, more properly, an evenly-balanced company. This is very important to a sketch that is limited in its running time to the vaudeville conditions. Many a good sketch has been ruined through “the star” or the principal player foolishly surrounding himself with inferior people. It threw the playing off keel; the weakness in the acting became too readily apparent, and, although they playlet may have possessed merit, the act killed it, for a company of three or more it is difficult for one person to carry the entire affair upon his or her shoulders. Mr. Hart has three people besides himself, two men and a woman, the latter with a splendid speaking voice. She is the old mother of a convict and steals into the rooms of the governor of the state to plead for a pardon. Just before, the political boss has demanded of the governor that he pardon the boy (her boy) who killed his (boss’s) son. The boss’s request is in furtherance of his scheme of revenge. He has used his influence to have the prison keepers starve the convict until he is taken with tuberculosis. The pardon plan is to have the mother at the prison receive her son, the pardon to be delivered, and as the boy is just outside the gates the prisoner is to be informed by phone from the governor it was a mistake, and the boy thrust back into a cell. The governor accedes, upon the threat of the boss to in his political feature if he does not. Meanwhile the mother makes her plea, and during it the governor learns the boss’s son started the quarrel which led to his death, the boss afterward framing the youth who simply defended himself. The governor thereupon returns to his righteous stand, hands the pardon to the mother in good faith and tells the boss to go to, after the boss had called him a “fine piece of cheese.” The main theme is not unlike that in the Man of the Hour,” nor is the political situation involved unfamiliar; but the piece is very well played, is interesting, working out nicely, and makes an excellent sketch for the small time. It could do on the small big time and would be worth a try on the biggest time, for there are certainly interest and action to hold it up. Mr. Hart probably played the governor. He had a hard role, while the boss contained what little comedy relief the piece has. The small time should commence to print detail billing (characters and names of players) on the programs. No reason to pass up a feature in the descriptive manner as though it were unimportant.

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