Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-25
ANU SEMENTS.

COLUMBIA THEATER. My Lady
Dainty, by Madeline Lucette Ryley, has
title of alluring gracefulness; one that does
not imply compelling potency, but sug
gestive of unpretenti0us delicacy. Herbert
Kelley and Effie Shannon are players with
a loyal following whose devotion it would
be useless to try to ALLEVIATE, even were
there disposition to do so. And any such
attempt would surely be a wanton malevo-
lence, for both are accomplished people
who have earned their high position in pop
ular esteem by the presentation of whole
some plays.
The plot of "My Lady Dainty is one of
the simplest that could be devised The
wife thinks the husband desires to be rid
of her, that he may inherit a fortune un-
der one of these curious wills in which the
dramatic author delights; and the husband
imaglneS his wife wishes to be rid of him
because she loves another man. The on
portunitieS in the play fall mainly to Miss
Shannon's share, and she takes advantage
OF them TO the fullest extent of their posi-
blltles. Realizing that when an audience
goes to the theater it desires to see acting
she develops emotional intensity over cpl
sodes which would scarcely impress the
unbiased observer as calling for so much
agitation But when Il real crisis occurs
she meets it with dignity and reDose And
after all, perhaps. that is Il woman's way
Miss Shannon beStows interest upon all
that she does, and casts the spell of a gen.
tie ana WinSome personality over the scene
in a way which makes details of domestic
drud&ery seem almost poetic Herbert
Kelley has the part of a ne'er-do-Weel
which is drawn with the affectionate con-
SldefaiOn which lady seems ALWAYS to
have when she writes a play about such a
character. Mr.. kelcey plays the role VIVA
so much equipoise and looks IT in so distin-
sulshed a manner that it is difficult to be-
lteve he has ever been the scamp he de-
scribes in his self-accusng lines William
BOag Is quite out of place in the role of a
villain, but adaptS himself to circum-
stances with great deal of artistic ability
one OF the best character bits of the even
Ing was the portrayal of a lovable Impe-
cunious clergyman by c. F. Gibney. My
Lady Dainty cannot be regarded as rep
resenting an Improvement over what Mrs
Ryley has already done, but 1t serves as a
suitable and agreeable vehicle for Mr. kel-
cey and Miss Shannon.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER-1ncense
burned in redolent plenty last night on the
stage of the National during the first act
of "Sapho' as If in partial publication of
the raucuous scenes of revelry with which
the play opens. Since "Sapho" is a stage
reality, with the strong Endorsement Of al
ways crowded houses, the gayety Of this
initial act is a necessity. perhaps as a
guide to the life and atmosphere out of
which the novelist and the dramatist have
taken the character of Fanny Legrand In
all its essential details the production of
''Sapho" this season by Olga Nethersoe
is the same when the piece was first
seen here four years ago. Miss Nethersoe
plays Daudets heroine with the reckless
abandon of soul-cleaving love that marked
her first appearance in the role; she puts
all the fire and artistic intensity she pos
sesses into 'Sapho' and in all ways lives
up to her own abilities and finesse as an
actress of exceptional attachments. Miss
Nethersole's art is undisputed, but it must
be said, as on the occasion of "Saphos"
hat no 1rar,
fist, Clyde Fitch has lost much of the
Daudet quality and in several place where
he should have eloquently turned a bad
point to good purpose has neglected the
opportunity. Last nights Christmas eve
audience was a particularly noisy one, and
Miss Nethersole suffered some difficulty in
commanding the strictest attention during
certain moments Of the action, condition