Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-21
ADJUSTMENTS.

Du Barry last season set a standard of
stage magnificence which playgoers could
scarcely expect to find excelled. To have
equaled it would have been triumph and
the audience at the New National Theater
last night was no doubt prepared to be con-
tent with less Splendor than this remarka-
BILE play producer had In his last visit I'M
folded before their eyes. No such forbear-
arce was asked. The playwright has
sought new worlds to conquer and he
brings from Japan wealth of material to
dazzle the eye and to charm the ear; there
Is even the subtle influence of perfume to
complete the fntoxication of material sense
and stimulate the imagina ton. All Is blend
cd into story of almost Grecian simplicity
with delicate accuracy of attunement that
leaves no touch of discord From the over
Whelmlng soul-sacrificing love of Yo San
down to the queer chrruping melody of
M. the obscure little singing girl there is
intense humanity The tale is one which
Is attempted a thousand times a year and
oEce IN many thousand times the work Is
not pungled. 1t Is the history of a love that
is unsullied by grossness and yet capable
ot seh-sacrif1ce even into eternity. There
Is no prurient little problem lurking to
give the sensualist a morsel of suggestion
Tor MS morbid philosophy. The love of
young girl. almost child whose intellect
uaiity mas never broadened beyond the
creed 1t is better to lie a little than to be
unhappy great DEAL" whose loyalty once
bestowed stops at no sacrifce-this is the
inspiration of The Darling of the Gods
around this theme John Luther Long has
noFeh story of classic beauty and Mr.
belasco mas transferred it to the stag e with
sucn reverent skill that not a petal OF It's
oioom has been disturbed nor an atom of
its fragrance lost ~ ~ Va
mere are moments of melodrama in the
piece, but they are forgotten in the pan
eral impression; they are introduced 9Th
me CONFIDENT craftsmanship of the oriental
weaver who may handle bold colorinps
them. " ~ "'eii"
To do no more than behold the stage MIC
lures which expand with fantastic fascina-
tion' would be a delight If there were
not word spoken during the perform
ance, the production would still be a mas
terplece, Tor these scenes of orientalism
are not the less works of art because they
are not immutably fixed on canvases and
secluded in some collectors gallery The
auditor leaves his own environment behind
ana becomes for the moment heart and soul
Japanese. sympathizing with the man
ners and prejudices, even with the super
stitfons of this strange, sensitive intel
lectual people. The play brings him face
to face with another civilization, which he
contemplateS first with curiosity then with
interest and then with respect. 1t is this
capacity for bringing remote classes of So
ciety into understanding relationship Of
obiterating the limitations Of time geogra-
ply and social difference, that gives the
dramatiSt his right to rank as an educator
and which establishes his responsibilities as
such. These people, who move about in
scenes of strange magnificence. CARRIED In a
manner whose splendors almost affrOnt the
eye, are no longer merely quaint; they are
fellow inhabitants of a world which is in
reality SO small that all men are neghbors.
The production Is so distinctly work of
art in which every detail, however slight,
is made to bear its due burden Of signih-
canoe, that individual excellence in the cast
is taken for granted. That the characters
gh he yUo T1a e &C.
sential of the colossal scheme. Conspicu-
GUS deficiency in the performance of any Of
the important roles would be almost Sacri-
lege. Blanche Bates temperament lends
itself admirably to the role of Yo San. Her
play of moods is bewildering, and yet al
ways charming. No more, consummate,
complacent and plausible man of sin and
power was ever seen than Zaccuri, the war
as played by George Arliss. Rob-
ert T. Haines Kara. who inspires Yo
San with so mighty and so noble a devo
ton, did not lend himself as completely to
the orientaliSm of the picture as he might
have done. Albert Brunng gave a picture
of the young Japanese exquisite which was
as convincing as it was unassuming, and
other parts Were taken with eminent dis
erection and effectiveness. Despite the I'M
familiarity of the scenes, there is not a
touch of travesty; the sublimities never
totter on the verge of the ridiculous.
The denouement may invite adverse criti-
cism. The story is carried beyond its nat
ural conclusion a tragedy, and the i'm
agination is asked for the moment to en-
brace the Buddhist faith and to follow two
wandering souls for a thousand years until
they at last united. The spectacular
grandeur with which this idea is wrought
out will to the casual observer certainly,
and perhaps even to the more studious an
alyst, excuse the extravaganza of the
fancy.
The music by William Furst plays
highly important part. 1t is characteristic
and exquisitely melodious without being
-
night and served to make even the much
dreaded EXTRACT a coherent and charming
element Of the production.
COLUMBIA THEATER Another play
was given its initial appearance on any
stage at the Columbia Theater last even
ing and it proved a warmly welcomed ad-
dition to Andrew Macks repertoire. If the
reputation of Washington audiences for
possessing the essential discernment to dis
criminate between the worthy and the me-
diocre regards theatres is well founded,
then the success of Mr.. Mack's latest offer
Ing is assured A typical Washington audi
ence, numerically Of sufficient size to ex-
haust the seating capacity of the playhouse,
greeted the production, and, after the final
descent of the curtain filed out evidently
well pleased. OF course, there were de-
mands for a speech, and the star gracefully
He expressed the thanks of him
self and his company for the hearty recep-
ton accorded the new military comedy
THE Bold Soger Boy" Theo. Burt Sayre,
who was somewhere in the house, is an
cellent speechmaker. Mr.. Sayre. however,
modestly, but persistently. declined to
bulge from his hiding place. So, after an
immense floral horseshoe and a bunch of
chrysanthemums had been passed over the
footlights, those in front quieted down and
the play to proceed.
Contrary to the expectation of some per-
sons, THE Bold Soger Boy is thoroughly
modern. dealing with the present, and not
with the romantic past. The field of action
is Fort WadswoITth. Staten Island, while
the character portrayed by Mr.. Mack is
that Of first lieutenant of the Artillery
Corps, U. s. army, who won his commits
sion by promotion from the ranks through
during the Santiago campaign
He appears throughout in uniforms, each
detail of which is strictly In accordance
with army regulations. Briefly the story
is that Lieut.. Gerald Adair Is in love
with. the adopted daughter of fellow Of
ficer. Another officer Ia infatuated with
the same girl and his efforts to disposses
Adair of her affections and at the same
time secure from a representative of a for
eign government large sum of money in
for purloining from the residence
of the commanding officer at Fort Wads-
worth the plans of dynamite gun bring
about a series of complications and eli
MAKES The most serious of these Is the