Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-24
Cof1ING ATTRACTIONS
New National Theater.

The aspiring French dramatist can hope
for no higher honor than to have one of
his plays accepted for production at the
Theater Coincide Franchise. To achieve this
result is the height Of his ambition. 1t fell to
the lot of Octave Mirbeau, one of the fore
most writers in France, to have his work
Les Affaires sont les Affaires," accepted
and produced at the House of Moliere about
eighteen months ago. The drama made so
great hit and caused so much discussion
that it quickly found it's way into all of the
important European capitals. This play
translated into terse and vigorous English
by Robert Kitchens, and known as "Busi-
ness Is Business will BE presented at the
National Theater on Monday, with William
II. crane in the role created abroad by de
>Feraudy. In coming forward in this play
Mr.. Crane has made a decided and a radi-
cal departure. For years he has been de-
plctlng comedy types and making bids for
honest laughter The characters have al
ways without exception been likable and
sympathetic. In Business Is Business -
however, there is no bid for laughter and
IL the central character fascinates it is be-
cause OF the mans wickedness. Crane in a
nara unsympathetic role might strike some
OF ms ADMIRERS as incongruous but it is de-
CARED that his personal success in the part
IS greater than that which he has known
~ ~, any one OF the numberless parts that he
nas nahdled within the past forty years.
Isldore Lechat, the central character of
me pay, is man of business with no
taought for anythingae1se, no ambition but
~ aad TO his already massive fortune. His
ieSidence Is magnificent palace formerly
belonging to royalty, but it is not home. -
ms vast fortune gives happiness to no one
except II is his son, youth of little intellect
VINO spends his time and his fathers money
among 1ast companions and gay women
but the Old mans chief pride is this son,
while his wife is made miserable by her sur
roundlngs and his daughter has grown I'D
H.
a.; ~ pise MIN. entirely INSCRIPTIONS, car
ing nothing for the sufferings of those he
oppresseS Lechat goes on grinding the moor
ana running others that he may add to his
meaitn. lie desires to add to his own the
~ It'oliiihs estate OF the Marquis de Porcel-
lel, bankrupt nobleman, who owes him a
vast sum, and proposes a marriage between
ms own daughter, Gernaine, and the son
OF the marquis. The nobleman consents to
e t,',, nllisell from ruin, and this brings the
strongest scene in the play, in the last act.
Where Lechat sends for the girl and tells
her his wishes. But she has a mind of her
own ana is In love with Lucien Garraud
q pooI young chemist employed by her faith
81, ana refuses to consent to wed another
ne marquis is amazed and Lechat furious
IN manfacal rage the father turns his
daughter from the house heaping curses
~ tpon ner mead Directly after this comes
the news that his son has been killed in an
automobile accident and the hard man is
az last softened and succumbs to his grief
But even here his instinct for business as
A'HSiA anu III TIE L0luSC OF his sorrow
he braces himself to the signing of a CON.
tract with wolish lookout for his own
advantage. The curtain falls as he goes out
70 look at the body of his son, crushed with
grief, but still defiant and triumphant in his
capacity as man of business
Inc play is intensely interesting The
scenes In the third act call for unbridled
rage ana fury on the part of Mr.. Crane and
III, reI Is crealted with more than meeting the
requirements For two months the drama
was given In New York and there it reeeiv-
ed a great deal of attention. The settings
VI tne tnree acts are handsome and appro-
pirate. The part of Lechat's daughter will
be played by Katherine Grey that of his
wife by Harriet Otis Dellenbaugh and that
OF his son by FL. Hassard Short. Others in
the cast include Walter Hale as the chemist
Sheridan Block and George Backus as the
TWO scheming business men, Harry ST
Maur as the Marcus de Porceliet and Rob
ert Payton Gibbs as Lechat's steward Mr.
Crane opens his engagement with a holiday
matinee.