Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-26
THE THEATER
New National Theater.

One Of the greatest difficulties in the In
depreciation of stage literature lies In the
fact that few women can realize the ideal
of feminine beauty which the enthusiastic
Imagination Of the author creates. He has
often said that no woman can develop
the intellectually needful for a correct
rendition Of the role of Juliet until she is
too old to look the part, and, similarly, 1t
is more or less chilling to discover that
the lady whose charms have been raptur-
ously extolled by numerous suitors Is one
whose personal appearance must be re-
deemed by her art. The announcement
that charming woman sets out to have
her own way is in itself alluring. And the
presence of Miss Maxine Elliott in the prin-
cipal role is a sufficient assurance that
the adjective Charming win apply in its
full force and not be merely a figure of
speech suppositiOn which courteous au-
dience will not dispute. In Her Own
Way" Miss Elliott has found play which
suits her to perfection However much the
woman who seeks to dominate in all things
may be distrusted, the one who chooses to
consult her own heart in the choice of a
husband commands admiration Miss Ell
lott interprets such character with
gentle grace that is wholly free from the
pretty asperities that the title might sug-
gest. There are scenes Of delightful com
edy, incidents of delicate pathos and mo-
ments of sincere emotion and in all of these
Miss Elliott maintains herself securely and
easily. There is a frank simplicity about
her work that renders her as fascinating
to her auditors as her role is to the char
acters with whom she is surrounded on
the stage. There is no attempt to attain
sensational dramatic heights 1t Is an
honest. unaffected picture of a most gra-
cious lady.
Mr.. .Fitch's play is characteristic. 1t deals
with social life, and opens with children's
party, which cannot fail to please those who
enjoy theatrfc precocity. 1t has an abund-
ance of smart talk. In one of her speeches
the heroine declares that In former times
the fatal bullet was stopped by a prayer
book or a package of love letters in the SOL
dIers pocket, but now it is stopped by
cigarette case. Mr.. Fitch, with his devotion
to the superfcialities and conventions, is in
sympathy with the new order of sentiment.
He is essentially and pre-eminently the dra-
matiSt of the cigarette case. But he does not
wholly disdain the package of love letters In
this play and the result is a wholesome cur
rent of genuine feeling and simple human
ity The play is enlivened by series of
smart monologues, delivered by Miss Geor-
gia Lawrence in the role of a hairdreSSer
This pert young woman is in doubt whether
to buy her sweetheart a copy of Homer's
"Tliad' OF Lucille" She decides in favor
of Lucille" 1t Is a smart and effective
satire on the popular taste in literary mat
tiers and may not be without its significance
in connection with some of Mr.. Fitch's own
plays.
The most interesting character in the
piece is the villain. For years we have
been regarding this parsonage with undis-
guised aversion and rejoicing when he was
foiled. The villain in this piece is man
who would stop at nothing, who tells the
girl that she shall be his at any cost, and
who does not hesitate to conduct fnan-
cial transaction equivalent to or even worse
than foreclosing the mortgage when it
comes due But, just the same. he is man
with blood in his veins and purpose in his
heart, and the audience forgets tradition
far as to applaud instead of kissing him.
The part was capitally played by William
Courtleigh The play is finely cast. Eva
Vincent's portrayal of the socially ampito 8,
luxury loving stepmother being conspicuous
among a number of good portrayals.