Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04
Belasco Theater.

The grim and infiexibe discipline and
duty of the German army is the back
ground on which is depicted a strong story
of love and jealousy, with touch of TRACE
dy, in the military play, Taps lights
OuD, as given for the first time in Wash
ington at the Belasco Theater last night.
The militarism Of Franz Adams drama be-
gins with the first act and is carried
through each succeeding scene to the last,
with its tragic ending. Throughout the
four acts there is not a single civilian in
evidence and there is also notable alb
sence of femininity the entire action CEN
tering about Miss Viola Fortescue as Klar-
chen Volkhardt, the daughter Of grim old
Sergeant Volkhardt of the Madgeburg
Uhlans. The play was adapted from the
German and gives a good idea of the iron
clad discipline of the military leaders of
the Won Moltke and Bismarck type It
also affords an opportunity for comparison
of European army life and strngency with
that of the United States. The story deals
with the love of fair Klarchen Volkhardt
for dashing Lieut.. Won Laufen. She had
previously plighted her troth to young
private soldier who had been her childhood
companion and who after an absence from
the military post where she resided with
| her father, returns decorated with the
chevrons of a corporal of the Uhlans. The
corporal finds upon his return that the
lieutenant has suppanted him in the af-
lection of Klarchen.
Then follows several stirring episodes, the
corporal realizing that the odds are against
him because of the wide chasm between the
commissioned and commissioned Of
ficers in the army of Germany. He finally
finds the object of his love in the quarters
of Lieut.. Won Laufen after taps" lights
out and in impassioned scene that fol-
lows violates one of the strictest Of mill
tary laws by striking his superior officer.
He is arrested and tried by court-martial.
During the trial strong human emotions
are depicted and an Illustration given of
the army axiom, 1.-The honor Of a soldier"
The venerable father Of the girl who loved
unwisely but too well. Sergt. Volkhardt,
who won the iron cross while serving with
Won Moltke, and has thirty-three years of
honorable service In the army to his
credit, is overcome by the shame that his
erring daughter has brought upon him,
and, tearing the iron cross and other army
decorations from his breast, declares
against the shammery Of life in general and
military life in particular, and after threat
ening to XIII the lieutenant, suddenly re-
members that he is but a sergeant, and
shoots himself after assuming the military
attitude of attention and dies after sa-
| luting his superior officer who has been
his undoing.
Mr. Kellard as Sergt volkhardt. pre-
sents a realistic veteran soldier of the wars
Germany has been engaged in and gives
alternately the expressions OF deep human
emotion, which quickly overcome by
the iron discipline in which he has been
schooled. So strong is his conception Of
| military duty that rather than violate the
strict discipline it embraces, he sacrifices
hts own life. Alexander F. Frank as Lieut.
Won Laufen gave a good conception of his
rather difficult part, and David Murray as
Corp Helbig, gave truthful portrayal Of
| 1.-THE honor of soldier" and was ap-
| plauded. Miss Fortescue, the only woman
| In the cast, gave good rendition of the
| girl whose early life had been spent with
| her father in the quarters of the Sd Squad
ron of the Madgeburg Uhlans, Regiment
| No Is, and whose tangled love affairs