The Washington herald., 1906-10-30
OPENING NIGHT AT THEATERS
Miss HiIdm Spong and w. +. Hnwtrey
I'm ~Jobn Hudson's Wife"

Miss HiIdH SpOnI and W. h. HnWtrey
I'm John Hudson's Wife"
= large audience that contained many
people distinguished in official and social
life witnessed at the Belasco Theater
last night, an unusually striking per-
formance by Miss Hildi4 Spong, Mr. Will
liam F. Hawtrey, and a competent sup
porting company of the English play by
Alicia Ramsey and Rudolph De Cordova.
John Hudson's Wife" Miss Sprong is
an actress Of fine quality. with great
emotional power. which she used with
admirable restraint. She has an impress
sive presence and a personality that COM
mands confidence and admiration from
the outset. and as the play progressed
last night she grew steadily in the favor
of her audience. Her work is simple. sin
cere, and clear-eut, and in n trying part
there was 10 false note throughout
Somewhat Iainful as the story is, and not
unmarked by crudities IN development.
really good work by all participants In
the presentation carried It through with
steadily increasing interest to the effect
ing denOuement This was led up 10 by q
scene Of mingled comedy. contributed by
AIr. Hawtrey as the debased father Of
the heroine. and almost poignant emo
tiOnal STRAIN, in which Miss Spong as the
purchased wife awakened at last 10 love
and a fun sense of duty. displayed the
FUN measure Of her art and power This
fine scene on which the curtain falls. re-
moved whatever bad taste there might
have been left from the earlier revela-
Jionsof sordid bargaining and degraded
aristocracy.
The story Of the play, as already known
10 most OF our readers, is OF the noble and
unselfish daughter Of ar Impoverished
family Of English gentry who maTries a
very rich pleheian she does not love. and
who knows she has no love for him. AT
the demand Of her worthless father. The
couple are man and wife In name only.
until the gradually unfolding nobility Of
the husband forces the wifes admiration
and then her love.
The unc0nvincing character Of the hus-
band IS reasonably well played by Her
bert Percy, an actor Of good presence anC
conscientiousness whose manner is, how
ever, marked by unnecessary aridity anc
coldness. Mr.. Hawtrey, IN the role Of the
worthless, but somewhat amusing, father
OF ;he heroine, was very good throughout.
Nr Lionel Walsh, as his even more
worthless and uniG=ely detestablc son.
was capital Mr.. Charles Rowan, in the
part OF Lord Seaton, was very satisfac-
tory, crude as were some of the scenes
IN which be was the dominating figure.
Miss Leila ReQton. as Lady Bcauchamp;
Miss Florence Howard, as Janet, the pert
maid; Miss Bern, as the heTo's mother.
and Henry Hanscombe, as his father,
rendered their parts competently. IN
en.9
and the performance. as a whole, Is not
open 20 serious criticism.
At the end Of the second act the cur
tain was raised three times in response
10 the applause. and q magnificent basket
uf American Beauties and white chrysan-
themums, the git OF the japanese Min
lister, was handed over the footlights 10
Miss Sp0n2. The play viii continue at
the BciascO during the week and will.
no doubt, receive large measure Of pub
lie favor
Among the b0xholders at the perform
ance were Ambassador and Baroness
Speck Won Sternburg. Mrs. Taft, First
Secretary Hermann Hatcsenlt. Third Sec
rctary Prince Lyuer. the japanese Am
baSsador and Nine Takahra. with Naval
Attachc Lieut.. Commander Naomi Fani-
guchi, Second Secretary Masanao Hani-
hara, and Counselor Psunejiro Miyaoka
and his wife. Secretary and Mrs. Roo
entertained Gen. and Mrs. Sharpe. Mrs.
Secretary Metcaif, and Mr. Root. jr
Baron and Baroness Moncheur. Of the
Belgian legation. had with them the lat
ter's sister AIRS. Jones: Miss Clayton. and
Mr.. Poe lie Jeilier, attache of the lega-
ton. The Turkish Minister. the first sec
retary of the Brazilian Embassy. Mr.
Syivinodo Omaral, and Mr.. and Mrs. G.
". Hanger also occupied boxes.