The Washington herald., 1907-11-26
The Belasco--.rhe rruth., /,

Last week at the national Iue0teT
Washington theatcrgoers had Mr. Clyde
Fitch. prolific dramatist. at his worst.
This week AT the BelascO they are offered
Mr.. Fitch at his best. for ''The Truth. "
a highly clever comedy, admirably played
by Clara Bloodgood. William COurtenay.
and fine supporting company, is by long
odds the cIeverest and the most polished
thing that Mr. Fitch has ever written.
The play is a sheer delight from bcgin-
ming to end, and il well deserved the
hearty applause and generous commenda-
ton il received from an audience that
packed the theater In every part.
The story OF The Truth" is a very
simple one. Becky Warden. an altogether
charming young woman. married to a
fine young chap. Tom Warden. Is cursed
with a disposition that will not allow
her 70 tell the truth-that is. II lie
sounds more picturesque. She is. in real
ity, as honest as the day, as clean-souled
a little woman as one might hope 10 find.
but when her friend Eve Lindon sets
into a row with her husband. Fred (whc
is a bit of a cHd). Becky rather drifts
into a friendship with Fred Lindon. at
first deceiving herself into the belief that
she is trying 10 reconcile Eve and Fred.
OF course Fred makes love To her, and
Becky. who had meant nothing of the
kind, resents IL. but the harm mas been
done Becky has lied to her husband,
lied to everyone. in fact and when the
husband finds il out. his confidence I'm her
is shaken. and he proposes a separation.
Becky leaves his house and goes 10 her
diSreputable old father i'm Baltimore, ana
here she learns that her habit Of lying
is an inheritance; that her father is and
always has been a liar. and that it was
his lies which separated him from his
wife, Becky's mother.
The father can't help lying. In he
hope of getting Becky reconciled 20 her
husband he sends a lying telegram to
New York, saying that Becky is dying;
and when Tom Warden comes ne wants
Becky to keep up the deception, but the
poor child has had enough. She has
learned her lesson. and the obvious truth
fulness Of her wins the day. and Becky
winning back her husband, determines
to stick hereafter 10 the truth
1t is really wonderful what a keen
insight into feminine nature Mr.. Fitch
has displayed i'm the construction II tNis
play. lie might have taken as his text
the lines from Keats:
Beauty is truth. truth beauty-that is an
Ye know earth. and an ye need 70 know.
How lie begets lie. deceit deceit. this
play shows in most inexorable and
determined way. and while the lesson is
brought most sharply home and is al
ways most steadfastIy insisted upon. this
IL not a sermon, but genuine play
The dialogue is full Of things that sound
smart. but which are wonderfully true
and which call for instant response on
the part of the audience. Such lines as
these. heard at random in the play.
should make any one take notice:
Were you HONESTY
Perfectly. I told her The jruth-and more. too.
Becky always likes 20 have men fond Of her.
whether she cares for them or not
It's my own trouble ] can do what I like with II
Wait tai sou get a husband Of your own. and then
you'll have more sympathy with woman who's try
ing O. keep one.
7 like you % like me- like it for my own sake
ard then think its a great compliment 10 my
husband.
I do the malo sax more justice don't b-licTc
there's any mar in whom some woman cannot dis
cover the good.
I'm afraid you're one Of those daneerous-weIl-
meaning pCT1uuE
Ym can correct my English if you want to. but
my French-Ive kept that pure cser since my school
DAYS.
When I'm excited. I always ten the Truth.
Ny faith in yo1 Is what appeals 10 the best in
me. but It's live wire, dear. and dangerous TO play
with.
Mamma made what VIC call A messy lance.
Throughout the dialogue Of the play is
fun OF sharp. smart. eppigrammatic SEN
tences like that. and il has not a duh mo-
ment.
Miss Clara Bloodgood rises to the
height of Mr.. Clyde F'itch's best play. and
she does the best work i'm The Truth
that she has ever done. To say that on
the stage she appears perfectly natural
one moment on the verge of tears. the
next moment happy with a smile: now
inclined 10 be naughty. then wishing to
be nice-is tribute 10 her art which en-
ables her to play "a woman without pos
ing. just woman-with all her little
faults and frailties-lovable always Miss
Bloodgood's work in this play shows that
Tin spite of the fact that it has been said
she went on the stage because she knew
how 10 wear gowns welD she knows how
10 portray emotion; it shows her the pos
SCISSOR OF keen imagination. quick sym
pathy clear insight into human nature:
and the result is that her portrayal Of the
character of Becky Warden IS realistic
convincing. beautiful Miss Bloodgood has
magnificent support Mr. William Courte-
nay could hardly be equaled I'm the part
of the husband-clean-cut. honest, ster-
ling, tender gentleman. That was the
way that Mr.. Courtenay made you feel
about it, and IL was mighty good
Low comedy is introduced as relief %
the more strenuous situations. and the
honors here were carried off by Miss
Zelda Sears as Genevieve Crespigny.
typical. if a little exaggerated. Of a GER