The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-10-06
"The Silver Girl.

II was q refreshing treat that was Of
tered at the National Theater last week
IN The Silver Girl a clever American
play by the author Of The Prince Chap. %
1t is a play Of fine appeal. dramatic. in
tense, strongly human. and displaying
technical excellenCies in its construction
that remind one Of the best work Of the
English playwrights The play is going
into New York IN a few weeks. and II viii
probably do much TO establish the repu-
tation there OF Mr.. George Fawcett, who
has long been known as a sterling actor,
but has never before had a part that
made him so legitimately a star. One
trouble with Mr.. Fawcett has been that
most of his energies have been devoted to
booming his clever wife, known on the
stage as Miss Percy Haswell. While her
husband has been winning laurels in
''The Silver Girl" she has been making
q hit as leading woman with Mr.. Otis
Skinner. and It IS not improbable that
husband and wife may be seen on Broad
way at the same time this season.
"The Silver Girl" IS fundamentally a
good play, but there are one OF two points
that Will have been reconstructed before
the play may be considered perfect. AS
st is now, it requires a pretty long
stretch Of the Imagination 10 see why IL
IS that the young Western wife should,
one night, be absolutely disdainful of the
love Of the scheming lawyer. and yet, the
very next night. be ready TO el0pe with
him TO Europe. II might, perhaps, be bet
ter understood If the actor playing the
part Of Hargrave were a better-lOOking.
more polished man. Mr. Nash. who is
playing the role. is a fine and capable
actor, but he Is not at all suited to such
a character as this. Something. also,
will have to be done with the climax OF
the third act AS it is now, it IS hardly
Reasonable that one man should miss an
other with a Colts revolver at a dis
lance of about six PAGES. The theory Is,
perhaps, that it is the scream Of the
woman that disturbs Hargraye's aim, but
& so, it Is not quite clearly worked out.
These little points are sure 10 be at
tended 10 before long, as during the
week, one of the most noted stage di-
rectors in the country was brought on
from New York, and he has been en-
gagged in gathering up the loose ends and
putting on the final polish which marks
The difference between a success and d
failure.
During the week one change was made
IN the cast that certainly was not for
the better-the substitution Of Miss Louise
Galloway for Miss Consuelo Bailey in the
ingenue part Miss Bailey played the
part very well indeed. and she had all
the advantage of grace. youth. good
looks. and vivacity. Her successor in
the part possesses these qualities in a
very minor degree. The daughter of the
owner of The Silver Girl is a child
OF sixteen, and il is a task a little toe
difficult 20 ask Miss Galloway to go back
that FAR. Outside Of this. the cast sup
porting Mr.. Fawcett Is notably good
Miss Jane Oaker has never had part
that suits her better and Miss Albert
son, as the governess. was strikingly
good. It IS TO be hoped that the present
season, which is prolific OF new plays by
American authors, viii have a few others
as good as The Silver Girl"