The Washington herald., 1907-12-01
The Truth.

II was fine 10 note that in spite Of the
appealing qualities of musical comedies
at two Of the principal theaters Of the
city, Mrs. Clara Bloodgood and her eX-
cellent company presenting Clyde Fitchs
The Truth" proved a strong enough at
traction to draw large audiences all the
week. And surely the play and the play
ers deserved the support they received
and the cOmmendation that they won, for
the play Is a drama of real life. of real
people and real ideas. In THE Truth"
Mr.. Fitch has far surpassed any of his
previous work as a dramatiSt This is
bis most sincere play. undoubtedly. Here.
for a time. he seems TO have quit posing;
he does not strain for effects or drag IN
freak situations; he is content to be
witty without being smart. and he al
lows his characters to carry on real con-
versations instead Of talking copy-book
maXims with a superior air. And, above
all. Mr.. Fitch has succeeded in this: That
he has managed 10 write a play that
teaches a moral lesson without being dull
for a moment. and at the same time
preach a powerful sermon without be-
coming didactic.
Considered simply as an entertainment.
the play is a sheer delight. 1t is really
like looking at life-with the cover of.
Ii is SO easy to recognize in the charac-
ter of Fred Linden the counterpart Of
men all Of US have known at some time
utter cads passing as and accepted as
gentlemen. Always. too. let US thank
heaven, we can recognize the verify OF
such a character as that OF Tom War
den. so faithfully portrayed by William
Courtney-a clean. upright, and honest
gentleman; truthful and trusting. and al
ways wishing to think the best. instead
Of the worst, Of his fellows. But Mr.
Fitchs genius shows itself best in the
creation (or rather transcription. fer the
character is taken boldly from life) of
Becky Warden, the gay, frivolous, IRE
sponsible little chatterer of a woman,
with not an ounce Of real harm I'm her
whole body, but simply so constituted,
mentally and spiritually. as 10 have no
regard for the truth II takes a peculiar
insight and keeness Of vision-and 1t is
wonderful that any man has II In suffi-
cient quantity-to realize that most
women ike to lie-a little bit They don't
mean a bit Of harm. wouldn't wrong
anybody for the world. but even when
the truth is easiest. they like to tell lit
tie white flbs.'' and II they are caught
in them, TO laugh them unblushngly
away. Most women must feel THE
Truth biting home TO them with pecu-
U,r. if subtle. force as they see the en-
"a elements into which Becky Warden's
flbs enmesh her. and. while most Of them
will say out loud that they think Becky
carried her lying a little bit too far. they
are genuinely glad when she is able 70
convince her husband that she has been
cured of the habit and so sees all the
trouble fly away.
And the play triumphs in this: That
although il ends happily. as il should.
and Becky Warden is quite able 70 con-
vince her hUsband-who loves her very
much-that she is going to be good from
this time forth, she is not able-the
dramatist has seen TO that--to convince
the audience quite SO strongly Of her
reformation To thinking people who
go to the theater. the play is often but q
sort of prologue; the real drama they can
work out for themselves afterward. for
We are wise enough in our generation to
know that and 50 they were married
and lived happily ever afterward" is
merely a figure Of speech. and that most
of loves tragedies begin when the cur
tain of life goes up after the overture
Of the wedding march. Did Becky be-
have and be a good little girl and always
tell the truth? I think not. Il is more
than probable that she told Tom half a
dozen little fibs on the train from Baltl-
more 10 New York. II is equally true
that II she did, Tom forgave her. We
have TO make allowances for the weak
nesses OF those we love
Mrs. Blo0dgood's work in this play was
so subtle, so delicate; her art was so con-
summate and sure that there is every
reason 70 believe that she has inherent
histrionic powers which will, IL opportu-
nifty serves. carry her to a very high
place in her chosen profession.