Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-10
NEW PLAY
IS TRIUMPH
sTHE PRIMROSE PATH" GIVEN a
FINE PRESENTATION
CLEVER HELAsco COMPANY is
ATITs BEST
Drama Tells an Absorbing Story and
Proves One Of the Finest
Things Of the Current
Year
by srpLE LAWRENCE

In ssThe Primrose Path the Belasco
theater lock company gives us this week
remarkably strong drama. excellently
presented. Not in months has the COM
pany appeared to better advantage. The
Joan Templeton of Miss Stodda is far
and away the bcs characterization of
her local engagement, while the Ned of
Lewis S. Stone is in every way worthy
In announcing the Bayard Weller
drama the Beasco management said that
in this play Miss Stoddard would have
her first opportunity to slow Los An
geles audience what she can do in an
emotional role, and preoicted that she
would create sensation. She has done
more. She has scored a triumph, and in
saying that / am not unmindful of the
fact that there will likely be widely di-
vergent opinions regarding her realiza-
tion of the intensely human Joan.
"The Primrose Path" takes its name
from the title of a painting made by
Ned Templeton, an American artist, at
time when he is slowly starving TO
death in Paris attic. lie painting has
progressed finely but Templeton and his
wife are desperately in need of food and
the man is weakening fast under the
strain. 1t is a very real picture, this
first act; a picture of human suffering
and misery of thwarted ambition, re-
lieved by that greatest of panaceas, love.
Kisses for Breakfast
sTm not so very hungry, dearie,' says
the wife, when her husband censures
himself for her sufferings. Again.
s.Here's your breakfast she says, and
kisses him: ''your lunch,'' and kisses him
again. Then she bursts into tears.
Don't you think it is dinner timer
saws he. when she rushes into his arms
and sobs on. her cheek against his.
1t is such touches as these that makes
'"The Primrose Path a delight, and
there are many of them.
Finally, the husband, conquered by
hunger, faints away. A physician pre-
scribes for him the obvious thing, nour-
ishing food, eggs, beef broth, the sick
room necessities. 1t is made very clear
to the wife that without these things her
husband will die. Then comes the con-
cierge, Anglice landlord, and points out
to Joan how she can secure them.
Through the windows comes the laughter
of women, the women of the Latin quar-
ter The wife shudders, but she seizes
up her hat and goes to the street
Two years pass. The Templetons are
domiciled in a middle-class apartment in
Harlem. The artist is on the threshold
of success. He has sold THE Primrose
Path for $4,000 and it is to be placed in
the Metropolitan museum. He has sold
also another painting and he has orders
for more To his wife he gives sum
of money asking her to send it to her
father in payment of the amount adj
vanced in Paris when they were in such
dire need The woman's face expresses
the agony of her oul as her husband
recalls her kindly fib, but she takes the
bills and holds her peace.
Ambition VS.. Love
Then begins a struggle in the man,
between his ambition and his love. Joan
is an English country girl. Her speech
is the speech of Devon. She is never
vulgar, but neither is she smart and the
artists millionaire patron points out to
him the futility of seeking a social sue
cess with his wife at his side.
The man succumbs to the temptation. |
Joan is neglected. Ultimately there is
talk of divorce with a prospective mar
riage between Templeton and his patrons
daughter in the aftertime. The woman,
still loving and unable longer to endure
the situation, disappears and becomes a
model. Later, all unwittingly, she
comes to pose before a class instructed
by her husband and there, without ram
cor but in defense of her rights and in
the presence of her rival, she tells him
the truth of that fateful day in Paris.
Marriage Is Illegal
More, she tells MIN that their marriage
was illegal under French law, no civil
ceremony having been performed, that
he is free to marry where he will Then
she looks into his face and in despair
cries: 'God, he's glad OF it; he's glad
of it,"
This disregard of the French ceremony,
however, is rejected by Cartright, the
artists patron, who attempts to buy
Joan off with bribe of 100000. She
refuses the offer with indignation and
insists that he is free to go If he will.
The coIloquy is overheard by Templeton
and at last he realizes his mistake and