Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-20
T HE TIL EAT E r.
Belasco Theater.

The stage of the Belasco Theater last
night revealed play of exceptional in
| tercst, finely acted. AS heralded from
afar, THE Secret Orchard did not seem
promising. True, Chicago had liked it
and Philadelphia had observed it with
approving interest, but all this only on
hearsay testimony, which Is even less
reliable in matters theatrical than else
where. The reception accorded the play
last night leaves no question that WASH
ington's ofttimes reticent Endorsement may
| be confidently added to the list.
! What inspired early foreboding was the
| problem play symptoms that almost every
line of advance advertising displayed. And
| in this respect every suspicion was real
! lied. 1t Is a problem play. frank, uncom-
| promising and In some of it's moments
almost brutal. 1t is not for the immature
nor for the maturely conservative, but
| rather. for the postgraduate in the harsh
err lessons of life. 1t expounds a 'philos-
Ophy that does not seek to Soothe and
palliate, nor yet to take refuge in the
eternal Interrogation point to which the
problem play usually leads. 1t makes at
least an honest effort to bring it's moral
deductions to a q. f.. ID. If the sensitive
mind finds just cause to complain of it as
shameless. there is on the other hand. no
basis for the charge of hypocrisy. 1t
takes the social skeleton from the closet
human family.
Mr. Charming Pollock has in this work
vltallzed the task of the adapter with the
inspiration of the original dramatist The
work as now shown is d creation unto it
self. While preserving with fidelity the
salient characters and incidents of the
story. 1t depends for its interest entirely
on It's dramatic form. without barking
pack to the vogue of a best seller
1T is difficult to say what the effect of
this play would be if crudeiy represented
Not only has the utmost caution been
needful in developing the plot, for in
some important episodes the element OF
motive becomes perilously fragile. but the
characters themselves must have the def
est possible treatment. A breath %
cynicism would destroy the fabric. A
lnge of melodrama would render it gro
tesque Without exception the characters
or the play were interpreted last night
with quiet sincerity which made them
plausible and human. There was no rival
rous struggle for big scene and the
result was a performance in which every
role had at one time or another liberia!
but not undue share of prominence.
Perhaps the greatest interest attached
to the performance of Josephine Victor
in the part of joy Her personal mag
netism is great, and her technical re-
sources bespeak an experience which
would seem to justify wider renown.
The character. as she plays it, becomes
almost weirdly impressive.
Passing with a word the polished charac-
teriZation of Edward R. Mawson, the wom-
anly charm of Adelaide Prince, the clear
ly defined study of conflicting nobility and
weakness presented by Vincent Serrano,
the simple dignity of Frank c. Bangs and
the unaffected. but convincing comedy of
Olive May one comes to the portrayal by
Walter Hale of the lieutenant. who loves
JOY, in spite of her past. While not a
conspicuous part, 1t is perhaps the most
difficult in the play to maintain on.
plane of dignifed plausibility. The plot
lays but scant foundation for supreme
devotion, which amounts almost to self
sacrifice and which requires vigorous yet
most discreet, acting to prevent it from
seeming merely n boysh impulse or
Quixotc within. SO overmastering an at
tachment should call for closer &C
ouaintance with its object than the points
of the play make possible, unless the
dramatSt is content to let philosophy
make a complete capitulation to romance
and place his entire reliance on the theory
of love at first sight"
The skilled hand of Walter Clark Bel
lows IS shown in the stage management.
the curtain climax when the disclosure OF
the dukes infidelity is made to every one
except his wife being a masterpiece OF ar
tistc effect.
The conclusion of the play is indefinite.
vet satisfa Glory. The suggestion OF Tor
giyeness which constitutes the denoue-
ment is Gear and unmistakable. There Is
no need of obvious finality.