The Washington times., 1908-12-01
BOurget Play a Talking Pic
ture Show of French
Society.
Absorbing, Though Not as
Drama, and Beauti-
fully Acted.

vi @ACRN%'
The dialogue of a discoursIve and alb
sOrbing book, aptly spoken and d5"om
panied by brilliant action, a sort Of
talking picture show Of modern domes-
tict life in France-Jhis is Divorce" as
acted his week at the Columbia. The
book is Paul Bourgeois I'm Divorce"
made into English drama by Stanislaus
STANCE, and the acting is superlatively
done by Vincent St<rano. Marion Terry,
Ida Conquest. John Glendinning. and
Eben Plylapton. AS entertainment the
joint product is absorbing for thought
ful minds as drama. it is mlsnamed
and impossible.
To those in touch with continental
aud English public opinion. NJ Bour-
gets novel Is a familiar story. II Is
a long book, written seriously yet bril-
liantly, based upon deep and churchly
convictions that divorce is unreIlgious
and unfair and with the sole purpose
Of arOusing the French mind against
a new divorce law and a further aliena-
ton from the precepts Of the Roman
Catholic Church. Gossip has IL that
I'm Divorce was written at the re-
quest Of tire present Pope. in any event,
the book las since obtained hearty in
dorsement from the French clergy, no
tably from that Able Klein. whose
Land Of the Strenuous Life" indica..
ed as keen an insight into our Ameri-
can divorce evil as into that - bone.
Ar aguOsUC banker, a wife who has
been divorced from an earlier husband.
a son TO that woman now twenty-three
years old. professional nurse who is
a socialist ana prlestess of free love.
and a priest orthodox and determined,
are the characters. They come into the
view of the audience, work toward a
disruption which NJ. Bourget believes to
be inevitable, I've their lives with only
those revelations of emotion which are
customary TO a modern French family
well-bred, IN instances volatile. and kept
within the groove Of domesucity.
An Extraordinary Company.
The nurse. acted by Miss Conquest,
dominates the mind and heart Of the
SON. The priest, acted by Mr.. Plympton.
unwilling TO talk but willing 20 per
suade, dominates the mind and the soul
of the wife, acted by Marion Terry, a
sister of Ellen Terry. The husband,
acted by Mr.. GleRdinning. eager to
save loved step-sOn, brings 10 light
the birth Of IN illegitimate child 20 the
nurse, as an Incident 10 practise of her
doctrines. The first husband dies; the
priest sanctions a continuation OF the
life together OF second husband and di-
vorcee. while son and nurse fee TO Ger
many 10 work out there the hazardous
problem OF all the responsibilities OF
marriage without its respectabIlity.
That IS all PhllosophiCally. the au-
thor Degs his own question by killing
on the nTst husband and ending his
claim on the divorced wife. The sins
OF the parents, If they be sins, are ap-
prOpIlatrly carried on 10 the children
And the dudltOr-WhetHeF as reader 3f
~ BOurgeJ novel or as OnlOOker at his
pldy--rlses from contemplation of his
WORK. Impressed chiefly by the risks OF
happiness involved IN divorce, and per
nAp1 by ITS inherent antagOuIsm 10 The
doctrines OF the ROmauist church. That
Is aL-tnat and cat the Columbia this
week. "a world OF pleasure in good did-
lOgus and most excellent acting.
No parallel offers between Miss Ter
rvs role and that OF such a French
woman as Cyprleune in 'DivOrcOus.'
The one IS staLueSques somewhat super
stiuOus, uncertain even IN her desires
the other is nervous. febTIle, CaprciOus.
pleasuTe-lOviug. And into this part of
Mime. DarIas Miss Terry fits herself ad-
mirdDly. IT IS a pleasure 10 hear her
speak our tongue-as indeed 10 hear
every actor IN this company. II IS graft
tying TO see an impeTsOnatlOn founded
in understanding and by highly devel-
opeU histri0niC skill kept true 70 the
Miss Conquest acts with the same
technical excellence. the same Clearness
OF mind. and rather a higher color
These were the promise OF her earlier
performances in the old Empire Theatcr
Stock Company and she has been re
deemiug them in fuller measure with
every season. Mr.. Plympton, her as
sociate ia that sterling organization.
proves anew how good an actor can be
made hy grating our newer methods on
the older thOrOughness. Mr.. GIendin-
ming is direct. fOrceful. and reasonably
in a role which has so little
substance il would write question marks
after the art Of David Garrick.
Mr.. Serrano's High Achievement.
But the achievement In this produc-
ton is that of -Ir. Serrano. His task
is TO reveal a growing affection for a
woman, disturbed by undeniable proof
Of what the world very reasonably re-
CARDS as immortality on her part. ac-
CeuUed by a sense Of deep injustice in
tie course Of his mother and stepfather
and the whole Consonant with the civil
and polite department of his class. Com
paratively fiat as his role is, he yet
ceriJy beyond anything else he has done
on this stage.
From what has been said Of subject
and acting, it viii be seen that ''Di-
vorce" is not without interest. on the
contrary it has direct and absorbing
qualities which strike directly into the
mind and absorb the attention. Its
faults are faults as drama, not as en-
tertainment. The whole body Of Ameri-
cans who know the trend of thought
in other Capitals viii be drawn to the
Columbia this Week-and rewarded for
going-as they may not be drawn o.
rewarded by writings far more thrilling
and far better as dramatic compost
tons Last night many theater parties
sttested 10 the eIpe> ltatiOn with which
society has waited for this play. There
is every reason to believe this expecta-
ton win not grow less as IL finds re-
through the week in re-
ports of such excellent acting.
GAYETY-BTyant's Extravaganza Com