The Washington herald., 1908-01-26

the parent story with charm and plausl-
bility and retains the flavor and spirit Of
the original invention. The story deals
in picturesque and adventurous fashion
with the redemption of a castaway life
by an act of self-renunciaton. The hero
stands in a cruel pgedicament with love
and happiness on one side and honor and
responsibility on the other, and it is the
solving of this problem that Mr.. Eugene
Presbrey has brought to a satisfactory
issue In the first scene Of the play the
cynical reckless, and tarnished person
atty of Charlie Steele Is thrown into
bold relief in series OF encounters with
the Judge whom he has delrauded, the
wife whom he has outraged. the murderer
whom he has saved. the lover whom he
deiies and the drunken parson and boyish
reprobate whom he has led 10 ruin. This
swift sequence Of incidents gives a genu-
inc dramatic thrill. Guy Standing and
Theodore Roberts are specially featured
by the management as joint stars In the
respective roles of Charlie Steele and Joe
PoTtugais.
Mrs. Fiske. who has just won the ad-
miration Of New Workers with her bril-
liant performance OF Rebecca West in
'Rosmersholm. will come TO the Belasco
next week for her annual engagement in
this city. This memorable performance
was declared by all the reviewers in New
York to have been the triumph of Mrs
Ftske's career. In Rebecca West Mrs.
Fiske has role upon which she has
been at work for several years, and the
.g sst, -,
mastery of what is generally agreed 10
be one of the greatest, most difficult, ard
most fascinating women in the Conten-
porary drama. RebeCca West has been
likened by some critics 10 Lady Macbeth.
She has some of that characters attri-
( butes. as well as some similarity to that
other Rebecca whom Mrs. Fiske played
50 admirably. Becky Sharp AT all events,
she is the dominant and moving figure in
a wonderful drama Of love and explatiou
that is the Crowuing work % the master
modern playwright, Henrik Ibsen. The
story Of the love Of Rebecca West for
John Rosmer has an interest that grlps
the auditor throughout its narration and
thrills him in the great confession scene
ia the third act and in the tremendous
denOuement to which the story pro-
crosses. It Is in these latter scenes that
Mrs. Fiske rises To its greatest height
but throughout tile portrayal is charac-
teTized by that fine intelligence, intro
speotive nalysis, and thorough technique
at which Mrs. Fiske is uurivaled.
Otis Skinner viii come 10 the New Ma
tional Theater next week in his new play.
entitled THE Honor Of the Family" AM
adaptation by Paul N. Potter Of Balzac's
famous novel, lie Menage de Gsrcon 4"
The story Of this play Is one Of extreme
interest Mr.. Skinner will be seen as
Philippe Bridau, a Bonapartist hero. who
carried NapOleon's orders on two battle
fields and was wounded al Waterloo. At
the opening Of the play France is under
the Bourbon regime. and Philippe who
has been involved in q conspiracy for the
restoration of the empire succeeds ga OBJ
tanning an acquittal IN time d frustrate
his rich old uncle. After "a succession OF
startling situations that are not only
plausible, but exciting in the highest de-
gree Philippe gains the ascendcncv over
the clever and artfuI woman and comes
into possessing Of the family estates. A
duel between Philippe and another officer
OF the Imperial Guard brings about the
/ Inevitable crisis. PIaygOers who are IA
miliar with Otis SINNERS work I'm the
past do not need % be told that this actor
is always at his best in a semi-romantic
role. and the part Of Philippe in The
/ Honor Of the Family" affords him I'M
bounded opportunities for picturesque and