The Washington times., 1908-09-15
Human Play at BelaSco That
PleaSeS Because of
Company.
Star Makes Another Pro
nounced Hit in Com
edy Role.

II -the plays the Jhiug" then Father
and Son Dy Edgar Selwyn, which was
given IT'S premiere at the BelascO Thea
Ter last evening Is not success IN
/ every sense ri the word. Rut it Is not
/ 8 b..d play. on the contrary it IS COM
peuiug at times because il deals with
subject close TO tire heart strings-the
Ioye ami loyalty oI d young man and
( the parental devotion Of Jwo who mad
reared hiu lr0m DOylOOd.
{ TaaJ She ialtl-I performance WAS a
measured success IS due almost entirely
/ TO the presenting company, eadtd BY
( that sterling actor, William Ncrris. ap-
peariug mere as an excellent Comedian
THIS members OF the company work hard
aud faithfully. all pulling together for
/ the success Of the new play md time
and again 1t was plain tARt only their
supreme effort lifted 80 out OF tie rut OF
mediocrity end aroused the Int crest OF
| the audience. Al the opening perform
auce. last evening, there vas 2lenty o.
applause. IuL it was largely Tor ihe
players and not the play
! Plot Old With Yauati0n.
The central theme OF "faJner ana
SON IS the old one Of the adopted child
Ia d1tiug foster father and .ne real fatn-
'i WHO P-'E.7 - - - =.
-f'y -f'y"l7 ga '.-s --.-- - q, Sc
'''l'e va --- >-o-' - =, ,,-o+I,-
"Ii'i's ~ '-N' -. - - -,
~ W. ''-9 ,--,..-10-,5-,,.T 49,
ou- Ieiy- ll.5 49, 49, NJ Sei7[-,-D has
given as an old plot ln a ne" dfess ,.i'i t.-,,t
lh ll-e i'--.li' l9 pressing 0'-'' ~
entirely SO
I Mr.. se1.yu is a play builder OF uo
( mean ability. The mechanical excellence
1 f1.--f-- - I-r-,vT- rrar rhe Islrv with
rfttt7. ,-----irl,. and reminding can bt
/ - ---.r -r.f-. e s.,,sfa7fItI vehicle faf
! ' l-L,, o.----- =. l.l.---al55av7 se Ms. Norris
,,5J , '.,-r,r,,rf5f.r rouuauv OF the cali
I fa~ ~ fFsf ~ the FrIasc0 tIIis week.
/ Afr-- DIE frsf act. which drags as IL
I ua1rIy I'M new uIays there Is a visible
( ~frsir of hrrulaulty running through the
Dlav. and III IS very appealing strain
/ In IHaI il is Ilue 10 nature Because
o. this one cact. 10 no other the play
Hrt IN VIII never De a tlrearricaI sensa-
ton I'm the serse that lE makes the
| auditor grlp the arms OF MS seat anu
hold ms oIealh ior NAe next N'l"-
C1,.rsr+ure True por--aIfs
/ ma '-o~'-
But every play does not require eN-
treme dramatic tensiJy In order 20 sue
coed and fin constructing Father and
- p. ~. s,-r-,-, hoe e,7r-.,, ,-.- f7.a -,a,-t
] 1o-' --,.---.s--
II vas ulls uat made Way Do"h
, East. 81" The Old Homestead. Shore
/ Acres % and other kindred productions
and II is this particular quality that viii
carry 2 reseneTale9d tlheE ana son
io,,r,et.
Iu old Doc FIIkius. portrayed 5y
Mr. Norris the playwrlEht mas given
~ d - vi - tl..-- - - -
sT-,i,,rfy I-r,9v-s s,-e---boefv slse but Is
rather a stranger 70 the stage. He Is
one VII. does all for his friends ana
nothing cor self AR Norris seems q
have caught the spirit of the character
even better than the playwright, and
his portrayal leaves but little 10 be de-
I sired He is ar his best in the scenes
with ihe boy. when he radi1tes the In
/ tense love of the foster parent for tie
i-doEted son. and in the scene where
p he tells the real father. an autocratiC
} mill owner. the truth as TO the boys
identitv
I I'm this real father there IS another
realistic character. he Is pictured a
E,rr .Dr hoo 7--Taee Nrrr u-hcr the urDbt