The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-04-07
MARIE DORO PLEASES
IN ATTENUATED DRAMA
The Cast in "The Morals of Marcus

With the characters renamed and ex-
patriated, the story Of 1.-The Morals of
Marcus in which 1Iaris Doro made
her debut in Washington. as 4 star last
light. is strongly reminiscent OF 'CIar-
ice in which this dainty and gifted
young woman first won recognition as
a capable actress.
In William Gillette's melodramlet. in
which Miss Doro was seen here last
year, the plot concerns a dependent
innocent girl who is left on the hands
of a confirmed bachelor Of thirty-five or
forty. Propinquity is responsible for
the about-to-be love match. when q rival
steps in, and succeeds in convincing
the here that he has consumption, and
that il would be criminal for him 70
marry the girl The main difference be
tween this story and that Of The Nor
ais Of Marcus IS the locale. the former
being in South Carolina and the latter
ia England. In "Clarice" the heroine
is American; in 1.-The Morals she is
English. but Of Syrian cultivation. IN
the new play it is the girl who believes
she is saving the man BY leaving him
instead Of the man. Both, OF course.
end with the ve-happy-ever-after scene
The big scene" in the third act is
The supreme disappointment OF the en-
tertainment. The dramatist works up
20 his situations by such obvious meth
DDS and handles his characters so ANA
teurishiy that only the sincerity and
earnestness OF Miss DOrO and Mr
Smith save the climax from the most
EaCuOus Of melOdramatiC incidents.
The chief charm about THE Morals
Of Marcus is the fact that II gives
Miss DorO much 10 do. The entrance
Of the star in the first act is particu-
larry clever ard effective, but with this
scene and that in the second act. where
Carlotta miss DOrO) sits Oriental-wlse
and nibbles at sweetmeats. the dramat-
lists store OF originality vas exhausted.
The shortcomings OF the play did
not seem 70 mar the pleasure OF the
large audience at the National last
night, however. Miss Doro's engaging
personality. her wistful beauty, and
ptquant grace are all admirably adapt
ed TO the Interpretation OF the role
OF the wOridly-inuocenr refugee from
the harem OF Hamdi Efendi. She has
a most appealing manner Of fitting her
head and gazing a very childs soul
out Of her wonderfully pathetic brown
eyes She was at all times charming
and the interest never tagged in the
heroine. though at times the play it
SCH was rather LeHl9Ae ana SllaADW.
Miss DOrO had one brief opportunity
to portray something more than the
gentle. vivaciOus. whimsical. young girl
nature This came IN the last act when
she denounced the man who had led
her 10 believe that she should fee from
the home OF Sir Marcus. II was only a
moment Of emotional acting. but she
handled the situation with much force
and feeling.
c. Aubrey Smith. as Sir Marcus. gave
p finished and pleasing Interpretation
Of the role Of the middle-aged rover. His
methods are quiet and diguihed- never
ObtrUding his own personality beyond
the role.
1t IS unfortunate that the other mem
bers Of the cast do not measure I'D TO
the standard set by Miss OOro aud Mr..
Smith.
The play IS handsomely and tastefuIly
mounted, as are all the dramatic pro-
auctions coming from the workshop Of
Charles Frohman.