Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-15
Belasco Theater.

1.-THE Chaperon,'' Marion FairfaH's new
play which was so delightfully."- present.
ed by Maxine Elliott and her capable
company at the Belasco last night. is go
ing to be a success. if one may judge by
the manifest pleasure exhibited by
large and intelligent audience and the
frequent laughter and applause that
greeted the efforts of the players 1t is
clean. clever and wholesome. Its only
problem Is so deftly disposed of that when
the curtain falls on the last act one
really forgets that there ever was
problem. Perhaps In this respect IT might
be said the dramatist has rather rushed
things. but the denouement is so delight,
full and the manner in which it is reached
so hurried and effective that one might
easily forgive the little defects the carp
ing critic might perceive.
The play Is in three acts and the stage
setting for each Is beautiful. The first
act discloses the interior of Silver Birch
Lodge in the Adirondacks, where Mr.. and
Mrs. Richard Coombs are sojourning with
three pretty and perfectly natural daugh-
tiers and a Porto Rican miss, their cousin.
There is also a telephone, which is kept
exceedingly busy throughout the play
Father and mother are called away by
the illness of relative. and mother feels
the young ladies need to be taken care or
in their absence. She telephones to
friend. who cannot take them. but sends
instead the Countess Van Tuyle, Maxine
Elliott, to ofaperon them. The countess
has made an unfortunate marriage with
French count, and is suing him for d.
vorce. He, in retaliation, has made a
countercharge which connects the count
ess' name with Jim Ogden. we'll played
by Julian Estrange Miss Elliotts lead
Ing man. The countess and Ogden had
been lovers prior to her marriage. but
through a misunderstanding had drifted
apart. she loving him and retaining his
photograph. as we'll as bundle of I'M
signed tender mssives from another
young man whom she thought poetic.
The letters and photograph have fallen
into the hands of the count, who pro-
poses to use them for all they are worth
in order to secure terms.
The story of the countess return to the
Adirondacks, her domestic trouble and the
husbands countercharge are all unfolded
in a hurried conversation between Mr.. and
Mrs. Coombs while they are discussing
the propriety Of leaving the girls in care
of such chaperon. and the conversation
is overheard by Betty Coombs, pert but
attractive enfant terrible, who effectively
uses her knowledge when 1t suits her pur-
pose.
The countess arrival, her beauty and
the plausible explanation of her Difficult
ties reassure the old folks. who then de-
part on their mission. Scarcely before
they are out Of sight four enterprising
young men, each of whom is Interested in
a particular young lady. appear upon the
scene. and the countess troubles begin
While she has retired to change her APP
parel Jim Ogden hobs up. &den with his
camp equipments and in search of his
trunk with civilized clothes. which he
had left at the Coombs lodge earlier In
the season.
He is invited to remain by one of the
daughters. and his subsequent reappear-
ance Just as the countess had asked the
young men to remain for dinner and was
preparing for pleasant evening brought
about situation that called for some
clever acting. Before the embarrass
ment of the moment has been overcome
the countess mother and the husband APP
pear Happily their arrival Is announced,
and with little thought OF consequences.
the countess, to avoid situation that
means much to her. grabs Ogden's arm
and rushes him from the room for ride
on the lake. They escape the mother and
the husband, but their canoe is wrecked
and the couple spend the night on Hog
Island, hungry. wet and weary. There
on the following morning comes the ex-
rlanation between the two and a rap
| proachment that prepares one for 1.-The
way ii ends" They hang their clothes
| on a tree to dry. The count sees them
and rows out to the island. To perfect
| fuses to row them ashore and wrecks his
| boat instead Later native appears
with a mudscow. In which the countess
escapes while her husband and lover are
| L.
after a good pummeling and a black eye
| surrenders letters and photograph. while
the countess returns to Birch Lodge en-
dishabille to find that the servants have
! left the girls are all engaged to their
Young men, and herself and her absence
| the subjects Of telephone scandal. Here
the action rushes somewhat. The hus-
| band and lover are rowed back by an
| other native: the lover surrenders letters
! and photograph to the countess: the
count agrees to make terms and get out
and the curtain falls upon the reunited
| pair blissfully happy.
Such IS the play. Miss Elliott is beau
tiful and charming count IS. Her treat
| ment of the role in every stage Of the
| pay Is natural and agreeable. She is
| Maxine Elliott always and holds the
| sympathy of her audience throughout
| her trying experiences. Next perhaps OF
the excellent company. and the one who
| will likely be longest remembered in the
play comes clever little Miss Oza Wal
drop. the ingenue. whose portrayal of her
part was finished as we'll as pleasing.
| Grant Mitchell as the idiotic-looking ma
| tive who found his tongue to break forth
| in volumes of wrath when the countess
| escaped in his mudscow was exceptionally
good Georgia O'Ramey as the Porto
Rican cousin was also good. and her
Spanish dance on the lodge veranda a
| thrilling performance. The remainder OF
the cast was quite acceptable. the girls