The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-10

Mr.. clyde Fitch starts of his second
half-ceatury Of plays with an undoubted
success. His new play. Girls" which
had its premiere last night at the Be
lasco, was hardly ever a moment in
doubt II drew an audience that tested
the capacity OF the theater, and the play
tested the audiences capacity for enjoy
ment and It's power Of applauding. It was
a great triumph for Mr.. Fitch. who was
called out after the second act. and who
responded in an apt and graceful speech.
~ play Is wonderfully enjoyable. The
unusuaIness of the situations, the clever
ness of the Characterization, the crisp
ness and up-to-dateness OF the sparkling
dialogue carried the audience along IN
laughter and enjoyment right from the
beginning, so that at the end OF the first
act. with its adroit climax. there were
over a dozen curtain calls
The play is thoroughly modern-modern
right up to the moment illusions in the
dialogue are to the things of yesterday:
bad singer reminds one character OF the
success Of Tetrazzini. in New York More
than once a laugh Is gotten out OF the
popularity OF a recent much-discussed
novel. Topics We all know are the topics
Of conversation throughout. only once or
twice. so cleverly is the play constructed
and so we'll acted. does the audience seem
10 think OF Girls as a play; It IS a
transcript from life, just trihe over
done, perhaps; a little bit colored here
and there, but just enough out OF pro-
portion to be easily recognizable in the
glare OF the footlights.
The story of Girls" is simple Three
girls, mighty attractive all of them. have
formed man-hsting league under the
leadership Of Pamela Gordon. the strong
est-minded and most bachelor maidish of
the lot. The others are Violet Lansdowne.
stenographer and illustrator, and Kate
West. free lance writer, who turns
actress. They bach" together in q
studio and are not having any too easy
time Of it when the play begins. as all
are out OF work. In this first act the
little housekeeping shifts: the artless chat
ter OF the girls, who assume that they
are wise: their would-be profound OBJ
sewations of the duties OF girls toward
the male sex-al this goes TO show how
set they are in their ways. whAthey even
swear fidelity to the man-hs4ng cause
across hatpins. trick learned from
Sothern in Hamlet. It is night. and they
undress and go to bed. one in folding
bed, another on the sofa and the third
on a Morris chair turned up
Risque as this may sound. Il Is
not at all so, il is delicate and dainty
and unusual: even when the pink toes
Of Miss Ruth Maycliffe peep from
under the covers. Then the serpent
enters this twentieth century Eden in
the shape OF man. Edgar Holt. who
takes refuge in this bower of femininity
because OF events. II is he who first dares
openly TO ridcule their Professionalism
II the girls are in dishabille. and though
his arguments appear 20 have no weight
and he is forced 60 leave by the win
dow. climbing across a trcmUlous bridge
made of a mantelpiece board into another
fiat. he has left the sting behind him and
two Of the girls fall asleep murmuring
his first name
The second act is in the law offices OF
SpragUe 81 Holt Kate West has been en-
gagged for the stage. and Is already in love
with her manager. Pamela has been en-
gagged as secretary 10 SpraEue q Holt
ana Violet Lansdowne is helping her
Old man Sprague tries 20 flirt with Pa
mcla. and she resents it, and is about
20 leave when the junior partner of the
firm returns. and turns out 10 be none
other than the Edgar who had invaded
the girls fat so unceremoniOusly two
weeks before So Pamela stays
The last act is back in the studio again
In the meantime Violet has fallen in
love with Frank Loot q clerk at the law
Office who comes and proposes TO her;
Kate West is engaged TO her manager,
and it only remains for Edgar Holt to
come and break down the final bar
Tiers or Pamela GOrdOns reserve and
claim her for his own.
The comedy throughout is delightful. or
course. the theme is not new. II is the
old Tanning OF the Shrew' motive re-
vamped for the thousandth time. but it is
as ever young a theme as love itself The
ending is. of course, inevitable-nOW as
ever-the woman conquered. not so much
by the strength of the man who wins her.
as by the longing in her own heart and
soul-a longing not 10 be denied by any
woman. whether she call herself a bache-
Tor maid or not
Mr.. Fitch owes a good deal TO the excel
lence OF the playing of his excellent COM
pany. 1t was superbly good throughout
Laura Nelson Hall was finely womanlv
as Pamela. earnest and strong and sur
rendering and conquering at the same
time. Ruth Maycliffe. as Violet showed
herself a capable and most intelligent
player. delightfully."- inEenue and with a
most winning personality.
Miss Amy Ricard, as Kate West. was
very clever ard pleasing. A most success
full and admirable character sketch was
the Lucille PuTcelle. el0cutionlst of Eel
da Sears. we'll remembered here for her
clever work. so recently, with Mrs
Bloodgood in THE Truth
OF the men. Mr.. Charles Cherry car
RED off the honors as Edgar Holt. his
fine breeZiness. his determination 20 win
his happy laughter, the whole-souIed
quality Of HIS acting was a sheer de-
light. But every one in the cast is de-
serving of special mention for excellent
work. II was fine Interpretation Of n
most clever comedy-a play that is likely
10 DO as much good for Mr.. Fitchs repu-
tation as any he has ever written.
The applause the play won last night
was most heartily deserved. and it was