The San Francisco call., 1908-10-12
By Waiter Anthony

We know what you feel in your
hearts" said Bertram Bytell after the
end of the torrential third act of Henry
Arthur Jones The Hypocrites" last
night at the Alcazar theater. You say
what or hearts up here are echoing:
Cod bless you" The little impromptu
speech was the second that had been
demanded Of the leading man The first
came on his initial entrance, but when
in the third act he had done the finest
bit Of acting he has yet accomplished
and on the stage made classic by David
Warfield-the audience would not be
content without a recognition of its ap-
probation and understanding.
Nor was LyteIl alone in the scene.
There We're Miss Evelyn Vaughan, the
new leading woman, who firmly estab-
lished herself at once. and Ernest Glen
denning. the sincere and talented juve-
nile Of last season. And there were 9TH
ers, you'll find their names In the cast
above. Include them all, for they de-
serve it,
But about this third act It is the
strongest Jones has written I think. 1t
gathers in fervor and force like a
stream fed by hundred rivulets. In the
center OF the playwright's thought is
the hypocrisy which would rob be-
trayed young woman Of the honest love
and protection Of the only being on
earth whose duty it is to aid her. There
are the adoring mother and father, who
would wreck the girls life to throw
their son into the arms of a wealthy
girl and thus give him career; there
are the girl and the youth placed face
10 face by the rector. who has had the
courage TO try to cleanse the household
Of lies and meanness and hypocrisy
The girl, to save her lover, lies. She
says he is innocent Of wrong; the boy
lies. everybody lies. until the two are
placed face 10 face. Lytel in a speech
Of denunciation that sounded like a
message from Mount Sinai calls the
Snug hypocrites by their proper titles,
while the lovers about to be parted for
the sin Of a few months ago gaze
into each others eyes-Miss Vaughan
as the girl, Glendinning as the cad
Tormented by a conscience ripped to
ribbons by his rector's words, Lennard
lets his heart speak; casts aside his
future and takes the girl to his heart.
Sounds like melodrams, doesn't it2 It
is. It is the melodrama that concerns
the heart and mind; there are no pis-
tolls.
The third act might almost end the
play, but there Is fourth in which Ii
Is shown what becomes of the doting
mother and father, who have lied and
schemed and hoodwinked Sir John.
whose daughter they have tried to win
for their boy. That the play ends
happily is fortunate, for it is logical.
Indeed the cohesion and inevita bleness
OF the drama exhibit Jones at his best.
Miss Naughan's role is a difficult one
1T is all humiliation, love and sad
ness. She limps from a sprained ankle
which the playwright-not accident
gives her, and there is nothing pic
tOrially pretty about it She has a
fine voice, good presence, much emo
ti0n and intelligence; and better. she
has imagination. She viii last 40
weeks and more I should say The
verdict last night was tremendously in
her favor.
Every scene was applauded as the
curtain ascended. The scene maker
Tor the theater has excelled even him
self, and the properties are elegan nj
and tasteful.
Bessie Barriscale, as the daughter Of
Sir John; Louise Brownell, as the wife
OF the poor curate; George P. Webster,
on whose shoulders the broad satire
sgainst the church was laid. and How
ard Hickman, as the lawyer, weresall
notable characterizations.
The first act OF the play is rather
brutal in it's frankness. and scarcely
food for 'the young person." but the
plays tone is eminently fine. uplifting
and worthy.