Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-17
BelaSco.

Heralded as a whole seasons success
on Broadway. 1.-The Warrens of Virginia
drew a large audience at the Beiasco
Theater last evening. An enthusiastic
welcome was extended to Miss Charlotte
Walker In whose career many Washing
tonians seem to have an almost pro-
prietary interest. Again and again at the
end of the third act Miss Walker was
forced to acknowledge her appreciation,
Speech" Mr.. Frank keenan, divided
honors with Miss Walker as to popu-
larity and gave a fine chara cterzatiOn.
The play itself which is from the pen
of William c. DeMille, is a drama of
the civil war. depicting not so much the
carnage of the battlefield. the political
Vaccinations of the two capitals or the
intense hatred between north and south
Though these themes are necessarily in
evidence), but the sufferings. mental and
physical. of a family of Firginians. the
Warrens, when Grant laid waste Virginia
in his campaign of the Wilderness. What
the war meant to the Warrens it meant
to every other family in the Old Dominion
state. A household shocked and rent
asunder by bayonet and sword. yet striv-
ing through it all to hold to its hearth
and home-life presents picture Of strong
sympathetic interest.
The first act is devoted to All effort to
establish the atmosphere of the times,
through a succession Of almost detached
incidents. And even after the play
energies from it's prologue the same
tendency to retard the development of
the plot by an oversupply of "atmos-
phere'' is much in evidence 1t is not
stirring war play. but as picture
of what the war meant to the average
southern home it fulfills it's mission.
The story is a simple one. Union
officer, Lieut. Burton. is ordered to take
advantage of the hospitality of the War
rens' home by allowing himself to be cap
tured by the Confederates with a false
dispatch concerning supply train. Bur-
ton is in love with Agatha Warren, the
generals eldest daughter. While wait
ing to be captured in. her home, Burton
declares his love and is accepted. The
false dispatch deceives his flancee's
father. Cen Warren. The starving Con-
federates are tricked and nearly cut to
pieces losing the supply train. The ruse
of the dispatch is discovered. and Lieut..
Burton confesses his deceit, Offering as
his only justification his duty an officer
to his flag. Lees surrender at Appomat-
tox is the only thing that saves him
from death. His engagement to Agatha
is broken. Five years later he returns
and is again rejected. but Gen. Warren
suddenly changes his mind and with
draws his objections.
Frank Keenan,. as Gen. Warren, gives
as fine an representation as has ever been
placed to his credit. With but slight
change Of any acting that even borders
on the unusual Charlotte Walker is sweet,
though not compelling. Charles Waldron.
as Lieut. Burton. handles a difficult and
unpleasant part satisfactorily. There is a
bit of acting by Raymond l.. Bond as
Blake of the United States secret service,
Il minor part that ranks as "A positive
artistic achievement. Emma Dunn. as
Mrs Warren. is convincing. while Mrs
Charles G. Craig presents "Sapho.' the
old family servant. in a style refresh
ingly laughable.