The Washington herald., 1909-02-28
NEW YORK THEATERS
Grace George Attains Popularity After Years of Effort
"A Woman's Way Success

SPECIAL Corrsspoodencs The wsshinsson Herald
New York, Feb. s7.-Grace George has
never enjoyed hrst-class standing 4
among the stars Of the stage, so far as
New York is concerned Many wondered I
why she vas so persistently thrust for
ward, season after season, when most /
people cared little what she was doing
or where she was appearing OF course, /
K was perfectly plain 10 those who hap (
pened 20 know that she was the wife OF
William A Brady. He believed IN her
when the critics and the public passed her |
by. He spent money ike water IN pro-
ductions for her. He denounced the
critics. who refused to enthuse over her,
OF who ungallantly commented on her
art. or lack OF IT, He Just kept s-push-
inE her-always pushing her forward And
now she seems to have cIinched that
elusive thing called popularity.
"A Woman's Way Is the best medium
she has had, save "Divorcons' which
she borrowed from Sardou Her new
comedy is by Thompson Buchanan. a
New York newspaper man, and It Is
literally her own. Il IS light and bright
Il was brought out at the Hackett Mon
day afternoon, with Frank Worthing In
the leading male role. And the piece
made hit. and Miss George made hit.
Her role is light. genteel comedy. and
light comedy IS obviously her meter No
one could have been more charming than
this former diseredited little actress. who
has et last learned her trade and now
knows her capacities and her limitations
Il is so important that actors and
actresses should. Yet, how few Of them
DO know i,
a Woman's Way is quite a breezy
little comedy. in which the author has
consciously or unconsciously revered the
sex of the characters Of ''Divorcous In
that piece, IL viii be remembered. il is
the wife who talks OF a divorce and
wheedles her doting husband into con-
senting into a little tentative intrigue
with her affinity In the present piece Il
is the wlIe Grace George who invites
10 a dinner party the dashing widow,
Mrs Blakemore with whom hubby has
had a sensational auto smash-up. and
whom the papers are associatinz with a
prospective divorce scandal The widow
received by Marion. the wife. and intro
duced in the choice little circle Of ex-
elusive friends. Just as Cyprienne Is
cured OF her fnfatuatlon, so Howard
Stanton. the husband in this play. Is
cured or ms. 5y being allowed 10 come
into unObstructed intimacy with his fame.
For Il turns out that Howard IS not the
first elect 10 enjoy the favors OF the gay
widow. Before the dinner is over every
enc OF the gentlemen comes 10 Marion
and prsys her. for mercy's sake. to get
rid OF the beautiful temptress before the
wives get an inklRg Of their former re-
lationship with her And Oliver Whitney
excites HOward's jealousy by making love
10 Marion. thinking her q nuch-abused
woman. who should get a divorce and be-
come his wife. Between Jealousy Of his
wife and the discover that his affinity
has been promiscuous in her attachments.
Howard's unstable mind settles down 10
sober appraisement OF the charms OF
his own wife. and Mrs BiakemoTa drops
out Of the game.
Frank WOVthing plays the husband in
vein OF grOtesqUe comedy. and Miss
George mads the wife seem an arch and
delightful creature, so that you hardly
Were surprised he should in the end pre-
fer her 10 the gorgeous seTpentine style
cf beauty Of Dorothy Tenants Mrs
Blakemore-
At the Maxine Elliott Theater. CarIotta
Nillson made another essay 10 reingrz-
tate herself into the favor OF Broadway
in 2 new play by Avery Hopwood. en-
titled This Woman and This Man" pre-
sented for the first time Monday after
noon After her big success in The
Three Of Is" at the Madison Square
Garden Theater, she passed under Mr..
Frohman's management. and early in the
season appeared in Diana OF Dobson' s. -
IN which We refused 10 accept her. After
four months of diligeat play-reading and
observing study Of public taste. she
brings out a problem play with a rather
turgid story. but considerable dramatic
merit. She plays a governess. who is
made the victim of young Norris Town
send. ''his fathers son" He tries. with
he aid OF the elder. 10 buy her Oh. but
the girl is not that sort. She wants z
father for her unborn child So she
locks the door and has minister make
her wife at the point OF a pistol. Then
she turns school-teacher in little village
IN New York, and is content to lead an
obscure and almost p-ecarious existence
with her little boy about her. who is
TOW more than six years Of age.
The father, moved by a strange instinct.
comes upon the scene and insists upon
the rights which mis- marriage have con
ferred upon him. nOn1inally as regards
the boy. He wants to see his son as often
ss he likes The woman demurs. But
after q wesrisome opposition she gives
in. The boy is removed 10 a luxurious
home. where he has the run OF finely
appointed nursery. with all the latest
toys. Between the mother and father
there Is the insuperable obstacle Of the
past She lives IN the house, but they
are strangers. with nothing IN common
save the love for the bright little boy.
On her part there Is frigid aloofness, and
even when Norris seeks a reconciliation
he meets with rebuff The position be-
comes iutolerable. AT last hs is for max
ing a sacrifice. He viii leave mother and
child. and never see them again. What
follows Is not difficult to imagine Thekla
still loves Norris, and az the last moment
her opposition Is crushed and she falls
into his embrace.
The little play Is IN three acts and has
but SIX characters II Is handsomely
staged and produced By George Foster
Platt. who staged The Three Of Us"
and Is wei played by Howard Kyle,
Frank CurrieT. Milton SiIls Cas Norris,
and little John Tansy- Miss NIIlson Is
effective in the drama. and il viii hardly
be her fault II the play fails OF popular
approval. L IL interesting. but rather de-
pressing n two acts.
Mary Garden the other day made the
occasion Of Mrs. CaTter's performance OF
''Zaza' IN her honor as impressive as
r,,rsEhle and ranr,la ga sttI ,l,,nl,isrc,