The daily sentinel., 1909-02-16
ALTHOUGH ILL, ROBERTS
GAVE FINE PERFORMANCE


The injustice of the English
divorce laws which provide that
man can obtain n divorce from
his wife for infidelity alone but,
ON the other hand. the wife, in
order to obtain IA divorce, must
prove not only infideIity, but
physical cruelty as well; the ex.
emplification of n noble spirit
and unusual case of self .acri-
flee; the unfolding of two unIaw-
full yet withal fOrgivabIe, loves;
the tearing away of mask that
hides the hideOus inner life of
many phases of socalled high
society; the portrayal of many
fine, natural and powerful e
scenes. these things sum up the
nature, the plot and the worth
of seymour Obcrmer's play .The
House of Bondage" as staged by
John Cort and as delineated by
that charming, truly capable and q
brilliant actress, Florence Rob-
erts, and a small, yet sufficiently b
large, and most capable COM
pany.
1t was large, thoroughly repre-
sentative and to all appearances
very appreciative audience that filled
the Park opera house last night and
watched the unfolding of the three
acts of the at all times Interesting
play.
Miss Roberts had not been well for
several days. Sne was quite ill all
day yesterday yet she appeared in
the cast and few knew that she was
i'll, so splendid was her work. In
The House of Bondage" there are
n
Roberts to display her really great
emotional powers as afforded her in
some of her plays in the past Yet
there were several excellent scenes
that afforded chances for superb
work and Miss Roberts avails herself
of these chances and measures up to
their height. She was clever and
refreshing at all times. Perhaps
when she inspires the surgeon the
man she loves. to go on with the
operation on which depends the life
of her husband. whom she knows is
unfaithful and whom she does not
love. and in the last great scene when
she denounces her husband and his
mistress, she was at her best. They
were great scenes but there were
others almost as powerful. Florence
Roberts aaded strength to her local
popularity last night. The play is
unusual, yet refreshing, powerful yet
fascinating.
Arthur Forrest is really clever
actor and his work as Sir Vincent
Meredyth, the husband. was splendid
1t is part that is difficult and could
easily be over done but Forrest
handled 1t superbly. Thurlow Bergen
as Paul Bertrand, the surgeon. reach
ed up to the high standard of that
part in most admirable manner.
lie was very, very good Ann War
rington. "a handsome young woman,
takes the part of the Duchess of
Banff. the clever. politically influ-
ential. scheming, haraeter-tarnished
woman who loved Sir Vincent and
with whom he had long been inti-
mate. The Duchess IS devotion to Sir
Vincent her spirit of gratitude to the
surgeon and few other noble traits
lessons the shadows that disgrace her
character and Ann Warrington por-
trays the character in a most excel
lent and truthful way. In the scene
where she, mistrusting the surgeon,
knowing the latter's love for the wife
of the man on whom he was to per
form an operation begs him to give
up the operation. Miss Warrington
rose to really exalted height of act
ing.
Mary Bertrand as Gwendolyn. the
Countess. didn't have much to do but
she is sweet and pretty and the part
adds an appreciative touch of beauty
and cheerfulness to the play.
Ilallet Bosworth as the Swiss doc
tor and Harry Gibbs as the butler
We're good.
THE House of Bondage" is mag
nificently staged as are all of John
Corts productions, the settings being
lovely and very correct.
1t is production worth while.
w.