The Washington herald., 1909-01-24
THIS WEEKS PLAYBILLS
The Re.n.co-aThe Return OF 80

The Be -ascO-~The Return of Eve"
Bertha Galland. who. during her stage
career. has never appeared except as a
star, and who has been seen in this city
in such well-known successes as Sweet
Kittie Rellairs." Dorothy Vernon OF
Haddon Hail. and The Forest Lovers, -
comes to the Belasco Theater tomorrow
night for q weeks engagement in Lee
Wilson Dodd's three-act play. The Re
turn Of Eve. The occasion may also be
referred TO as the return Of Miss Cal
land. who. owing to illness and a COM
plication Of circumstances. has been alb
sent from the boards for two years. The
story OF the play deals with the expert
ment OF an eccentric millionaire. who.
eighteen years before the curtain rises
on the first act. adopted a, little girl and
boy whom he took from founding
asylum. He placed the children in q
I 5000-acre tract Of land In the interior Of
Virginia; gave them as their only COM
panion on old man who knew the world
so well that he was glad 70 get away
from II: fenced the trio in. and let his
twentieth century Adam and Eve .grow
ID free from the restraints OF modern
life and with no knowledge OF what was
going on on the other side Of the fence
They knew nothing Of books. society
civilization. OF laws. They were told
that they were brother and sister. and
loved each other as such. JUST as the
eccentric millionaire began To enjoy his
scientific researches. some eccentric
South Sea Islanders made an anatomical
study OF him az a state banquet, thereby
bringing awful sorrow 20 his sister. a
fashionable New York society woman.
whose family pride was sadly shocked by
having one OF her nearest relatives eaten
by such common people. Not being able
to console herself with her brothers mil
lions. she did the next best. thing. and
took Adam and Eve. 20 whom the money
was left, out Of their Eden and into her
Fifth avenue residence. Adam returns.
but Eve is fascinated by the beautiful
gowns and jewels. the ease and luxury
Of those strange creatures OF whose life
and customs she knows nothing and re-
mains AT this point her worldly educa-
ton begins. She learns with surprise
that one must wear shoes in public. and
must not say what one thinks. Among
other things. she Is told that charity is
doing for others as We are glad they
are not able 20 DO for US She is cor
rected because she is taken with some
pearls around the neck Of a guest. and
tries TO appropriate them; also because
she is pleased with a young man and tells
him az their first meeting that she loves
him Three yetrs elapSe between the frs
and second acts. and in this time Eve has
proved herself an apt pupil She learns
the value OF money and its relation 10
friendship. She gives away what Is left
Of her fortune. which her friends have
helped her squander. and returns 90 Eden
after she finds that Adam is not her
brother and that she loves him. Al
though all Of her money IS gone. Adams
share has remained untouched. and they
agree 10 20 back 10 the world and 70
help purify il with the aid OF their
fortune
Miss Galland has an exacting role that
really is the same as three distinct and
entirely different characters; and IL is
said that her exquisite portrayal q the
pure young girl makes the strength q
the impassioned scene in which she de-
picts woman who has learned Of the
world and its people all the more marked.
while her quiet repressed acting OF the
Eve who gives Up the shallow life %
fashion for the man she loves IS fully
IS artistic and satisfying In the com
pany are such weli-known PLAYERS as I IS
ter LOnergan. Frank LOsee. Regan Hugh
eSt0n, Charles X. Girard. MaUde Turner
Gordon. Kate Rolla, Fa1chon Campbell.
Eleanor Gordon, Emily Weston, and
Nora Donor.