The Washington herald., 1909-01-19
THE NATIONAL.
"The Thief


It was with The Thief that the rising
French dramatlst Henri Bernstein was
first introduced to the American public,
and few foreign playwrights have had
their work find more ready acceptance
than he For, although Washington
.theater-goers saw It last night for the
first time, It has been running a long
while in New York. and the reasons foT
its vitality are not far 10 seek.
Last night it attracted a large audience
TO the National; a fashionable audience
comprising some OF the best OF Washing
ton society, and that the play and the
players hit the marx was evident from
the frequent applause-applause so en-
thusiastic at the end OF the second act
that It required a dozen curtain calls to
satisfy the audience.
The plot OF the play IS well known
by this time 10 most habitues OF the
theater- It concerns a girl, married to
a man whom she dearly loves She is
worldly wise enough to know the value
OF good clothes IN maintaining hold or
the affections Of a man. and so, as hel
husband IS not able 20 afford them Tor
her, she S led to steal money from the
chinOnieT Of a rich friend IN whose house
she is staying. The theft IS discovered
and it is blamed on the step-son of the
robbed woman, who. unfortunately. is in
love IN bOyish way with The woman
who has committed the theft. With boy
ISL, but quite understandable, chlyalry
he takes the crime upon himself and
would have suffered ali that might have
been II the wOman's husband had not
discovered the truth and IN a measure
forced. or rather induced, HIS wife 70
confess her share IN the shame.
Here Is no problem drama; or II so,
the problem is OF the simplest. One can
see that in the original there were side
lights that are not quite possible for
AnglO-SaXOn audiences, but even with
these left out. the only lesson the play
seems 20 teach is the evil OF even q
harmless Irritation.
With the other principle laid down
that the good woman. the wife, has Ia
compete IN the matter OF dainty clothes
the setting for the feminine jewel-with
the other women that her husband may
have known. there can be no disagree
ment The fact IN real life IS so obvious
as almost TO justify the theft on the
part OF g wife who felt her husband s
love slipping away from her for lack OF
the beribboned chains that bind him 70
her side.
In the working out OF this play and
this theme the author has evolved much
that is interesting, much that Is tenseiy
dramatic, emotional. and moving. II calls
for acting Of a high quality and for a
lavish display Of feeling This It gets ln
part
Since the New York engagement the
cast has undergone many changes. Mr..
Kyrle Bellew. who has played the part
OF the husband from the beginning. Is
playing II still. and with that conscicn-
tious, painstal1ing. and clever display OF
talent which has brought him fame in
many other and more difficult parts lie
really gives a splendid and weu-tempered
performance. with fine reserve. the sug-
gestiOn Of infinite force. without once
indulging IN the temptation TO rant and
so lower the dignity OF beautiful scenes.
Miss Effe Shannon plays the part OF
Marie Louise. the thief. and II IS not too
harsh 10 say that the part seems q little
too much for her strength. She Is Won
derfully pretty and gracious IN parts OF
the play, and at times her voice has a
poignant ring OF emotion that touches
one TO the soul. but It IS not sustained.
and It fails 70 reach the heights that one
might expect.
Very clever work Is G5ne by Eugene
O'Brien ss the son; a young actor. but
one with magnetism and force. Mr.. Her
bert kelcey does some good and convinc-
ing acting as Raymond Lagardes. but HIS
mannerismS are unfortunate. and II
would be such q relief II he would say
my Wife Instead n ma wife q, -Ha
old-school manner But on the whole the
cast IS entirely adequate TO the play.
which. taken as whole. Is a good. clean
cut, consistent piece OF work; thoroughly
10 be enjoyed by those who Ike to see
the play OF unusual forces on human
emotions. HECTOR FULLER