Evening star., 1909-05-25
A NJ u S E N E N T S s.
Belasco.

i ne heVeilerS, as presented AT the
Belasco Theater last evening by Charles
Richman. who wrote the play and ap-
peared in the leading masculine role
might be likened to Joseph's coat of
many colors. 1t is coat all right, but
truly motley one. 1t is frankly ap-
parent effort to make bid for popular
approval by dragging in two acts SO
erotic in nature that some of the audi
ence actually applauded to cover it's en-
barrassment. "buck-and- wing dance
and other vaudeville turns were inter-
spersed. and what might have been
play worthy of commendation because
of the intensity of it's real story, be-
comes an exceedingly doubtful work that
should be dismissed in few lines were
il not for the real merit and power of
its last two acts.
An unusually capable company covered
up and literally put through many of
its Objectionable features with a dash
that may make go" Of it on Broad
way, but scarcely in Washington. Charles
Richman, bearing the double burden Of a
premier production of his own play and
his difficult part in it. presented a Jack
Randolph that was worthy Of the sincere
ovation he received at the end of the
thy Dean, was equal to the demands of
that by no means easy character de-
lineation The work Of Frederick Trues-
dell, Frank Gheeen and Charles Harbury
| Dolly Dimple, music hall favorite, por-
| trayed her part with discretion.
Dorothy Dean, slip Of a country girl
deserted by her husband in New York, is
befriended by Florence knight, whom she
has met somewhere. But Billy Williams.
a rOue who pays Florence's bills forces
her to attempt to interest Dorothy in him.
At an affair at Florence Knights home
Randolph. a capable. but dissipated chap
A black eye disclOses the fact that Jack
has been in a fight with "we.cher'' at
the race track and whom he thrashed
| thoroughly afterward. A late arrival
brings the news that the ''welcher' is
SO near death that even the ambulance
doctor considered 1t useless to take him to
| the hospital. With murder staring him in
the face, Jack rushes of to find the man
he has beaten to death, and Dorothy
as her villainous husband. accompanies
him.
The second act shows the interior Of
''The Dungeon" an underground affair
famous for it's beefsteak suppers, where
| the same company Of revelers has gath
cred two months later at Jacks invita-
| ton for farewell spread. Aroused by
the unauthenticated but apparently cor
| rect conclusion that the ''welcher" is dead
and by the sweet purity of Dorothy.
whose love has lifted him from the scrap
heap" Jack has reformed and secured
| lucrative legal position with San Fran
cisco corporation through the efforts Of
his friend; George Montgomery. In
jewellers make merry in underground
| fashion. A dance. which for lack of
another name might be called 1.-THE Beef
steak Dance" Is forced on the helpless
audience by two of the guests. 1t is
| rare" and. to conclude the figure, an un-
| savory morsel that deserves no place on
| the menu. Williams insults Dorothy and
/ Jack resents 1t. declaring that Dorothy is
his promised wife. The guests depart
| hastily, and Jack, refusing to listen to
Dorothy. who trys to tell him that she is
the wife OF Van Cleve the ''welcher" of
her to the Little Church Around the Cor
| ner, where they are married.
/ Six years later. in San Francisco
| after Randolph and his wife have AZ.
| tablished a home which Is ideal in its
domestic beauty, Henry Van Cleve, the
on the scene. and in retaliation for the
licking he received from Randolph in
New York announces that he proposes
| to take the woman away, disrupt the
home and cover Randolph and his
child with shame and ignominy At
with gun, but on reflection he Is
forced to admit the apparent justice
of the mans claim to the woman. but
| to shield his own little daughter he
seeks to make terms with him wher.1-
by he will spare the woman and her
child and take vengeance on him
alone. In the interview Van Cleve be-
| the table and is about to shoot RAN
dolph. when he sees the emblem Of
the Mystic Shrine on its barrel He
i ascertains that 1t was given Randolph
by brother Shriners. relents. confesses
that Dorothy is not his wife, but the