The Washington herald., 1909-08-29
David BeIasco Produces els Mntri-
mOny "A FaiIures" at the Savoy.
"fhe Flag Lieutenant" and "De-
tective Sparkes" at the apollo.
Opening Week Proves a Success.

a sound financial return OF the opening
week. condition by no means certain
in the cities at this season Of the year.
The most notable production recently
has been Leo Dietrichstein's comedy, rs
Aaatrimony a Failure" which he has
adapted from the Die Thur ms Freie" Of
Blumental and Kadelburg, a Viennese
and Berlin success. David Belasco has
given the play the master touches that
he alone is so capable Of imparting, and
coupled with the splendid cast. there Is no
doubt that 'Is Matrimony a Failure"
is destined for a great run. The hypoth-
esis advanced by the play Is a some
what singular one. and the treatment IS
most novel.
Mr.. Dietrichstein has transferred the
locale TO a small suburban town so typical
In many parts Of the United States. and
has pictured very truthfully the narrow
ness and the unprogressiveness OF such
a place. The play opens with the twenty
NTH anniversary dinner OF Mr.. and Mrs
Hugh Wheeler, In Rosedale. There are
gathered at the celebration half a dozen
or more married couples. who. II IS soon
plain 20 see are In various stages Of con-
jugal incompaubility. The husbands are
bonds. and practicing the deception so
usual in the foreign farces Only one
couple, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Rand. seem
happy In their married state. and they
are given to public endearments TO the
disgust OF the other couples.
Has Written IA Play.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wheeler have a son-ln-iaw
also unhappily mated who has written
play which has caused a sensation by its
attacks on the state Of matrimony. His
personal experiences among the Rosedale
folk has given him the material for this
play. a fact which his mother-in-law re-
sents as she is pleasantly engaged IN
laying a trap for Paul Barton. a New
York lawyer, with her youngest daughter.
Lulu. as the bait.
Barton Is IN Rosedale on business con-
nected with the affairs OF the estate OF a
deceased justice Of the peace OF Rosedale.
man who has been in the habit OF alb
seuting himself on long hunting eXcur-
slons. leaving his clerk in charge This
clerk has from time to time performed
many OF the Rosedale marriage cere-
monies Barton unearths a statute which
shows that marriages performed by this
clerk are invalid. and Shelton Perry. the
author OF the obnoxious play. seizes upon
this fact as a chance 10 experiment with
the Rosedale couples who are Juggling
at the bonds. In spite Of Barton's advice.
Berry throws this bomhshell into the
midst Of the assembled company, where
upon the effect is electrical The men all
rush pell-men 10 the registrars office 10
find out n their marriage ties are legal
Some return disappointed over the fact
no
for them, Some are jubilant at having
this club 10 hold over recalcitrant wives.
The women. however. take the whole
thing rather calmly, excepting Mrs.
Wheeler, who although her own mar
rage is regular finds her henpecked SON
in-law among the freed husbands She
Immediately undergoes a change OF front
and begins tactics calculated to win him
back. refusing TO side with her daughter
In the quarrel, 20 the latter's amazement.
The triumph Of Perry and his views
and the ultimate return of most OF the
husbands 10 the fold after brief period
OF liberty. finishes a logical ending 10 a
highly improbable but thoroughly anus
,ns story The situations throughout are
delightfully."- original and the action is
sustained throughout. or course the seri-
Gus side Of the contingency is not lost
sight Of, and beneath the farclcal ideas
a great moral lesson is plainly visible.
There is a quaint love anair also. be-
tween Barton and Lulu. which begins
oddly enough by the girl confessing that
her mother is trying 20 throw her al
Barton's head, and he in turn dismissing
the probability that he could be so easily
caught.
The cast Is notable old. Frank
Orfh fnc -.
acting Of his career. despite some pro-
nounced mannerisms which he is gradu-
ally allowing to become chronic. He
swallows his voice constantly. making II
hard to understand him at times. Louise
Macintosh, a Washington favorite, has
the important role OF Mrs, Wheeler. She
and Mr.. Worthing work together delight
fully. w. J. Ferguson, F. Newton Lindo,
and Josie Morris Sullivan contribute char
acter studies that are not only unique
In conception, but wonderfully executed.
William Morris. Anne Sutherland. Jane
Grey. and Robert Rogers are among the
best. the company being extraordinarily
large for a farce comedy. The handling
Of the ensembles is in strict accordance
with David Belasco's best style, and two
scenes are tributes to his great fetch
detail
Mr.. Belasco was in the audience making
notes the night I saw the play. and his
expression showed that he IS very well
pleased with the results he has gotten out
Of the Dietrichstein comedy. OF course
he has done many things more elaborate,
but nothing that seemed during Its first
week to be destined for more popularity
"The Flag Lieutenant"
Another Of Charles Frohman's English
importations was shown at the handsome
Apollo Theater on last Monday night 1t
is a play that can best be described as
a mixture Of polite drawing room comedy
and melodrama as we misuse the term
to-day. The story is that OF two officers
in his majesty's service, one Of the adj
miral's flag lieutenant. the other major
Of marines. The lust of the British officer
for opportunity for advancement through
heroism is shown. Thesiger. the major.
played by Francis Carlyle. has reached
a point where he despairs OF ever getting
a chance for glory. He Is downcast and
tired Of the service. LaScelles, the lieu
tenant, Is a younger man. but has already
been mentioned IN the gazette for
bravery. Thesiger's chance comes with |
the outbreak Of the bashi bazoulks at
Kandia. He is ordered from Malta with !
a detachment of marines and Lascelles |
accompanies him as Interpreter.
The band of marines is cut of from the !
telegraph station and the major conceives !
the idea Of Disgusting himself In a bashi /
bazOuks uniform and getting through !
the beseiging army Of 10000 Moslems |
Lascelles aids him in the scheme, but as
is about to leave the fort |
bullet grazes his forehead and he falls, |
stunned and useless. Lascelles. realizing |
that ths little garrison will be cut to
pieces unless the cable 10 the admiral |
Is dispatched. strips off the majors dis |
guise. dons II himself, reaches the tele- |
graph Office and makes a marvellous safe /
return iusf as Thasiaar is s.a..i.-ir.. !