The Washington times., 1909-12-07
Brilliant Occasion Marks
Opening of THE Lily"
in Capital.
STELLAR COMPANY
WINS APPRECIATION
Play Shows Evidence of Produc-
er's Hand in Staging and
in the Lines.
By ]. R. HILDEBRAND.

By ]. R. HILDEBRAND.
A premiere performance Of a Belasco
production.
The advent Of BeIasco's new stock or
FanizatiOn
The temperance here Of Miss Julia
Dean.
The coming of many distinguished
actors not often seen in Washington.
These are some of the features that
helped make the presentation of THE
Lily a notable occasion at the BelaSco
Theater last evening.
The play was adapted from the French
of Pierre Wolff and Castor Leroux by
David Belasco and was staged under
his direction.
That the audience looked beyond the
excellent acting to honor the man who
had planned II all was shown at the
end of the third act by more genuine ap-
plause than has been heard IN a Wash
ihgton theater for long time-applause
sufhcient to bring Mr.. Belasco TO the
sage for speech.
Written For France.
To catch the spirit OF "The Lily" the
auditor must keep before him a picture
of conditions IN families OF noble
blood in France. There to the present
day implicit obedience is demanded
from children in matters OF marriage,
and it is not uncommon for a young
man or young woman TO remain un-
married solely because Of parental dis
approval That such cases are not the
exception is proved by the creation of
the nickname for such unfortunate in
diyiduals which is the title Of the play.
such examples Of selfshness as that
or old Comte de Maigny might be
found In America, in any country, but
hardly so prevalent as TO call for the
writing Of a play.
But the call Of each being to work
out Ms or her life, to live in happiness
with another Of ones choosing. needs
no historical setting TO be understood.
II Is not national Il IS universal And
~ forms the groundwork of this play
winch was inaccurately described in
advance as a sex drama"
Ihat young woman under the tyran-
ny OF self-centered parent should
commit indiscretions with a married
man, that she should enlist the svrn-
pathy OF her sister. are not the primal
topics of this play. they are incidental
10 the working out of the bigger theme
atter the audience was made to under
stand that these things were but Incl
dents, unpleasant, but necessary They
accepted the play with more marked
ferVor. The French derivation of ''Tbe
Lily Is sufficient 10 indiCt IL of saIaci-
BUSINESS, but II colclUsively disproved
the charge
Cartwright Scores.
AS a type OF Frenchman who elories
ia mis- title and the obedience of his
children. Charles Cartwright, found op-
portunity for splendid acting He re-
Trained from making the role a carica-
ture, which would have been easy. and
gave 10 IL humamness which must have
been the result only OF careful study.
His portrayal combined rugged strength
With exquisite finish.
Miss Nance O'EeiH had but one op-
porunity for acting. but she was re-
warded then, for the scene is the strong
est Of the play. II fell TO her TO express
the breaking forth OF emotions Dent mn
fer years and she did this with expres-
siveness and depth ~ feeling that stamp
her az genuine actress.
Far removed from Hiss O'NeiII's
methods are those Of Miss Julia Dean
This Washington favorlte brought to
the Interpretation OF ChugtIane That fine
appreciation of emotions and a hafural-
" rich infection that made her success
ful In many roles during a stock en-
gagement- But after an absence Of
several months Capital playgOers could
realize more fully last night that Miss
Deans mannerisms mar her acting
that she has a CatalogUcd manner OF
expressing certain ideas that hampers
her portrayal and that she seems even
tempted 10 emphasize the range OF her
voice at the expense Of her acting These
things in no way detract from the es-
TEEN with which she IS held by those
who have seen her often nor do thew
destroy the impression that she Is an
actress or marked powers But they
Interfere.
Perhaps the least satisfactory inter
probation was that which Alfred HiclL-
man gave to the role of Mafgnv's SON
This part held possibilities as marked
SO that OF the father, but Mr.. Hickman
gave almost a melodramatic reading.
Though Aubrey Boucicaalt was labor
Ing unueE an apparent nervous strain,
caused by "a recent Illness, he acted
well enough TO give promise OF salts
factory work when he has recovered.
Cast Uniformly Good.
Bruce McRae had little 10 do and aid
that well. Leo Ditrlchstein was cast in
a minor role. other capable actors
such as Marshall Stuart. Douglas pat
terson. and Robert Eobson. did little
more than appear, which emphasizes
the marked ability Of the cast Mr. re-
lasco has Assem- bed Miss FLORENCE
Nash relieved the grimness az times by
her portrayal Of Plock's gigsIing daugh-
ter: DodsOn Mitchell acted PlOck. tho
cotton merchant. well
IN a BelasCO production. when IN,
acting has been disposed Of and tho
play discussed there remains the set.
ting The first scene an Old park, once
owned by monks, which had been con.
verted INTO "A country house for AT
maud. the painter. brought audible ex
pressiOns OF approval from the audience
The second scene, which served fOl
three acts. was the living room az IN,
worked out. though not so sDeCtacu
TAR as the first
Bits Of stage business and symbolism
the effective handling Of the lights. ever
the lines. gave unmistakable evidence
Of David Belasco's hand.