The Washington herald., 1909-01-08

The biggest play, the most gorgeous
production. and some Of the most bril-
liant emotional acting that has been
seen IN this country for many a day-that
is what Washington theater-soers have
been waiting for in the delayed pToduc-
ton Of John Luther Longs new play
"Kassa." which had its hrst presenta-
ton last night at the New National
Theater.
i is true that the play was seen last
night under marked Disadvantages
Lights did not work properly, there were
long and most aggr1vating delays in the
setting OF scenes. so that 1t was mid
night before the curtain rose on the
fourth act Of this fve-acJ play-in taet
almost every disadvantage that could
happen 20 a first production happened TO
this
And vet. in spite Of it all such is the
beauty Of the play. the magnihcence OF
the production. and the genius and power
Of Mrs. Leslie Carter that there can be
no possible doubt that when the curtain
fell on the final act. washington
had seen the birth Of play that IS
destined 10 be = big success
The play is absolutely out Of the beaten
path. It's scene is Hungary ard Austria.
and the programme states that Il IS the
story Of The Golden Butterfly taken
from the ancient HUnnish book Of the
Dragon Of Care It tells the story OF a
nun. Kassa-the priTna Of the Convert or
81
among all the nuns 20 carry the sacred
vessels in the religious professions
All her life has been spent within these
convent walls. and the play opens on a
dav before that on which she is TO take
her hnaI vows. And a sudden madness
came upon her face for the world beyond
the hills" and she comes from ont the
convent walls and meets there Prince
Bella BaIvanossi. who talks % her Of
love and Of The great world Of which
she. as vet. knows nothing. and at his
behest she meets him next day at the
Marriage Mart-'.juSt beyond the hills
There Is a mock marriage. and he takes
her way: and then comes the third act.
dve years later, when she has been living
as his wife, and has baby boy But he
is tired Of her and deserts her. and she,
the much-tO-be-desiTed, is loved by Var
sOva. the imperial chancellor. who,
suspecting Prince BeIa 10 be his rival,
seeks his death
DenOunces Her Betrayer.
The fourth act takes place at the home
Of Varsova. and here a brilliant COM
pany Is assembled. and here is Prince
Bella with the new woman ne loves But
suddenly in comes the nun; her dress
is in rags, she has made her weary way
from the mountain 10 denounce the man
who has deserted her. made mock of
her. and repudiated her child.
There is terrible scene IN which she
de6es him 20 deny what has been be
tween them. and when she proves her
position il IS only 10 ind that she has
condemned her husband TO death-for
such is the Hungarian penalty for violat-
ing the sanctuary Of St LaUka- But.
EarsOva has not counted on the sUbtlety
Of woman's devotion She plays upon
his desire for her 20 save her husband
She tricks him by her charm and love.
into COnniving at her husbands escape.
and then. when ne thinks that she IS
10 reward him. she laughs at him and
defes him.
The last act takes her back 10 her
convent on the hills a broken, demerted
thing. She does not realize the years
that have passed the love she has
known, the suffering she has endured
As, IN the first act, she promised 10
leave the convent only for a day, so
now. IN her soul, she believes only one
day has passed. And 50. tOilsomeiy she
makes ner way. with bleeding feet. I'D
the Jagged hill. passes through the door
through which five years before she came
I'll
refuge IN the church she had deserted
That is the bald story II conveys no
idea Of the marvellous beauty and poetry
with which John Luther Long has in
vested IL The whole play. tragic as it is
in spots. highly emotional and brilliantly
slashed with the colOrS Of life. Is idyllic.
Il is probably the most ambitious play
ever attempted by an American author.
It's theme Is enormous. and Il calls for
powers Of hiStri0nism which il is doubt
ful any other actress than Mrs Carter
could supply
The first Two acts move slowly. but are
essential to the working out Of the story.
There IS. perhaps. a lot of extraneous
matter IN both Of these acts that later
development VIII eliminate Certainly
the play has to be shortened somewhere.
and It IS here that the cutting can best
be done.
Tremendous Third Act.
It is in the third act that one gets the.
first real glimpse Of the Mrs. Leslie Car
ter, the woman who by virtue Of her own
power and genius has won her way 10 q
position as the leading actress-manager
Of America. Up to this time the play
has halted; one has wondered whittier If
IS leading. Up 10 this time there has
been only slight hint Of the marvellous
powers that Won Mrs. Carter the reputa-
ton she attained by her brilliant emo
tioIal work in ~ZaZa- Madame Du Bar
~ 'Adrea,' and other plays
But in the third act the long waiting
longer. Of course, last night at the first
production than It viii ever be again-is
more than justified. For here is a scene
that really OUt-Zaza's '.Zaza~ Five
years have passed since we saw her. the
simple novitiate Of the convent. eager for
lie. feeling the stir Of the blood within
her veins, knowing for the first time
through her love for Prince Bella. the can
Of ''the world, the flesh. and the devil"
Five years have passed She has lived
IN the lonely Hungarian mountains as
Prince Bela's wife, envirOned ike q prin-
cess. in the lap Of luxury Life has come
10 her. She has a child-a beautiful bov
10 whom she is devoted with all her
heart and soul. For three years she has
not seen her husband, and yet with
trusting faith and unbOunded love she
waits for him. hopes for him. loves him
stilL And when. at last, he comes from
the world outside and the other vr-o-os-