The Washington herald., 1909-04-06

Could -ne think o. a ahetLc4 way
The witching Hour" according to
Augustus Thomas, is O'clock in the
morning. In his masterful drama, which
was shown at the Belaseo Theater last
night. he has gone deeper into modern
psychology than any other dramatist has
hitherto dared 10 60 For more than
three hours last night one OF the largest
audiences Of the season sat in rapt at
tention and listened to the development
OF what was perhaps the strangest, and
at the same time most Accordingly inter-
esting stories the theater has given Us
this season.
Mr. Thomas has done more than any Of
our native playwrights. perhaps. TO mod
ernie the drama. and in THE Witching
/ Hour" he has used his wide knowledge
| OF psychological phenomena as the NOV
! ing influences 10 his story.
Jack Brookheld is a gentleman gambler.
whose field OF operation is in Louisville.
! Ky. He repels the advances OF Frank
Hardmuth. assistant prosecuting attorney
OF the city. who wishes 70 marry Brook
fields niece. Viola Campbell. and further
incurs the enmity Of Hardmuth by sane
/ tioning Viola's engagement 20 young Clay
/ Whipple. Clay Is the son OF an old
! sweetheart OF Jacks, who has refused
/ TO marry him on account OF his gambling
I habits Clay. !nfuriatAH By me sight Of
la cat's-eye scarf pin IN the necktie OF
Tom Denning. one OF Brookfelds guests.
kills Denning. thereby furnishing the as
| sistant prosecuting attorney with a
.. -
I Whipple's crime is not premeditated but
/ Is the result OF an inherited fear OF the
/ cat's-eye.
! THIS Is so FAR very melodramatlc and
I commonplace. but al this point is ,ntrO-
duced Justice Prentice. Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States. He has made
some research along the lines o. thought
! transference, and tells Brookfeld that
/ he would make a good hypnOtist warn
/ ing him, however. OF the moral responsi-
/ hility Of a man with such a gift The jus
tice is a bachelor. but cherishes IN his
heart the memory Of a sweetheart whose /
/ miniature he carries about with him.
/ This old sweetheart IS the grandmother
/ Of Clay Whipple. and when. after nu-
merous appeals. the case reaches the Su-
preme Court. the justice remands the
case on the constitutional point OF hsredi-
/ tary influences, and Is himself a witness
I for the defense ar the retrial The JUS
tice has read his Bret Harte and be-
\ lieves the spirit OF HIS old sweetheart IS |
impelling him 10 aid IN saving the boy.
/ IL is this incident which calls up the
I lines which head THIS column.
/ Jack Brookheld's hypnotic powers work
frsntically apon all the characters. even
upon the jury. which is labOring under
! !ndecisiOn During the final moments Of
I tho trial however. while the bitterness
Y Of the assistant prosecuting attorney,
/ Hardmuth, IS at its height. Brookdeid
gives 10 the press certain facts proving
Hardmuths completely IN the murder Of
I the governor or thu State for which an
I innocent man is already under sentence.
I This ruins Hardmuth's chances with the
I jury and destroys his own candidacy for
/ the Eovernorship. and after Clay has
/ been restored 20 his mothers arms.
I BroOkheld is alone with Justice Prentice.
and Hardmuth PUSHES IN with revolver
ieyeied at Brookhelds heart. BrOokfeld
turns up the electric light and looks
hxedly at his assailant. saying slowly.
You cannot FIRE that gun; ycu cannot
pull the trigger. you cannot even hold the
gun and the revolver crashes 10 the
hoCr Hardmuth dazed. asks 7 should
Ike 10 know how you did that 10 me2'
and snesks away. while Brookheld and
AAAt JUSTICE CALLal4Et EDIlE4 4LAlaLllDf4S-
Dramatically. the play ends al this
point: the final act gives opportunity for
some comedy situations. q few more ex-
perimeuts. and BrOOl1feld's eventfuI ind
ing OF HIS happiness with Mrs. Whipple
Upon this romantic, almost nelodra-
matte foundation Is built a play that not
withstanding its conventionality Of motive
is treated in the most modern and up-to-
date fashion Love hypnotism. heredity.
politics, sDiritualism. all come in for dis
cussiOn, and each has its direct bearing
on some part Of the action. Mr.. Thomas
Is TO be compllmented on the conception
Of such a play. which contains material
even for a dozen. but the principal cause
for commentator for the author must be
the convincing way in which he has set
forth episodes and theories which must
necessarily seem at first glance 10 be
improbable. The incident or the pistol is
perilously close 10 melOdrama. and only
the finest grade OF acting saves II from
being ridiculous. The enjoyment 10 be de-
rived from the play depends entirely upon
how far one IS willing 10 accept the au-
thor's theories and his guidance through
their various ramifcatiOns. II IS true that
Mr.. Thomas touches but lightly upon
each OF the psychological phenomena in
troduced. the longest discussion compat-
ing IN the first act when Justice Prem
tice unfolds 10 Brookfeld his peculiar
powers.
Excellent acting marked the whole per-
Torrance. The roster Of players con-
tains many notable names. Mr.. Mason,
as Jack BrOOkfeld. has a role in which
he Is thoroughly at home. The quiet. re-
served man OF the world. realizing Est-
ter than any one else his own shortcom-
ings. His lazy lack OF initiative TO
change his habits, his almost idolatrous
love for his niece, his suddenly aroused |
fighting blood. and the strange awaken
ing 10 the remarkable revelations that |
come 10 him, his tenderness for the woman |
who believes in him, and bis final act |
OF nobility. all employ the talents OF a |
man who can look and act like normal |
human being. There IS nothing spectac- |
ulaF about Mason. He is just natural and |
healthy-minded. He Is without doubt the l
actor par excellence of modern roles. and /
It is upon this that his reputation |
chiefly rests His Jack BrOokheId Is /
worthy Of prominence in the long list of |
characters he has created
Russ Whytal as Justice Prentice gave a /
most sympathetic study He looked as /
though he had Just stepped out Of the /
frame OF some ancestral portraits true /
old gentleman OF the South. courteous. |
sentimental. honorable, and dignihed. |
George Nash. George CASTOR, Charles |
Balsar, and Z. L. Walton were excellent |
in their respective parts.
Miss Amelia Gardner. in the difficult |
role OF Mrs. Whipple. made a profound /
impression Not for one moment was her |
picture Of the suffering mother OF con-
demnedg man overdrawn, nor did she IN 1
her lighter moments OF the first scene
seem other than the true-hearted, gener-