Evening star., 1909-06-29
A NJ U S E N E N 7 S
Belasco.

A large audience found interest in the
play without a name presented at the
Belasco Theater last night, and fingered,
Notwithstanding the heat. until nearly
midnight when the curtain fell on the
last act. That this new production by
the Belasco Theater Company in its
present shape does not compare in ex-
cellence with the one that preceded 1t
goes without saying. That it possesses
elements of strong dramatic force. some
delightful comedy and climaxes at times
that thrill and impress one with their
artistic merit cannot be denied. But the
good in the play is so burdened with
chaff that thorough revision will be
found necessary to bring it up to the
standard of The Son of His Father" :"
Some of the characters must be elinll-
mated entirely. others more strongly
drawn. and perhaps one new one, at
least. must be supplied. There are four
excellent ones in the play now. Nora
Dakon. the tickle, selfish wife and widow;
Ruth. her dreamy. high-principled step
daughter: Lawrence Brunage, the once
Tilted lover. who barely escapes the fate
a second time. and. perhaps. Babe Ben
son. The role of Charley Wix Is pain
full superfuty Col. Cunning who fin-
ally marries the widow, is sadly incom-
plete while Mrs. ST. Leger. the widows
friend. might be improved or left out
altogether
Nora Dakon. shallow. selfish woman.
his fortune. to go to Lawrence Brundage.
his friend, whom she Tilted before her
marriage. She leaves note behind say
ing she has fed with him. The husband,
finding it. commits suicide. Brundage.
however, before receipt of this news has
reproached her and told her she must
go back. Indeed, he is In the act of MAX
ing preparation to send her back when
the telegram from the family doctor ar
rives, saying that DakOn had requested
h TIM IN Cd, 4i~~
of the suicide. Ten years elapse, during
which Brundage meets and falls in love
with Ruth Dakon, Nora's stepdaughter.
A love scene between them is witnessed
by Nora. who believes Brundage is still
In love with her and proposes to marry
her. There Is a stormy scene between
Nora and Ruth, in which the former pro-
ceeds In a fashion characteristic of her
kind to undo Brundage. This she accom-
plishes by accusing him to Ruth of per-
suading her to consent to the elopement
which caused her fathers suicide. She
apparently proves her case by exhibiting
letters written by Brundage before her
marriage, 'concealng the date, and pre-
This is enough for Ruth She also dis
closes to Ruth that they have been living
on $4,000 a year settled on her by Law
renee. Ruth decides they must give it
up and both go out in the world to make
a living and try to pay back to Brundage
enough, the widow consents reluctantly
to do this. Ruth then undertakes to
support herself. Nora and Babe Benson
by painting. Nora chafes under the pow
erty, and when Col. Cunning. an Irish
character. who has been wooing her un-
successfully for years, bobs up with
fortune she let's Ruth go and marries
the colonel. She does, however, come
back afterward with a check for a thou
sand francs for Ruth. and while at. her
studio hor RI
tell the truth, Ruth forgives and the cur
tain falls.
Notwithstanding the fact that it is a
most unpleasant character, Nora Da
kon's is the best developed role in the
play. 1t is perfect picture of her
type of womanhood, vain, shallow. and
so supremely selfish that love of any
kind save Of herself is an impossibility.
although she affects great affection
for Ruth. 1t was splendidly played by
confessed that her frivolity with Gun
ming in the last act Jared upon the
nerves and seemed to detract not only
from the role itself. but from the effect
of the plot. Not less interesting and at
tractiye is the role of Ruth, the dreamy
pure-hearted and noble-minded girl,
whose grace and charm were so artis-
tically portrayed by Laurette Taylor
Mr.. Van Buren made manly, almost
heroic. Lawrence Brundage: but the
little opportunity for the display of his
exceptional ability as an actor. Elsie
Esmond was good as Babe Benson, al
though perhaps a bit too rough and un-
polished. 1t would greatly improve her
otherwise pleasing portrayal If she
toned 1t down bit Marian Ballou
made the most of the insignificant part
Of the giggling Frenchwoman. and
Caroline Locke did all that could be done
with the role of Mrs. ST. Leger. There
yxyaS icff no% iuon 1nf ant
in the miserable roles filled by those two
George Howell-the fault, not of the
uninteresting, t, and unnecessary role than
upon good actor for his own undo
working out the plot Of the play, but
thor must constantly have kept Mr.. How
determine where he was at" The
No matter how bad a play might be.
a company as the Belasco Theater Com
pany would make 1T seem good in some
respects under any circumstances
mounted. 1t required no elaborate seem
cry. The lines were frequently bright
and original. but there are far, far too
many of them.
Columbia.
The colunhia Plavars soored heavily