Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-02
At the Theaters
nc Test.o at ths Rranasl..


"The Test" at the Brandeis.
Blgr che Walsh and company in THE Test ="
drama in four acts. by Jules bckert
Goodman. he cast:
Arthur Thone ............ George w. Howard
Peggy Tnone. ................ Harriet Stefung
Morris Zink..s,.......s..... Nicholas Judels
August Brettner.. George Mannlng
Nina .....f.............,....... Katherine BEL
herr Brettner .............Ss Jay Wllnsns
Richard Tretman .......Wnl y. Corbett
Frederick McVane. William M. Iravers
Butler .........................M Maurice George
Emma Eltynge .............. Blanche Walsh
Blanche Walsh Is always worth while;
she has devoted herself as perslstently as
any other one person on the stage to the
drama Of purpose. and while she has long
been associated with that sort Of woman"
1t has been no idly-drawn picture Of mere
suffering and following remorse that she
has been engaged in portraying. She has
taken each OF these as problem. or
factors in a great problem. and has used
each as citations in support Of her argu-
ment. She has argued for the woman,
and argued ably and well-and who shall
say she has not argued with more Of sue
cess than the world has yet realized?
In the present instance Miss Walsh has
-
bestowed upon A. It may have some tech
nical flaws faults that appeal to the
hypercritical, but It's subject is so vast
and its treatment 50 impressive that the
mperfections are covered by the finer
fabric Of the interest generated by the
forceful way in which the main question
is put 1t is whether the woman is not
to be given the same chance as the man;
IS It fair to say TO the one, IT'S all right;
you have promised reform. and we will
trust YOU" and to say to the other. you
have sinned, and there is no hope for you"
The story deals with the life OF a girl.
She loved a young man, who was caught
stealing; his employer promised to secure
his release II she would pay the price.
She paid, and on the testimony Of the
employer he was sent to prison. Ten
years later the girl, now q woman, has
chance to wed man she really loves,
but finds his sister is about to become
the wife of the man who sent the young
lover to prison after getting his pay for
assistance he never gave. The question
for the woman is to accept the verdict OF
society that condemns her and allows the
man to go on, or to lay bare her heart
and save an innocent girl She tells the
whole story and retires. The ending is
trifle conventional but is well within rea-
son.
Miss Walsh builds up the character very
carefully; she seems something Indifferent
at the opening OF the play, without hope,
but clinginE to her chance. AS events move
along she develops the greatest Of hope,
then sees the apparent hopelessness Of her
case, sees her real reason for renunclation
mislnterpreted, till finally, moved by still
higher resolve, she gives up all that she
may be the means of doing some good
for the man she loves. She succeeds, and
her exit at the end OF the third act is
after one of the most effective climaxes
she ever has achieved. The quiet, even
recital of her story OF wrong, in which
she sticks to brutal facts" with no ef-
fort iat extenuation, seems, the very acme
of bitter resolves; then comes the reaction,
when she has drained her courage to the
utmost, and Is once more the woman, sob
bing. as she says, Il think l had better
go homer This one little touch in itself
is fine, but is only one OF a number Of
good chances that are well accepted. All
through the action Of the play her art
rings true. Her results are certain. and
she we'll deserves the praise she has had
for the best work she has ever done.
! Each Of the several parts in the dramatis
personnae Is a character, not a type"
Each is vital to the plays action, and each
is human in every aspect And each is
played so we'll that the praise given the
star must be extended to the company.
Mr.. Goodman's dialogue is open to the
accusation of being just a little "talky,'
but It is so earnest and so reasonable that
this will be forgiven him. Great arguments
may be presented in epigrams. but the com
mon range OF mortals do not talk that
way and the people in this play are just
men and women, dealing with matter
that very closely touches each Of them
and therefore have little or no time fol
the refinement Of their speech. And in tht
talk OF the play some mighty good lines
are set forth. 1t Is we'll worth listening to
The Brandeis was well filled last night
and Miss Walsh has the satisfaction ol
knowing her efforts were appreciated, fol
the curtain calls she had must have told