Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-13
Belasco.

Somewhere in the heart of every great
city there is a mythical island of social
democracy where pals and 'chums''
abound, where the ten commandments do
not jostle the populace and where despite
the fact that the Golden Rule does not
hang over the fireplace the men and
women come and go, live and laugh, or
despond and die without hypercritical
comment or hypocritical obituaries. This
little island is known as THE Land OF
Bohemia" Ii is in this land of fable
that The Little Damozel,' new play to
America, by Monckton Hoffe, which re-
ceived its first presentation at the Belasco
Theater last evening, finds its story and
the characters that go to make IL. And II
is with some idea of this unconventional
territory and it's inhabitants, their COM
position and customs. that one must judge
the play which charmed London for two
seasons and is now making as great head
way in the provinces.
Recklaw Poole has been ostracised BY
| society for shady transactions on the
gentleman's race track and has been cast
| cut by the girl to whom he was engaged.
| To the staid, rigid propriety of the Eng
| lish country class he is an outlaw, whose
name even is not TO be mentioned with
out shudder. Recklaw, or "Reckie,
| as his sweetheart later calls him, has ali
| the basic instinct and feeling OF gentle
man, with a dizziness on the finer points
| that has come of waywardneSS and indif-
that he should undertake for considera-
| ton of G15,C00 to make love to and
| marry Julie Alardy, 1.-The little damozel,
a waif who has been reared at the Cafe
| Angelique and who, although fly" as old
/ Papa Bartholdy describes her, is none
| the less a good girl. The fact is Julie had
fascinated Capt. Neil Darlington, con-
ventional gentleman. who had written her
| love letters in which he told her things
| he regretted. He had also offered her
marriage. But now he had met and
wished to marry Sybil Craven, Poole's
/ former fiancee and an English country
| girl of high social rank BY Poole's mar
rage with Julie Darlington sought to dis
pose of both Julie and his rival for Miss
| Craven at one stroke. He also, by the
| terms of the bargain, secures the return
| of his love letters to Julie. which are
! sore cause of embarrassment to him.
| Pooles task is not so difficult to one of
his liberal tendencies, because Julie is al
ready in love with him without realizing
il. She has been very bitter toward Par
/ tington. whom she threatens 10 pay
back" because he has Tilted her. and not
\ only her friends but her enemies now
It," But a fake telegram. following a
proposal from "Reckie' announcing fine
inheritance clnches the bargain. and she
marries him. The second act reveals the
Young couple happily settled in their own
home and each unquestionably in love
| with the other. Darlington comes for his
| love letters but before Julie consents to
| deliver them she insists that he shall
| bring his fiancee to see her. When Miss
| Craven calls Julie at once proceeds TO dis
Illusion her in an ingenious but perfectly
| feminine way. She finally calls her hus-
| band. who recognizes her, gives vent to
| his feelings, and thrusts back into Par
| tington's hand the check he received to
| marry Julie He finishes Partington's
/ chances with Miss Craven, but almost
/ breaks the heart OF his little wife, whom
he has grown to love.
She leaves him vowing never to see or
speak to him again and protesting that
he can make no amends for breaking
/ her he.,rt Later he takes what money
| he has, E2,OO0, and invests ii for her
benefit IN life insurance companies. which
pay even IL the insured commits suicide
| Then on the pretext that he is going to
government position in China, although it
subsequently, develops that he has book
ed to sail only to Marseille, he is about
/ to make way with himself. BY accident
he again meets Julie at the Cafe Angelli-
que, where she has returned. She up
braids him and finally secures his prom
| Use not to commit suicide, because IL will
| reflect upon her and do her greater in
| jury than he mas already done. AS he is
about to leave her. Julie breaks down.
calls him back, and with her arms around
his neck declares she cannot stick II out
| without him." This is the story of the
| play. Save for some padding made neces-
| sary to lengthen II into an evenings per-
/ Torrance, the play Is strong and inter-
esting. The repeated applause and cur
/ tain calls demanded by good-sized
audience seem to indicate the conviction
that the good things said of the play be-
| fore 1t came here are fully justified
! The heart interest is strong and grip
ping, and the dramatist has SO handled
his theme that smiles and tears are pref
| tily blended.
May Buckley was the bright jewel Of
the play. as Julie. Her Julie will not
| soon be forgotten. AS Recklaw Poole.
Cyril Keightley was particularly effective.
George Graham was very satisfactory as
Hon. Fitzroy Locke. Poole's intimate
friend. "stipendiary patron" as he