Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-13
THE OTHER WOMAN. FAR FETCHED
BUT DIVERTING; ACTING GOOD
BLANCHE WALSH SAVES
IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION
Poor Wife Must Do Poorly SO
Star May Shine All
the Brighter
BY sIpLE LAWRENCE

III SADisG Law hENOE
Having employed the greater part of
three acts in an effort to prove that
man and his wife can no longer live
together, Frederic Arnold Hummer, in
his play, "The other Woman" deftly
executes an about-face and with mill
tary precision expends two or three
minutes in tumbling his own argu-
ments about our ears, which may be
good playwrighting, though it is
scarcely good logic. Taking leaf
from the homeopathists Mr.. Hummer
has adapted to stage use the theory
of "similis similibus curantur." The
death of little child having led to
family estrangement he relies upon a
second child, as yet unborn, to make
effective a reconciliation. In this de-
vice there is not lacking that element
of surprise so dear to the playwright's
heart, but at fthe same time its use
destroys in q few seconds the verify
of a character, sufficiently real up to
that time to demand serious attention.
Throughout the play Mrs. James
shallow woman but still a woman
capable of two loves-love for children
and love for her husband. She sei8es
upon every little thing which she thinks
may be of advantage to her in her ef-
forts to retain her husbands affec
ton, even resorting to the trick of eX-
hibiting before him the baby clothes
and the baby rattle which had be-
longed to the dead little one.
HITCH IN LOGIC HERE
lievable; but it is demanding too much
of credulity to ask us to believe that
such a woman would have concealed
until the very last her most effective
weapon. Rather would she have cried
it from the housetops.
The play was presented for the first
time in Los Angeles at the Mason
opera house last night by Blanche
Walsh and her company, Miss Walsh
assuming the identity of "the other
woman" the woman whom James Har-
rington loves and who loves him with
so great a love that when she comes
to believe his duty demands return
to his husbandry she sends him back
to his wife-and unborn child.
There is much brilliant sophistry in
the drama, intermixed with truths
systematically expressed; and there
is much curious psychology. Mr.. Kum-
mer at least has the merit of knowing
when he comes to an impasse. When
his dialogue brings him into an argu-'
mentative morass from which there is
no escape some one of his characters
remarks candidly: 81 don't know; 1
don't know" The wife says it. Her
husband says it, and so does 1.-THE other
woman" What is more it is quite the
truest thing any one of them says
anywhere in the play, and the audience
agrees with its every utterance.
PLAY PROVES INTERESTING
However, all of this does not prevent
"The Other Woman" from being an
interesting play, regarded merely as a
play and not with too close an exam
ination into its life verify. Miss
Walsh does a truly admirable piece of
acting as Eleanor Gates, quiet and
repressed until her final speech deliv
cred to the husband at the curtains
fall and which comes with tremendous
force in consequence. 1t is a simple
speech. GO" she says, ''for Gods
sake, co." but there is in it a poignant
anguish of remuneration.
The role of the wife is necessarily
subordinated to that of "the other
woman" and doubtless Anne Cleve-
land plays it as it was intended to be
played, but her very acting in the part
discloses the dramas greatest weak
ness. Handled humanity this would be
the big part of the play. Consequently
it must not be so handled. Our sym
pathies are required, if you please, for
"the other woman"
George w. Howard, cast as the hus-
band, is excellent; and We have to
thank Nellie Butler for several well
come bits of comedy. Her observa-
tions anent matrimony, coming from
woman to whom divorce has become
pastime If not habit prove divert
ing If not profound.
"The other Woman" remains at the
Mason through the week with matinees
tomorrow and Saturday.