The Washington times., 1910-10-18
PATIENCE NEEDED
FOR "ARSENE LUPIN'
Genuine Enjoyment Begins
With Third Act of
Play.
'COURTENAY HEADS
INDIFFERENT CAST
Point of Satire on Partisan Police
Methods Lost on Washing
ton Audience.

A poorly cooked potpouri Of "Sher-
lock Holmes and ''Rafhes," with a
faint flavor of the redoubtable Mon
sieur Lecoq." was served at the Ma
tional last night under the name Of
Arsene Lupin.''
The ingredients were not at fault,
but the mixture was allowed to sim
fner too long, and when the chafng dish
had reached the boiling point the fame
was snuffed out again
Anyone who is willing to sit through
a veritable plethora of words in two
acts 10 await a highly amusing and at
times tense situation in the third may
cultivate patience and find ultimate en-
5oyment in the production. lie mist
then be prepared for a rather irksome
and at times neIodramatic fourth act.
1t is probable that the PLAY gathered
some OF its objectionable features in
translation It is from the pens Of
Francis De Croisset and Maurice Lee
Blanc and an unnamed adapter appa-
rentIy tempered with the early scenes.
Some one tried to make the work of
guessing Arsene LUpin's identity very
difficult. This was accomplished. not
by clever stagecraft, but by throwing
In eXtraneous characters and CONVERSE
ton. Then to foil the authors or trans
latoTs design. William Courtenay
watched every opportunity. when every
ones back was turned. 10 give a merry
little chucHle. and so let the audience
In on the deep and hidden secret.
Courtenay Saves Situation.
The fourth act was devoted TO a ficti-
tous bomb and fictitious sentiment In
the original this passage, 1 believe, was
offered as a clever satire on Partisan
police methods. That effect, of course,
failed TO get across the footlights of
Washington, d. c., L. S. A, leaving
the audience in the midst Of wcrdy dia-
logues and explanations. To William
COurtenay must be awarded due honor
at this point for saving the whole finn
sy structure from tottering, by excellent
acting
The third act was a psychological
study IN nerve" Guerchard, the Sher-
lock Holmes Of The play, held the Duke
of Charmerace at bay ard was morally
certain that the duke was none other
than Arsene Lupin- But the suspect
talked about in those first two acts and
escaped by sheer audaCity. This scene
was admirably done, both by Courte-
nay and by Sidney Herbert, who as
sumed the role of Guerchard-
Cast Below Par.
The remainder of the cast was not
nearly so good Charles Harbury gave
q most painful exhibition OF choking in
the first act, that was supposed to be
comedy, but which awakened more
sympathy than mirth IN the dark por-
ton of the house Miss Virginia Ham
mond played always in the same key
and tore some passions TO unnecesSar-
ily small tatters. Miss Ida Greeley
Smith was a wholly charming Ger
maine to look upon, but her enunciation
was wholly original A portrayal of
Victoire, the caretaker. that was excel
lent at times, was made by Miss Lena
Halliday And an overdrawn part of
an examining magistrate, who CORE
sponded to a Scotland Yard man in
Conan Doyle's narrative, was also over
acted by Arthur Elliot.
And the morals of the play2 II many
small boys desert the moving picture
play for the National this week there
may be an epidemic Of jam stealing for
q day; but If they really succeed in i'm
itating exactly Lupin's methods the
Washington police won't need q second
Investigation TO clear the mystery.
J. r. HILDEBRAND.