The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-05
LAST NIGHT At LOCAL PLAYHOUSES
THE BELAsCo.

Viola Allen In 'sThe white sister"
The benefit performance for the House
Of Mercy attracted a distinguished au-
dience to the Belasco Theater last night
10 witness Miss Viola Aliens appearance
IN THE White Sister" by F. Marion
Crawford.
The atmosphere. the characters, and the
story OF this play are OF Rome Roman.
The shadow Of the church is over the
brief history of Sister Giovanni, nun. and
Giovanni Severi. soldier; their story is
that world-told tale OF love and duty
the struggle OF the soul against the 1esh
and the final victory of faith and purity
over lust and dishonor.
To make a woman CARRIED as a nun
the central figure of love story is
daring theme II was tried in ''Kassa"
and was condemned. In THE White Sis
ter no objection is possible, because the
sanctity Of the woman is preserved; the
vows OF the church are upheld.
1t is hard for the sentimentslly inclined
to see sister Giovanni robbed Of her
happiness and go bravery off TO nurse
the lepers, a living death, after being so
Tudely awakened from her peaceful life
in the convent. But Giovanni, supposed
to have been cut 10 pieces by savages,
has miraculously returned, and his inn
portunities that she break her vows are
more than she can bear When he
threatens suicide as the alternative 10
her forsaking the church, she gives in.
but appeals to his sense of honor. and he
gives her back her remuneration. Later.
when her discovery In his rooms threat
ems her name in another way, though
her presence is with innocent intent, he
makes the expiation.
Dripping with sentiment. this play. Yes.
and melodramatic. too. ia many places.
but it appeals on account of its purity
Of motive and logical conclusion. Not
that the logical conclusion is pleasing TO
the aforementioned sentimentally in
clined, but none the less important. The
play has its didactic moments, notably
when the AIonsignore Saracinesca is huTI-
ing his protests at the enemies of the
church. and absolving it from the charge
of coercing its adherents; but the inter
est is always kept up, and at times
reaches the point Of excitement
Miss Allen is wholly charming as Sis
ter Giovanni. She seems to have COM
pletely imbibed the spirit Of the part
Although the woman is sorely tried, she
never breaks over the boundary line into
activity that would be incompatible with
the attitude Of one who had renOunced
the world and its passions. Her calmness
and sweetness pervade the play like deli
cate incense, and her expression Is per-
feet Her biggest moment is when she
turns and sees her lover-returned from
the dead-and sinks 10 the couch. uttering
the words. Almighty God" II was a
fine bit of acting
All through the play Miss Allen was
wonderfully convincing. She made the
part stand out as a type. clearly and
distinctly, more so, perhaps, than was
reasonably expected on account OF the
manifold difficulties. There are no love
scenes, no passionate embraces: q simple
touch of the hands with a world OF
meaning and tenderness in the eyes-that
is al that Sister Giovanni is permitted.
only when she bends over the wounded
form OF Giovanni does she press her
lips upon his. and then only for an in
slant
OF the excellent supporting company.
MIS-. Fannie Addison Pitt was delight ,
ful as Nine. Bernard, and Minna Gale
as beautiful as her role was disagree
able. she is an admirable Intriguante. (
James O'Neill as Mgr. Saracinesca, !
gave splendid reading, though, perhaps, !
there is lacking a trihe Of the paternaI
softness Of manner that one looks for in
a character like this. William Farnum.
as Capt Giovanni Severi Edwin Bar
bour, IS DR.. Pieri; Richie Ling. as Lieut. /
Basin, and Joseph Carducci, as B-esca, +
and Belle Chippendale Warner. as the
completed the cast Mr. Far
mum was aggravatingly stilted at times, /
and was often sullen and pouting when
he should have been all fire and ardor !
Possibly the incongruity of making love
TO a nun is his excuse; the lover held at /
arms length has an ungTateful task
The Messrs. Liebler have furnished the
play with generous mountings and vari- |
Gus touches that enhanced the illusion |
the bells Of the convent and the choir.
WILLIAM OSBORN.