New-York tribune., 1910-02-02
DRAMA
Just a Wife" at the Belasco
Theatre.

MI Eugene NdlteT 3 new play Is tOh-
pounded of many simples. and is intended,
one might suppose, for simple people. But
to minds at all sophisticated it presents
but scant attraction: it is not cohesive nor
coherent: it means something. no doubt.
but just what II means is not easily told
because the secret, whatever it may be. Is
hidden beneath mass of words and te-
dlous sentimentaity which masquerades as
a kind of modern and advanced thought.
Some persons thought 1t impressive on Tues
day night, and made a great noise about
it. but they were OF the kind that is easily
pleased, and that calls for speeches as soon
as a climax mas brought curtain down.
There was no climax however. and small
excuse for all the noise. IT seemed too
palpably pumped up to be convincing as
a demonstration OF enthusiasm. But there
had been a great explosion of excitement,
and for good cause, some weeks earlier, in
the theatre next door and It may have oc-
CURED to sympathetic friends and uSherS
that as great stir could be aroused i'll the
Belasco house without half trying. The diff
f1culty attending the first performance of
Just a Wife was that no one had rea
son for shouting, and so the effort to make
the play go with cheers seemed forced.
strained and unnatural as the play itself.
Mr. Walter writes about a wife who has
married for money snd a husband who
has married for position There has been.
and there is scandal in Mr.. John Emer-
sons private life. If Mr.. Emerson marries
a good woman the newspapers will cease
from attacking his irregular conduct, and
he can become the president of a trans
continental railway So the playwright
assures the unsophisticated He is really
serious; he does not put this idea forward
as the theme for a farce. But lnatri-
mony is a failure at the Belasco Theatre
on this occasion. John Emerson and his
wife have never lived together; they were
no sooner married than they parted. But
being married, the man succeeds in gain
ing the railroad presidency. Queer things
are done in Wall Street every day, but
this thing is the queerest of the lot. After
six years the husband appears at his
wife's house. Why he does so no one
knows. His mistress also appears there
Why she does SO no ore quite under-
stands. But the wife, who has resolved 10
be a success as wife," receives her with
all gentleness and proceeds to forgive her.
The irregular lady departs, goes out OF MS
life and the play ends where 1t pegan
after any number of long speeches and
some good acting. The good acting is by
Miss Charlotte Walker Miss Amelia Gard
ner Mr.. Ernest Glendnning and Mr Body
North. The latter two have nothing 10
do with the play, but are thrust upon
it in order that the spectators may laugh
as much as they Mr.. Edmund Breese
also appears. and does very we'll But all
the good acting is wasted effort because
the play remains dull, artificial and satur-
ated with rhetoric.
The first two acts are rather interest
ing, the last two are strained beyond any
ADEQUATE resemblance to real life One
gets the impression that Mr.. Walter, hav-
ing discovered that plays with ph1lo-
sCphiCal OF even new thought turn
are earning large royalties, has searched
his press clippings in order to read
up about life on the higher plane But
the sources of his inspiration have falled
TO bring his piece TO any convincing
or deserving purpose The play breaks
down in the middle, and its long and te-
dious disserta tions upon ethics sex, money
making and other topics weigh 1t sadly
down. The audience did not appear to be
as pleased when the fourth act finished as
when the third act fell. 1t was delighted,
though with an imitation of the arrival
and departure Of q motor car.
Mr. Eugene Walter has proved himself
capabIe of producing better work than he
has put into this play. He has lost his
way in climbing up a new path. 1t is a
steep and rugged path Broad is the road
and fair the prospect with which he is
more familiar But let him try again the
thorny and rock strewn hillside where he
is still strange. 1t is worth while to sue
ceed there. A '"
CAST OF JUST A WIFE
Tob, Emerson ..-..--.- - Edmund Breese
T3ohhy Ashby.............-.--Er Ernest Glendiunins
Mavc1- steiner ..-..-.....--..... Bobby North
u-eiter1ez- ..-..-.-.... Frederick Burton
15ar-- .sho1, Emerson ....... Charlotte Walker
E-Iea,o,. .arhrop Amelia Gardner