The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-15
THE NEW NATIONAL.
Sir Charles wyndham in sThe Mol
Iuxc."

SAE $HaFaes WSnuh8m An ~Jhe MOL
IuSc.v
Sir Charles Wyndham and his Londor
company appeared at the National The
alter last night in Tho Mollusc." The
satirical play by Hubert Henry Davis be.
fore an audience equaIing in size and bril-
lianey any Of the season.
The play is a clever comedy. satirizine
that class of people designated by the
title-a class as prevalent and as readily
recognized in this country as across the
Atlantic, Who like the member Of the AMI
nal Kingdom 10 which they are likened
attach themselves to some convenient
rock and let the tides and waves bring
everything TO them, enjoying a sort OF
quiescent content until something happens
which disturbs their personal ease, being.
tn fact, an exempliieation or a certain
form of human selashness.
In this particular instance the moIluso
is woman Of the English upper class.
who has allowed herself to become al
most entirely dependent upon a gov
erHess, until, at the time OF the story.
the whole atmosphere OF the household
has become permeated with the same
feeling. her husband falling into de-
tendency on the governess also; in fact.
his sympathies have almost become
something stronger. At the moment,
however. the wifes brother arrives from
a sojourn in America. where he has
stricken of the molluscular tendency OF
the family. and after promptly falling in
love with the governess and enlighten-
ing the husband as to the wife's ailment,
he starts a course Of treatment for the
cure thereof, and a merry time he has OF
it. from which. of course. comes the
comedy.
He does succeed, however, after a pro-
longed duel with his sister, who. despite
her failing. is in all other respects a
very clever woman. and the cure being
effected, he goes of to Colorado, pre-
sumably with the governess as his wife.
The vehicle Is a cleverly constructed one.
with bright lines. amusing situations. and
With an incessant run OF verbal satire.
OF course. a great measure Of the sue
cess comes from the excellent acting,
again calling forth the comment In the
superior finish which these English play
ers have In comparison with some of more
local fame. There are only four persons
IN the cast. Sir Charles wyndham. Mr.
sam Sothern. Miss Dorothy Thomas. and
Miss Frances Vine. the center OF interest
being around Sir Charles, as Tom Kemp.
the AnericanIzed brother. and Miss Fran
ces Vine. as Mrs. Baxter the chief mol
lusc. AS a comedian, the knight Is still
In his prime.
He extracts about all the comedy out
of the role that is possible, and while
illusions to his personal activity might
be construed as a reflection upon his age.
no one Will disagree when the assertion is
made that it IS remarkable. His whole
delineation shows clearly that ne still
maintains that leadership which was
recognized long ago.
An especially clever bit of work was
contributed by Miss Vine. the success be-
ing rendered more acute by the diff
Guilty Of the role. While everything has
been carefully thought out. there is no
evidence OF studied effect in the enact
ment. She plays the part. and it is known
that she plays the part. because the type
is completely known in the ordinary
walks OF human life.
Miss Dorothy Thomas is charming as
Miss Roberts, the governess. pIaying
and lending the charm of a
pleasing personality. Mr.. Sam Sothern. as
Mr.. Baxter, Is also entirely effective; In
fact, the whole cast is distinctly pleas
ing, with the performance moving with
ease and finish. Every
thing In the play Is made the most of.
and there being considerable in it. the
conjunction Of circumstances is ex-
tremely interesting.