The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-22

The Awakening q Helena hlcilia
old Benjamin Wright. with his orange
peel and his fuzzy beaver: poor San
Wright, with his first puppy love driving
him TO suicide; Lloyd Pryor, with his
selhshness and harshness; the boy David.
the quaint. old-fashioned child, and
Helena herself, the woman torn nearly
ssunder by conflicting emotions. II is
q play OF types. first OF ali. and per-
fectIy acted.
The play plunges at once into the main
theme Of the story, beginning with the
visit OF DR.. Lavender 10 tell Helena that
he brought the boy David for her 20
adopt The first act is rather episodical;
the characters appearing one after an
other. and the audience made acquainted
with them at once. The first visit OF
Pryor to Helena occurs I'm this act: also
the visit of old Benjamin Wright and
OF course Helena's Introduction TO David
In the second act things begin TO move
rather swiftly. II is here that Helena is
IN fever pitch OF excitement. awaiting
Iloyd's reply 10 the telegram announcing
the death OF Frederick Sans iove-mak-
ing is shown and his grandfather reveals
10 him Helena's true sJatus as regards
Pryor. The letter telling of Lloyd's
change of heart and the suicide of Sam
come as two crushing blows TO Helena.
and the climax OF her story Is reached
The last two acts tell the story Of her
regeneration-of her confession to Dr.
Lavender Of her pleading TO keep the
boy David. and of the uplifting influence
OF the good old doctor and the nobility
Of willy" King OF course, when DIR.
Lavendar's package" is delivered there
is peace and happiness at last in Helena's
heart.
very pretty story, indeed, a tribe con-
versational at times. but never tedious
because the characters are all so thor
oughly understandable. The one serious
defect IS the lack Of that love interest
which is the backbone Of the average
play The love OF this woman for little
child, after having lived selfshly for
pleasure and what she considered bappI-
ness merely after her lover has bru-
tally discarded her. is all that is left OF
tender recollection in this tale. Helena.
by her uncOnventiOnality. her disregard
OF the rigid principles of Old Chester. has
disrupted that quiet community. and she
leaves. with her David. presumably TO
find peace beyond the mountains
mere Is wholesome American flavor
about this story which is most agreeable
considering the dearth OF really good TO-
mantle material our history has con-
triDuted 10 the stage. The play contains
a force for good that is quite renarka-
bic. IL has an optimistic trend-one feels
that he has seen soul in the crucible
that he has witnessed the refnine, n-ol
cess that makes pure gold.
All the varying phases OF the character
Of Helena Richie. as conceived by Mrs
Deland. Margaret Anglin has faItbfuIiv
set out TO portray How wen she has
succeeded is evidenced by her success ,n
this play. Her emotional power is 60
unusual as to lift her away from tba
ordinary actress OF such roles Her ev-
pressions OF face and OF voice are NOT
merely appealing, they are insidiouS
gripping She plays with a sureness ~
touch that carries absolute conviction
Considering the subtle changes in the
character OF Helena, IL must be admitted
that her translation TO the footlights and
as impersonsted by Miss Anglin. is a
wonderful piece of work II is q study
IN acting that IS altogether too rare No
finer acting than Helena's confession 70
Dr.. Lavendar has been done by Miss An
giin.
A pleasant feature OF the performance
was the fact that there were three IA
miliar faces in the cast. Euzena Or
monde and Charles Wyngate were with
US for year, as members of a stock |
company some years ago. and John Find |
lays acquaintance dates further back |
Mr.. ormonde played Pryor with ease and
grace, and gave the impression that |
Lloyd was not a monster of viIfainv bl;t /
merely man acting in a normal man /
ner. after the fashion Of his kind. Wyn-
gate was the willy King. and his was
a faithful portrait Mr.. Findlav was de- |
lightful as DR.. Lavendar. Quite a fin |
.shed performance OF the lovable old min /
lister.
The acting OF George Probert as Sam
Wright was much applauded, and deserv-
eddy so. He was exactly Mrs. Deiand's
Sam, ss described, though he only an
peared briefly. Master Raymond Hackstt
created considerable diversion as the boy
David.
The settings. with their quaint flavor
of the COS. IN the Interior OF the parIor
1t the stu9ed-Animal House, and the
Did swing under the apple tree. were
charming. Even the stage business re-
gerted to first principles. Notably the care
'ul busting Sarah gave the old furniture,
that would put 10 shame
Ill present day parlor maids.
The Awakening of Helena Richie" is
IN entertainment that is in many respects
unique. It makes a readable book into
IN actable play. without violation of at
nosphere or characters
WILLIAM OSBORN.