The Washington herald., 1910-06-28
THE BELASCO.
ssCaste.v


Tom Robertsons fine old play-'Caste"
lis the choice OF the Ben Greet Players
for the first three evenings Of this week,
last nights performance being for the
benefit of the Clara Morris fund. Caste
was recently revived by Mr.. Charles
Frohman in New York City with one Of
his all-star casts. and the success OF
this revival emboldened Mr.. Greet TO pre-
sent 1t IN Washington
OF the few plays surviving half CEN
fury, Caste is one of the best. 1t is
full OF human interest and that senti-
ment which makes a direct appeal 10 all
sorts of theater-goers. Then. too, it is
replete with subtle touches of humor and
pathos, many OF which. it is true, were
lost In last nights presentation, but on
the whole the performance was a credit
able one.
The invidious class distinctions OF Eng
land. and which have their parallel in all
nations. including our own United States.
furnish the text for caste" There is
nothing extraordinary about the plot
The high-born young soldier, son of a
marquise. who nlarries a dancer in the
ballet. daughter OF a drunken old sot,
only does what plenty of young men Of
to-day are doing. but in Tom Robertson's
time the idea was newer. and perhaps
the behavior of D'Alroy thrilled the audi
ences OF that day far more than they
affect those OF the present. We Ameri-
cans see In a young mans fidelity 70 the
woman he loves only a duty and a real
ity. not self-sacrifce or a deed OF hero
ism.
In order that Caste" may be per-
fectly understood there Is necessity for
more preparation and rehearsal than the
Greet company is able TO give For in
stance, the Marquise de St. Maur. as
played by Miss Rorke, a newcomer to
the cast. was rendered absurd and un-
natural by that lady's obvious unfamil
iarity with the lines Of the part. One
could have faneied that she had never
heard of the play before she walked on
last night Such lines as she had menu
orized she detained, and the others had
flown her memory completely. This is
a splendid character. a typical gTande
dame, one which a capable actress can
make a dominant figure. The audience
last night merely found il funny. and
such is not AZ all the proper conception
OF the part
OF Mr.. Greet's Eccles, there Is an incli-
nation TO say many good things. Prob
ably no other character part OF the past
or present has been so exaggerated and
overacted as poor Eccles. Considering the
temptations OF the role and the natural
proclivltes of Mr. Greet IL must be said
that he performed with an admirable
discretion. In spite Of the unprincipled
49,
contemplate lack OF manhood. the char
aeter is ludicrous in its maudling dignity.
Alr. Greet was successful in bringing out
many Of the subtle points OF comedy and
much OF the pathos as well II is one Of
the best things that he has done during
his present season here.
The Vivian family was much in evil
denoe. Miss Violet played the sweet
Esther Eccies, Miss Ruth the Polly &c
cles, and Mr. George Vivian was an
amusing Sam Gerridge One of the sur
prises Of the performance was the Capt
Hawtrey, Of Mr. Crawley. who, when all
is said Is perhaps the most dependable
and satisfactory member OF the Greet
company. He is versatile in the best
sense of the term, and is always thor
oughly up in his part he and Mr..
Vivian were excellent in the sentimental
touches of the last act, IN which the dir
ferences in caste are so wildly illus
trated.
There are many fine points Of com
edy and sentiment in Caste" that lirt
il out Of the ruck Of the ordinary
comedy. No theatrical education is COM
plete without a peep into its intimacies.
One learns to love the characters and
to feel for them. 10 love them. and TO
suffer and exut with them. OF the many
influences that worked 20 the success Of
last nights performance, none was so
potent as the peTyading humanity with
which the good old play fairly thrObs
and vibrates- II does the present gem
Grafton OF theateT-gOers good once IN a
while TO unwTap these sterling comedies
from the lavender-scented archives and
place them on view. There is an in
spiration in their sincerity. and a tear
and a laugh alternating in every line
W. o.