Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-28
New National,

she was small and Slight OF person,
pale, sandy-haired and with green eyes
habitually cast down, but very large,
odd and attractive when they looked up"
says Thackeray of his creation Becky
Sharp" in Vanity Fair" which forms
the inspiration for the pay of the same
name, by Langdon Mitchell presented by
Mrs. F'iske at the National Theater last
evening.
Lovers Of Thackeray. who were unfa-
miliar with tine Mitchell play, must have
been filled with wonderment when they
went to the theater last evening at the
thought of the dramatiZation Of Vanity
Fair" They must have left 1t with Won
derment still at the play and at the
characterization Of it's title role. for, be
it remembered, Thackeray himself dis
counted criticism in advance by pro-
claiming that his novel was without
hero and inferentia.ly without a heroine.
That Langdon Mitchell has succeeded
marvelously well in embodying In
four-act play an intelligent glimpse of
'Thackeray's great novel cannot be de-
MED. That Mrs. Fishes competent
company, albeit not resplendent with
the names that have heretofore made
it a galaxy of stars, gave 1t fine In
depreciation and faithfully reproduced
some striking character sketches 10 de-
light the lovers of the novel is equally
true.
The wonderment arises from the
Becky Sharp of Mrs. Fiske. Hers is
conceived that daring, selfish and UNI
scrupulous but attractive woman whom
Thackeray- made immortal with her
dismal precocity of poverty Ana YET
it is an imperSonation, forgetting the
personality Of the actress, that must
command attention. 1t is a wonderful
battle of art, and the laughter and APP
piause of splendid audience tnat nlted
give IT the credit
of success.
ness and shyness with Becky Sharp,
when it suited her purpose to be demure
and shy, will not recognize the clever
Becky of Thackeray. whose arts ana
wiles were so manipulated that she
enabled her husband to live i'll splendor
upon nothing year, IN the almost at
tractive impersonation of Mrs. f1ske. de-
spite its heartlessness. Mrs. Fiske makes
Becky rather a creature to whom Life Is
a joke, heartless If you will. but jolly
withal; resourceful In every emergency,
but creature of such good spirits that
the foolish good fellow who can forget
some things he should not perhaps is
rather inclined to feel sorry for her when
| hard luck sets in despite her ABILITY.
So much for ideals. Aside from these
it cannot be denied the play is pleas
ing entertainment. presenting az 1t does
so much OF the spirit OF the novel, so
many Of its characters and caricatures
and wealth of good humor. Nothing
that was unfolded seemed calculated to
arouse outraged virtue or indignant pro-
priety. The audience laughed and laugh
! ed again and at each curtain fall ap-
plauded Becky and her associates.
The play begins with her life as gov
erness or companion with Miss Crawley.
Becky has clandestinely married Rawdon
| Crawley. who, foolish though he be- sim
| cerely loves and trusts her Beckys
Trl6 tcAtf Sy,N hn chn xAtc
| Briggs into trouble by leaving to her the
| announcement to Miss Crawley Of her
| marriage and her flight The next act
| il the famous ball of the Duchess of
the battle of Waterloo. The third act is
| in two scenes. and presents Becky III
! her own home in Curzon street, Mayfair,
at the height of her social success, al
| though sorely pressed with debt.
| The second scene shows her tete-a-tcte
with the infamous Marquis Of Steyne and
| the discovery of her husband. The
fourth act finds Becky in her continental
lodgings as type of low Bohemian,
where she disillusiOnS Amelia by showing
the dead Georges letter making love to
her. lands Joseph Sedley and hoodwinks
Pitt Crawley and his wife into the be-
lief that she is repentant. The play is
we'll mounted, and the costumes faithful
to traditions. and In many instances good
to look upon.
While all the roles Of the long cast
are we'll presented, that Of Miss Crawley.
by Florine Arnold. is a gem Of character
ization. Robert V. Ferguson. an Sir Pitt
Crawley. bart. Is SO faithful to the read
er's conception Of the old man AS he APP
pears In the novel as to win unstinted ap-
prevail. r. w. Tu ker. as George o.
borne: Henry Stephenson. as Rawdon
Crawley. and w. g. Andrews. as Pitt
Crawley, son OF the baronet. seem as II
they had stepped from the book. Regi-
maid Carringten. as William Dobbin. the
faithful friend OF Amelia. IL true to ira
dition. but subordinatsd in the play.
Helen Van BrUgh. as Amelia. In "a dear
little creature. but not q heroine" . fair
Iimpersonation of q woman with virtue.
hut without intellect. and tho foil to
Becky. the woman with intellect. but
without virtue. A fine bit Of char
acterization 10 that Of Harold Russell
foolish Joseph Sedlcy. Leonard Shepherd