The Washington times., 1911-02-14
NEW HUGHES PLAY
7s SEEN AT BELASCO
1.-Two Women" Gives Little
.,4sChance for Mrs. Leslie
s'sf Garter.

When Rupert Hughes turned aside
rom the bypaths of merry farce tc
pen a near-tragedy it was a sight &c
t1ake the angels weep-but not a firsl
hight audience.
Two Women bears traces of Ibsen
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Alphonse Dau-
Get, and Preston Gibson, but not the
flishtest suggestion that the same Skill
tul hand that penned Excuse Me-
might also have mixed this broth. The
author says, on the Belasco program,
that he got the idea from an Italian
drama by T. Ciconi. and he ought TO
know.
/ The only answer to the production is
the great American question WHY"
Surely a playwright may be permitted
nnfnspired moments in which he might
write below his accustomed standard,
but why a manager actually produced
this play or why Mrs. Leslie Carter es-
sayed the leading role defy eXplana-
ton. Mr.. Hughes, need was echoed in
the cry of his heroine who pleaded
through four of five weary acts for
some one TO save her from herself
A Unique Spectacle.
Probably not since Miss Olga Neither
S6fe essayed to portray an American
mother has there been such a unique
spectacle on the stage as Mrs. Garter
using sewing machine, mending
Idfhes and buying socks. This last
EPISODE was meant to be tenderly
pathetic, but it turned out to be farcical
and provided the one enjoyment of the
evening.
But when it was learned that the ro-
bust Mrs. Carter, plumper than in the
"Zaza" and Camille" days, was dying
of consumption it seemed as If the eli
max OF absurdity had been attained.
Nof so. There were four other acts.
After she had wonderful dream"
and crossed half way over the River
N1th a light on the other side" she died.
n7fhe Seamstress was reincarnated, so
Tar as personal appearance was con-
ee1ned, in a cocotte of the Partisan
de11i- monde, and there the grieved
husband discovered her.
fIow cruel! How cruel good people
cSr be-" according to the program, is
the Catch-word of the fourth act, and it
Supplies the keynote of the rest of the
StSy.
~ Affect French Accent
Though he had been told that jean
nine Bartet was a notorious character
in. the Partisan underworld. the husband
OF. her dead prototype seemed surprised
toiSsee her drinking cocktails and de-
naunCed her before a large assem-
blagc of persons brought on to lend
color. The most astonishing thing to
tllss audience was the French accent
which these Parisians assumed in this
Partisan cafe One wondered if they
Md been at an Italian eating house
whether they might have talked pigeon
German.
After Comte Remy de Margyl, who
was only an artist when the play open
ed. declined to take Jeannine to his
home and fireside she denounced him as
az .prude. Before she had fairly gone
back to the "old life he repented of
that and came after her. He was care
fbiiv directed to the rooms of Jeannine,
where former lover had access. but
when that gentleman entered he again
seemed surprised at a fact that must
have been apparent before, and grew
Indignant a la THE Easiest Way" Af-
tf this second terrible suspense they |
finally made up in the fifth act. close on
t6Imidnight.
Despite a formidable list of names in !
thS cast no great amount of histrionic |
tat&nt was expended on the play. Mrs. !
Caster arose TO emotional effectiveness |
bItt once-in the denunciation of this |
good man" in particular and good |
men" in general She did not tear her |
hair. Some women in the audience |
ana they should know-said that would |
have been dangerous.
The man in the wings manipulated the |
lights a great deal. Needless to say |
Gbe, BelaScoan touches were lacking.
j. r. HILDEBRAND