Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-25
ADJUSTMENTS
Belasco.

The perfection Of detail which has dis
tinguished all performances under the
auspices Of the New Theater was in EVIL
dence in the production of THE PIED
Piper which opened q weeks engage
ment at the Belasco last night. The play
is the winner Of prize and, like most
literary efforts brought to attention by
competitive means, is unusual; a creation
unto itself. which departs from the ordi-
nary standards instead of demonstrating
q superior quality in styles which already
enjoy a public vogue. The idea of utiliz-
ing the Browning poem for the purposes
Of the theater is not altogether novel to
playgoers of this city. as it has been
done in musical farce. and. while the
lines of comedy were far broader than
in this play, the touch of the grotesque
and the charm of trooping children were
in that instance as in the present one
the chief elements OF popular attraction.
The story of the Pied Piper left much to
the readers imagination. The fate of
the children who danced away was allow
ed to remain a mystery, and the picture
Of the piper himself was one Of reckless
droIlery with sinister and revenSeful
strain.
Mrs. Josephine Preston Peabody's title
to a distinct creation of her own cannot
be questioned. even though her rights to
the groundwork are based on sort OF
squatter's sovereignty. With most es-
she restores the children to their parents
and makes the piper a poet who Tar
from being Influenced by disappointed
money-love, is determined to read the
sordid avarfce Of Hamelin town lesson
so poignant that 1t must penetrate to
the most greed-incrusted heart. A love
story Is introduced in which a protest
against formalisms is sounded and q de-
vout appeal to the merciful spirit OF
simple Christianity Is among the sym
The {nd0rntt2Olp
power Of mother love is another OF the
elements of the stage poem, whose subtle
and irregular strains lure the auditors
mind as far from the original theme as
the piper's tune lured the children from
Hamelin. But the force Of the prime In
spiration persists. and the play. with all
its graceful fancy is most charming IN
the scene which depicts the simple cpl
sode which made the Browning poem
work Of weird fascination: the straying
forth Of the little folk to the tune OF the
mystic pipe Blank verse from the femi-
nine pen has not yet recorded itself with
conspicuous permanency in the annals OF
the stage, and it may be that Mrs. Jo-
sephine Preston Peabody will attain the
place in dramatic literature that was con-
f1dently expected by Sir Walter Scott for
that now forgotten dramatist, Joanna
Baillie.
The title role is enacted by Edith wynne
Mathison, and reveals to the utmost her
extraordinary felicity as a reader. She
fills the part with boyish sympathy, yet
the mood Of q Rosalind discreetly con-
scious of her masquerade Is not complete
ly absent. The role is one of vigorous
and prolonged exactions. holding the
stage almost continuously, and the ap-
plause accorded Miss Mathison left no
doubt as to her personal triumph. The
cast displayed the uniform competence
that New Theater productions Gus
tomarily reveal, although the responsible
ties are so concentrated in the central
character that merits elsewhere do not
conspicuously assert themselves. Miss
Olive Oliver. as the mother of little Jan.
the lame boy, demonstrated the abilities
which have made her so we'll known here.
Mr.. Steward Baird, as Axel, the smith,
made q stalwart picture and delivered his
few speeches we'll. Miss Elsie .Berndon
Kearne realized all the possibilities Of
the role Of one of the good wives of
Hamelin, as did also Miss Mary Agnes
Doyle and Miss Jessie Turnbull.
The stage settings are exceptionally
massive and beautiful.