The Washington herald., 1911-07-05
GIVE LORNA DOONE
AT THE BELASCO
Willard HOlcOmb's New PLAY
Is Presented.

Few playwrights have had histrionic
honors thrust upon them so suddenly as
Willard Holcomb, who was called upon
to play one OF the principal roles in his
dramatization OF Lorna Doone" at the
Belasco last evening when Charles Hop
kins, one of the leading players in the
company, was prostrated by the heat just
before the performance. Holcomb came to
the theater expecting to suffer none but
the pangs Of a playwright on the first
night of his latest product, but Hopkins
sudden illness made 1t necessary for the
critic c-playwright-actor to don wig boots,
spurs, and grease paint and swagger
through the e-swashbuckling role of Tom
Faggus.
If It were necessary to prove that Hol-
comb really wrote the play his perform
ance of this difficult and lengthy part
without a moments study of the manu-
script would have convinced any jury.
II would also have convinced said Jury of
the ebsurdity Of the argument set for
ward by many artists that to be a sue
cessful critic or playwright one must be
a good actor.
To return to the play itself, Mr.. Hol-
combs romantic melodrama, constructed
out OF the wealth of material in Black
more's great novel should prove as sue
cessful as his dramatization of st. Elmo.
He has taken the central figures of the
romance and the main threads of the
story and woven them simply and con-
vincingly through four acts OF stirring
action. There remains but to use the
pruning shears with discriminating hand
in the first and second acts and to fur
bish up the dialogue in one or two dull
spots. to perfect a staggering romantic
drama OF the good old-fashioned sort
that is certain TO be immensely success
full in the theaters for which It is de-
signed.
VIII Go Better To-day.
That the Belasco stock company should
be able to rehearse a new play Of this
character, in which the action is at times
OF the swiftest and most intricate sort,
within the usual week granted such an
organization for the preparation OF the
next attraction was not to be expected
Even with the postponement Of Monday
evening, last nights performance, espe-
clally in the climactic scenes, wabbled
somewhat woefully, but by tonight a
reasonably smooth presentation OF this
interesting melodrama may be counted
en-.
Among the men the two performances
that deserve the highest need Of praise
were those of Lionel Belmore as the
crafty. smooth-talking old Councillor
Doone, and young Willard Robertson as
the aged Sir Ensor Doone, chieftain of
the outlaw clan. Sheldon Lewis played
the role Of the deep, dark, and desperate
villain, Carver Doone, with no attempt
at characterization.
His performance was deadly monotone
of villaIny and his every utterance was
in the aggrieved voice OF a Newfound-
land watch dog disturbed at his supper.
Our old friend W. H. Conley was ex-
cellent in two character parts, and Os-
borne Searle was acceptable as Charles
worth Doone. Percy Standing as John
Ridd, the valiant hero. gasped and grunt-
with the lines of which he was obviously
not on friendly or, at times, even speak
ing terms.
AS Lorna, Mrs. Hopkins gave her usual
charming, olean-cut performance, and
the Mother Meldrum of Mrs. Stanhope
wheatcroft was another manifestation of
her ripened art. The revolver with which
the third act failed to fire, but, true ac-
tess that she is, she died Just the same
and Just as effectively. Mr.. Hopkins
will be able to resume his role this aft
ernoon. E. r. s.