The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

New York, Dec. 9-To the habitual
theater patron, the man who would
rather miss his dinner than have a friend
mention a piece that he has not yet
seen, the past week is remarkable for
its lack Of musical comedy. In fact, this
is the first week since the opening Of
the theatrical season that one or more
Of theS'' light confeCtions whose claim
to publicity lies in gauzy plot, tinkIing
music, and 'wimmn," has not served for
the cynosure OF the prurient and the
anathema of the base.
Both the offerings OF tho week smacked
more of merit than usual and both were
meritorious in widely divergent fields.
The Witness for the Defense" is a
rather clever problem play. while The
First Woman Of the Land aims toward
comedy success with a surety that seems
sure TO hit the bull s-eye.
''The Witness for the Defense"
After 4 seasons success in London and
some two months spent in touring the
Middle and Western States. THE Wit
ness for the Defense" by A. F. w
Mason. is lodged in New York, at the
Empire. The play is strong. with a
strength built upon the homicidal elm
inatiOn Of A husband, but it is the mas
terful mining of the cast rather than
the drama itself that holds the audience
enthralled and wins hearty commenda-
tiOn.
Among the many roles of this peculiar
Iarlor drama. those OF A. E. Anson, as
Henry Thresk. the witness for the de-
fensv, and Ethel Barrymore, who plays
Stella RalIantyne, the husband murderer
stand forth in bold relief. and closely
approach the acme of hiStrionic en-
dpaVOr Miss &c nd
loved by thousands who have witnessed
her many successes but in AnsOn an
other Englishman has been discovered
whose character work will make for him
an enviable reputation.
The Witness for the Defense" seeks
to exponge from the pastimes of Eng
lands elite the time-hOnored sport Of
wife beating. which in itself is an aim
to be commended. On the other hand,
however. II unites an apOtheosis of hus-
band murder. which is 10 be decried.
Stella BaIlantyne and her husband
Stephen are members of that portion Of
English society whose business takes II
TO the Indian dependencies and whose
personal inclnations point toward family
rows as n pleasant means of Willing
away the long Indian evenings. Mr.
Mason portrays the husband in the part
OF the agEresSOr, asCTibing to him all
the hrutish characteristics that sway
III llh-Cldbt'u ll!uSlpNlSlS. ana so well does
he execute the part that tile audience
are apt to overlook the automatic saving.
There are two sides to every question"
and condone the wife, who in the natural
order of events must, in some measure
have been to blame.
At any rate. II is here that Henry
Thresk. London harrister and former
lover. enters into tn" scene, only to wit
hess the brutal effacement Of Mrs. Bal
lRntyne at the hands Of her insulting hus-
land. The scene draws 10 a close The
lawyer leaves and Mrs. Ballantyne
smarting under her conjugal excoriation.
decides TO take her life. but is surprised
by Thresk returning for his pipe, and |
later turns the gun upon her husband
In the succeeding acts, lapse Of time |
has bridged her trial for murder in Bonn |
bay, where she was acquitted by the per- |
Jured testimony Of Thresk, and shows |
her in London, where she falls in love |
with young Englishman, who asks her |
hand In marriage. It is here that the |
shadow of her crime, through Thresk's |
insistance that she acknowledge her guilt |
TO her new lover, looms large and threat |
Sns to wreck her romance. The situation
is tense with possibility. On the one |
hand is the guilty murderess in love, and |
On the other Thresk in the role Of an
insistent conscience that spurs her to
confession.
"The First Lady Of the Land"
I: is needless to say that the affair ends
we'll. Theater patrons, backed by the
weight Of popular demand, hold a club
above the head Of the playwright that
permits him little latitude. But, though
Stella wins her second wedding ring
through the conformation OF her murder. |
the fact does not ring true, and Mason's
eNtenuation OF crime, the murder beauti-
!ui. deserves high place in the morbid
catalogue.
II Is surprising that more playwrights
no not interest themselves in the oppor-
tunities afforded by the many heroic
figures buried in the graveyard of United
States history. To commemorative
whose patriotism is famed around the
world, plays Of this order, II Eraced with
merit and mined by artists, must ever |,
hold uncommon interest. OF such fabric
is THE First Lady OF the Land" al the
Sayety, woven, and, through Charles
NirdHnger, the author, has taken rather
startling liberties with history. Miss
Elsie Ferguson and cast par excellence