Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-02
ADJUSTMENTS
Polls.

The Poll Players, which means, in this
instance at least, the behind-the-scenes
organization and the management, as we'll
az the actual performers, are entitled to
credit for a very clever presentation of
Joseph Medll Patterson and Harriet
Ford's newspaper play, 1.-THE Fourth Es-
tate" at Polls Theater last evening 1t
was the first time the melodrama was
ever presented In Washington. and if
there were those In the audience who felt
in a mood for criticism they will certain
ly not attribute 1t to deficiencies In the
players or in the manner in which the
play was staged. The defect, If there be
any, is in the play itself. although it must
be confessed it furnishes an evening of
very interesting entertainment.
The play Is in four acts. each OF which
is cleverly mounted, the last being quite
elaborate with its display of linotype
machines and other accessories of news
paper Office. The unfolding camera let
into the wall for the fiashlight picture of
the bride scene-taken. by the way. with
the electric lights in the managing edi
tors office in full flare-seems. however,
a bit too elaborate to meet the require
ments.
Despite the difficulties of presenting in
one scene the birthplace of a great news
paper and its environments, the third-act
scene made even the newspaper men sit
up and take notice. The chief fault in
the play seems to be in the climax, which
is really over when the managing editor
orders the form with his famous forbid
den story railroaded to the press. but
which is prolonged to patch up the broken
links Of a sadly embarrassed love story.
Wheeler Brand, a young newspaper
man with high ideals of his profession.
has secured information concerning
Judge Bartelmy of the United States
court which shows him to be very
corrupt man and CRATER. The judge
learns this and sends his man of bust
ness to see the proprietor with threat
to take $4,000 worth Of advertising
from the paper If the story is published.
The suppression of the story is not
enough. but he also insists that the
young reporter be dismissed. and his
wish is complied with, when the new
proprietor of the paper appears. ascer-
tains what has been done and reinstates
the young reporter, not as q reporter,
but as managing editor. very respon-
reason for it is that Michael Nolan. the
new proprietor, before he made his for
tune, had been sent to prison by the
Judgment Of the corrupt Judge, and
Nolan saw chance to get even."
Brand succeeds in his new position
and pushes his work all the harder
against the judge until he finally traps him
into offering a ten-thousand-dollar bride
for silence and has him 'snap-shotted"
just, as he is handing over the money. The
main thread of the story is embellished
with love episode between Brand and
the judges daughter Judith. and in
tensiied with the efforts Of Nolan's
wife and daughter to get into society.
resulting in Nolan's directing that
Brands great bribery story shall be
suppressed-an order which Brand dis
obeys from a sense Of public duty, thus
producing the big climax.
Mr.. Van Buren's portrayal Of tho young
newspaper man was quite forceful and
Economically attractive. It and the
character work Of Mark Kent as Michael
Nolan, the newspaper proprietor, were
really the strong histrionic features of
the performance. although Miss Jewel, in
the role Of Judith. part Of limited OPP
portunities, was admirable In an intense
emotional scene in the last act. Miss
Howe. as Mrs Nolan. and Miss Bondhill,
as Phyllis Nolan. wife and daughter of
the newspaper proprietor, also played
well. the former especially giving q real
istic and effective characterization Of a
woman who has been snubbed in her
social aspirations. Mr.. Penwarden, as
Judge Bartelmy, gave a smooth and con-
sistent impersonation, and Mr.. Fee, as
his man Of business, satisfactorily met
the requirements. Mr.. LIE Suer won per-
sonal credit at least by his manifest I'M
familiarity with the freaks Of intoxica-
ton. The remainder of the very long
cast of characters effectively helped to
produce the atmosphere Of the newspaper
Office and to meet each his limited de-
mands in the development Of the plot.