The Washington times., 1912-02-06
ARTISTIC TRIUMPH
SCORED BY MASON
IN AS MAN THINKS
Production Makes Thought
full All Those Who Wit
ness 1t.

John Mason and a supporting COM
rany that met the exactinE require
ments of what mas been characterized
the greatest play of Augustus Thomas,
r-As Man Thinks" scored an artistic
tIiumph last night at the Belasco Thea
Ter. A large AMI fashionable audience,
including Mrs Taft. Miss Helen Taft.
and the latters young guests 1T the
White House, witnessed and applauded
the first production in the National
Capital of the play which las had a
successful run in New York.
"As a Man Thinks" made thouShtrul
people of those who went to the Belasco
last evening. 1t carries an fntcrmingled
story Of love, jealousy, philosophy. and
religious prejudice. AS in The Witch
png Hour" the author has once more
hwelu upon the power of mind over mat.
ter and he drives the lesson home. So
neItly Is the plot handled, and its mean-
eng interpreted. that the man of Jew
ssh faith and the man of Christian be-
plef each heard the lesson from the
stage and took no offense.
Story of the Play.
without revealing the true dramatic
appeal OF "As A Man Thinks" to those
who have yet to see the play, it NAV be
eatd that the play deals With jealous
wife who momentarily challenges the
fruism, Just or unjust. that there is n
double standard of morality in life that
the man may transgress where the
woman may not. She oversteps once,
tnnocsntly enough, perhaps. the bounds
OF propriety and the hushvnd fails to
condone in wife the semblance of his
pf misunderstanding, a home is on the
the verge of permanent dissolution, and
the husband Is obsessed not with the
thought of his own misdeeds, but with
~ .,,ak L,.k AN-k,s tx1. ..
Eed. loss Of faith in virtIous woman
kind
Doctor Seeiig is q philosopher as we'll
as physician. He makes the scales
eonvinces the wife that after all. for
tho betterment Of humanity. there is
a double standard OF morality because,
upon the golden basis Of woman,s Vir-
brlngS home. too, the lesson OF "as a
pnan thinks so he is.
Strong Play Well Acted.
1t Is a strong play, we'll acted. Mr..
John Mason furnished a strong por-
trhyaI OF the character of DR.. Seelig.
THE part fits the high talents of Mr..
Mason. and he Ats rhe part. The lesson
that came over the footlights last night
is one to dissipate religious prejudice
and to cause one to wonder If after all,
many maladies are not mental rather
than physical.
Miss Chrystal Herne furnished an ex-
cellent Interpretation Of the part of Mrs.
Clayton, the misunderstood wife. and
John Flood was realistic as the over
wrought. and. for time, unforgtving
husband Miss Charlotte Ives. as dainty
and petite as ever. was refreshing as
lNeedah SeeliG, whose love AFFAIR with
Julian Burrill. furnished the occasional
comedy spots in a deep problem play.
Vincent Serrano was cast as Julian
Eurrill, and was entirely acceptable.
Walter Hale capably assumed the role
OF Benjamin De Lota, a Hebrew. whose
infatuation, for the wife afforded tho
theme upon which the play VAS found
ed. He was well cast in rather diff
Tcult role.
George Castor, an old favorite with
Washington audiences. vas the Judge
Hoover, of the play. and bis quaint
mannerisms pleased from the moment
ho came upon the stage. The compare
lively minor roles were in the hands
of Eleanor Moretti. as Mrs. Seelig
James Vincent. Frank ellsworth; vii.
lis Martin. GeneVieVe Tobln, and Edit
Shayne. ana each contributed a share
toward q dnished production.