New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-11
.BELASCO'S RESTAURANT
Decentralization of a Spot|eSs
Eatery and Domestic Virtues.
1.-THE GOVERNORS LADY"
A New Old Fa shioned Play
for the Unsophisti-
Gated.

| Splendid Splendid" exclaimed
neighbor In the orchestra subordinate
player had served a cup OF coffee,
sandwich and a plate OF pie Tor was Il
doughnutD to a seedy customer in one of
Childs's restaurants on a snowy night.
| The realism (or was Il symbolism? p
pierced the sensibiities OF the spectator.
OF many spectators. and great was the
applause. The place was the Republic
! Theatre. on a sultry evening; the man
ager Mr.. Beasco; the occasion. the pro-
duction Of a play called "The Governors
| Lady" The programme stated that Alice
| Bradley is the authors name Miss Brad
| ley. summoned for a speech. deputed En-
! met Corrigan az orator OF the evening.
Mr. Corrigan was understood 10 say that
| the author modestly disclaimed praise and
| claim; she had, he averred. merely
brought TO Mr.. Belasco an idea. MIR.
Belssco, Il was inferred, had done the
rest. In the circumstances Mr. Belasco's
/ shyness was both novel and interesting.
His name was i'm no way associated with
that Of authorship. But Mr.. Belasco
made a speech too-already there had
/ been oceans OF falkland he thanked
everybody according TO the formula sa-
cred 10 such occasions. This was before
the restaurant scene. Had It followed
! that touching and uplifting spectacle the
| audience. already bursting with enjoy
ment. would. beyond doubt, have nomi-
mated Mr. Belasco as n candidate for the
| Presidency OF the United States. SO up
| lifting Is art, 20 ennobIng is the drama!
The Office of this play seems 10 be 10
| advertise a chain Of popular restaurants
| and 10 afford Emma Dunn another oppor-
! tunty. almost an intermnable opportu-
nifty TO act another mother part Adj
| mlrably. indeed. she acts this kind OF part
but there Is so much OF the part In this
| play that IL We9ries some beholders. Miss
| Dunn's eternal smile perpetual goodness.
| her incarnation Of the domestic virtues.
are very fine. no doubt, but four acts OF
I them or three acts and an "epilogue,
/ make an allowance too liberal by half
! For the domestic virtues as well as the
! restaurant are dramatzed here. The res
! taurant occupies the eplogue. II might
| have been n drydock as we'll as restau-
rant. or II might have been double
/ deck trolley car. or roof garden. The
]
ance. II has nothing TO do with the play
| But tho Governors Lady goes to the res
| taurant for privacy and because IT IS
! snug" Symbolism again? or realism
/ The play will take tho town for several
\ reasons Because Mr. Belasco produces
/ IT, because Emma Dunn and the domestic
virtues MI IL. and run over II; because
| the real restaurant IS so very real. ana
| AZ the same time symbolic Of the thought
| and artistry OF the hour. The sand-
| wiches are well played. the frost on u''
! windows refreshing In this horrld. torrid
weather. Art is justified OF her children.
! The play tells % a Westerner who made
millions. and lived In an overwhelming
marble mansion. and progressed so fast
/ that his wife could not keep M with him.
I He tells his wife that she is "as obsti-
! nate az a mule" And so she IS. So is he.
4 Tho good woman IL appallingly good.
/ and I'm the first act is quite bereft or COM
mon sense. No wonder the Western mill
| ionaire wishes for separation or divorce.
| He seems. I'm the first act, decent sort
/ OF person, manageable enough n the VIE
| had a grain Of sense. In the other acts
| she has more sense than he. Ana then
again she hasn't. The Western million
aire Of the marble and prodigious halls
/ decides 10 marry a young woman or the
/ great world. The young woman OF the
great world has seen Paris and London
and Washington The man she marries
| must have a drop OF Napoleon IN
/ his blood" She thinks the Western
millionaire has the NapOleonic drop. She
will marry him II he can obtain divorce
| from the incarnation OF the domestic
virtues. Thus is the young lady OF the
! great world dazzled by n candidacy 10:
| Governorship! Wondrous ambition
The young lady rellnquishes her vast
ambition after talk with the incarna-
4 ton Of the domestic virtues. But the
two mules separate. one mule becomes
| Governor and visits New York The other
,nule seeks privacy and snugness In tho
| shiny white restaurant. There the TWO
mules meet. and decide that they
cannot 1--we apart. And II Is under
stood that they live happily ever
after. Emmett Corrigan plays one
mule. and plays him admirably. MISS
Dunn's success has already been referred
IN The dramatzed dumplings and sand
wiches were thrilling. For long tiihe 10
come the town will feast upon thehi'
PLAYS quite as fine and tender and brlst-
rneIy moral were popular years ago III
theatres remote from Broadway. But less
was written OF art and the isms and the
milf, in those days. Now the unsophis-
ucated in their thousands rush at higher
nr,ces The coffee looked real last night
ana the cash register rang. success;
Who can doubt It" - w