The Washington herald., 1912-03-12
THE COLUMBIA.
"The Common Law"

A. H. Woods latest production-and
Washington audiences have enjoyed two
excellent entertainments out OF the three
attractions under this managers banner
which have played here this season-of
Bayard Veiller's dramatization of Rob-
eTt W. Chambers novel, The Common
Law" was well received by a large audi
ence at the Columbia last night. Whether
Mr.. Woods has a commercial success in
the stage. version of this unusual story
of studio life remains to be seen. There
is little question, however that the thou
sands of readers who have enjoyed the
Chambers novel will be interested in
seeing its characters in flesh and blood.
Possibly Mr.. WELLER. whose name does
not appear on the programme, but whom
We are given to understand made the
dramatization, did not find his task an
especially easy one. In worthy effort
TO depict the studio atmosphere in COM
parison to that in which Neville's fam
lily would find themselves at home the
story of the love of Louis Neville and
Valerie West is at times almost entiely
subordinated. Notably is this true In
the first part of the second act, when
there is introduced a singing specially
by three young women with masculine
voices. who sing three songs of the type
Of their first one, which is entitled. Il
Got Yer. Steve" Then. too. the intro
duction Of several incidents showing the
seamy side of studio life, which, while
they serve their purpose of laugh get
ting. through Sam Ogilvy's humorous
description of his many parties" does
not tend to further the development Of
the plot. However, Louis Neville and
Valerie West and their associates prove
quite as interesting people on the stage
as they were before stepping out Of Mr..
Chambers book.
The Common Law has been divided
into four acts. In the first act we see
Neville in his studio, Handicapped by the
lack Of proper model to pose for what
is to be his greatest work. Querida
comes and with him the knowledge that
he is about to steal NevilIe's great COM
mission. Valerie stumbles in in search
OF work. and as the curtain falls is
posing for Neville.
The second act takes place six months
later. Valerie has proved Neville's in
spiration and the great work is finished
and has been accepted. II is New Years
Eve, and there is a merry party, with
the features above mentioned. Querida
has become enamored of Valerie and
Neville to awake to the fact that he
loves her madly and he tells her Of his
love and proposes marriage. Valerie
is about to accept him when Neville's
mother and sister arrive and denounce
her. Valerie leaves the studio heart
broken, after announcing that she will
not ruin Neville by marrying him.
In the next act is shown the home of
Valerie and her friend and fellow-modeI,
Rita Tevis. Suerida comes to tell Vale
rie of his love, but with no offer of mar
riage. He is repulsed, and Neville ar
rives in time to knock him down and
then order him out. Valerie offers her
self to Neville as his commop-law wife,
but Neville will have none ofsit, and in a
dramatic scene denounces the proposition
The same evening Neville Is found in
his studio, where his mother comes, and
for the first time realizes how much her
sons love for Valerie means. She takes
back and makes amends as far as possI-
bic for all that she has said before, and
gives her consent to the match. Valerie
arrives opportunely, and is locked in
Neville's arms.
Robert Dempster makes a manly and
attractive figure as Louis Neville, and
Margaret Greene is pretty and winsome
as Valerie. Brandon Hurst, whom no
one could ever mistake for other than a
polite villain, is Querida, and gives
performance marked for its smoothness
and ease. Thomas P. Jackson as Sam
Ogilvy and Dohl Davis as Tessie Mason,
the show girl. contribute laughable char
acter sketches.