The Washington herald., 1913-10-28
COLUMBIA.
Mabel and Edith Taiiaferro i'm
sYoupe wisdom,


To say that Young Wisdom. the
hew play by Rachel crotners' a Sc
kies of farcical situations evolving out
tof the idea OF trial marriage, suggests
la theme of slight interest since the
evasion of the responsibility of matri-
I mopy has had its sponsors since the
world began, but in the case OF the
farce comedy, in which Mabel and Edith
Taliaferro made their first bow to WASH
ington as joint stars in the Columbia
Thester last night, a statement of its
theme only begins the story of a success
which Is based upon Miss Crothers
unique and brilliant treatment Of the
world-old subject and the excellence
with which the play is acted.
Victoria Claffenden, the daughter of
Judge who Is satiated with orthodoxy,
comes home from college with her head
chucked full of freedom for women in
through her talk and lot of books on
the subject she succeeds in making her
younger sister. Gail.Sa disciple OF her
creed Gail decides TO put the theory
of trial marriage into effect, and 10, the
pot of trouble starts a-boiling, for Peter
Van Horn, a most conventional New
Highlander. with more than the average
ohtuseness to his credit, is not an easy
fiance to win her advanced theories;
accomplished. On the very eve of their
wedding Peter and Gail run away to live
their life of trial companionship IN
beautiful freedom on a higher plane,
a step which involves both sisters In
a series of highly humorous situations,
through which poor Peter is always the
goat" and out of which the sisters
come to a most normal and happy con-
ception of life, and woman's part in
the scheme of things
The role of Gail, the charming and
superserious younger sister, who is en-
thusiastic to test things before taking
them unto herself for keeps, is as
piquant and winsome a characteriza-
tion in the hands of Edith Taliaferro
as was her creation of dear "Rebecca
of Sunnybrook Farm" She brings to
the picture all the romance and inno-
cence of youth, while her sister Mabel
is equally as effective as the college
bred Victoria. whose untenable the
orfes crumble into dust when put TO
the test, leaving her a very much dis
illusioned young lady, who is ready to.
admit, with something Of reverence,
that the eonyentionalities Cat least as
far as marriage goes) are the better
way.
The supporting cast is exceptionally
well balanced, including Hayward CHM
as Christopher Bruce, the stalwart
sweetheart of Victoria, who gives an
excellent portrayal of the role; Rich
ard Sterling, fiance of Gail, who, with
her, learns before II is too late, that
their marriage, If consummated, would
be a mistake, is most effective as the
thick-headed, long-suffering Peter;
Max Norton, the artist, who won Gail
in the end, is capitally acted by Regan
Hughston; Mabel Bert makes a pretty
and pathetic picture as the mother Of
the pseudo advance idea thinkers, while
Junius Matthews as the irrepressible
'youngerbrother, Aubrey Beattie as the
bullying father, and Louis La Bey in a
minor role each deserve a word of
praise.
As for Young wisdom"-it is
unique, not in its central idea, but in
the amount of humor Miss Crothers
has extracted from it, the frank, bold
strokes with which she has painted
into the fabric of her tale characters
whose counterparts we see in the
work-a-day world; folk who want to
distort the purpose of life to fit their
own craving for a greater personal
liberty Cor license, as you wild; others
who are as narrow as a frogs hair;
others still who are too easily swayed
or too dense to see beyond their own
noses, and yet again those whose dis
cernment passes lightly over things as
they seem to be down into the deep,
deep heart of things and folk as they
are-you'n find each type in Miss
Crothers' scintillating comedy, which
is presented by Joseph Brooks and
staged by Robert Milton in a manner
which does credit to both.
JULIA CHANDLER MANI.