Evening star., 1913-11-18
Columbia.

At the Columbia Theater last night
public performance of Damaged Goods
was given. 1t is not production which
invites the expressions of enthusiasm b,
which stage entertainment is ordinarily
tested. Its program announces no spon
sorship beyond that Of Richard Bennett
and co-werkers, the latter term being
evidently intended TO impress the ides
that the players have devoted themselves
to serious and useful purpose and are
not 90 be ranked as ordinary actors. The
declaration on the program that the play
contains no scene to provoke scandal. ol
arouse disgust. may be open to contro-
versy, il public controversy on so delicate
and difficult a proposition as that pre-
sented by Damaged Goods" be permis-
sible
The play is typically French and at the
outset adopts an old French theme, the
enforced marriage of young people re
gardless oil their fitness THIS play, now
ever, departs from the old plan wh1cii
made the question one of temperamental
fitness. The enforced marriage deheS
considerations OF physical htness AS an
argument the play Is not very convincing,
however terrific II may be as an OBJECT
lesson in sociology.
The young man is at the outset weak
and unworthy specimen of humanity, OF
conversation with the doctor with REFER
ence to his approaching marriage SHOWS
that he has already had the adInohitloh
and advice which Damaged GOODS ls
now seeking to scatter broadcast on the
theory that it is o dinarily inaccessible
TIle. Young man proceeds. in defanSe or
professional advice and his own con-
science, to contract a marriage, anu III
spite of the misery this MARI lage causes
TO others the prospect Is held out IN the
ln of h restoration
forgiveness by his family and prosper
GUS and happy life after a few years Oh
patience There Is not even the relent-
less catastI ophe which would make the
drama an unqualified reminder of the
wages of sin. The hideouS climax that
brings down the curtain on the second
act is finally CLOSED over and the sus-
gestion of penalty escaped Is quite as
strong as the reminder of retribution-
In the effort to hold interest the force
of the central argument is lost in Dam
aged Goods to a large degree, as it is
lost in every purpose play. IN o. der 10
carry on dialogue and action there must
be counter suggestions to the main theme,
and these counter suggestions are ire
quently strong enough to overwhelmy or
at least seriously hinder. the line of ar
sument originally intended. Great in
geIiuity has been shown in weaving
quotations from medical works and books
of law into dialogue in way that makes
them inte. esting and natural conversa-
tional incidents.
The first object of the performance
seems to be to terrify more than in
struct. to invoke the threat of physical
penalty as a substitute for moral per-
Suasion to the observance of what are
considered the ordinary proprieties. The
characters introduced and cross-eXam-
med by the physician turn the stage
into d chamber of horrors. The shock
to the sensibilities of the person who
regards the theater d place for en-
tertainment rather than for instruction
seems scarcely compensated by the re-
mnder that in the marriage con-
tract, as in other contracts, decency
and q sense OF honor should be pune
tiliously regarded.
Mr.. Bennett plays a most unpleas-
ant character with all the variety of
expression that it's limitations allow.
The remainder of the cast does not dis
play any qualities that merit especial
distinction. The play carries out the
purpose which its promoters announce,
as forcefully as the theatric form of
expression. with it's rigid limitations,
permit. Whether the purpose is a
necdful one, or whether such a need
should be met by this means. or
whether the dramatic form having
vitation OF mixed audiences TO 4 dis
cussion ordinarily associated with the
idea OF the most sacred privacy Is a
matter open to debate. The propriety
or the relationship Mr. Bennett and his
company have undertaken to establish
between the public and the theater
hardly calls for extended consideration
IN column which bears the caption
'Amusements."