Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-04
BelascO.

Drawing upon the possibilities rather
than the probabilities Of life, yet never
once forgetting or obscuring real human
nature and battling the beauty Of prin-
ciple with the haughtiness and unreason-
ableness of pride, the tenderness of chaste
love with the harshness of drunken ego
tism and passion, George Broadhurst has
produced in Bought and Paid For, the
splendid play which made its first appear
ance in Washington at the Belasco Thea
ter last evening. after wonderful success
in New York and elsewhere. With con-
summate skill he has woven the elements
Of real humanity into a drama that ap-
peals with irresistible force to ones better
self and yet never once seems preachy,
or artificial in its construction.
The story simply told is that Of a young
girl, who has educated herself above her
surroundings, and who, when the first
curtain rises, is sought in marriage by
self-made, rich man. of great force OF
character, although she is but ten-dol-
lar-a-week telephone girl and he power
in the world of business. She Is not quite
sure she loves him. She feels before &C
cepting his honorable offer she should
first be convinced that she is, because to
her it is love with respect. and not the
legality Of the ceremony that makes the
real marriage.
They marry and the second act finds
them devotedly attached but discloses the
worm l. tn bud,'' that he has become
too fond Of drink.
Wine changes his nature completely
from that of a gentle. tender. appealing
lover to that Of the coarse. domineering
brute. His embraces are repulsive to her,
en- in the door OF her room in a
drunken fury she puts the ultimatum
before him that he must absolutely never
drink again or she will leave him.
The pride and force of character that
made him great in the business world
itself insists that he ia the
head of the family and must not be
forced The simple girl, true to her In
stincts and principles, then leaves his
home.
charms Of the play. Jimmie Gilley, her
brother-in-law, desperate at his reduc-
ton from salary of $50 week and all
1t brought to him and his family to
post that pays him sl3 a week; resolves
that something must be done. BY trick
he brings the husband to his wife's side
in the belief she has sent for him. and
she. believing he has come of his own &C
cord, falls into his arms with such an
intensity of love and gratitude that,
ashamed Of himself, he capitulates COM
pletely.
This Jimmie Is the bright particular
star Of human interest and comedy IN the
play. Pregnant with ideas of his own
ability-ideas which never amount to
anything-and with a fund Of wit born
Of the clean soul and bright mind OF
genuine Irishman, Jimmie moves through
the play, blending sunshine with SHADOW.
laughter with tears in such consum-
mately natural way that gloom is never
permitted to linger or Cypress, and the
sunlight Of happy ending is ultimately
reached through chiaroscuro or ups
and downs that make the dawn real
| Joy and well earned.
1t was not alone, however, the excel
lence Of the play, told in the advance
notices which filled the Belasco Theater
from pit to dome with an audience sucn
as it seldom has, Julia Dean, the splen-
did Young actress who won her laurels
| in Washington with her brilliant work
several seasons ago with the Columbia
| Players. and who has hosts of the stan
| chest admirers here, shared IN those ad-
| vance notices. albeit modestly. despite
| the praise given her by the New YORK
critics when the play first made its sue
| cess. 1t is she who created the role OF
| the young wife and it was she who show
| ed her Washington friends last night
how we'll she deserved everything that
| has been said of her in the past. They
knew what she could do and they have
| now seen what she has done In what
| is perhaps her greatest success.
Charles Richman as the rich husband
| presents a magnificent characterization.
In every detail of his difficult role his ad-
mirable talent and art were blended with
splendid discretion. His Robert STAT
ford is a role that will be long remem-
bered and not soon duplicated.
| AS the irrepressible Jimmie. the young
man with an epigram that. slangy
| though 1t be- scattered the sunshine and
laughter whenever he opened his mouth,
| William Harrigan was Incompatible
| And as Fannie, his wife, Miss Agnes De
Lane was a genuine delight. Nor must
| the fine work of Allan Atwell as Oku,
| the japanese valet, be overlooked. II
| was spleldidly natural and consistent,
| an illustration of what a minor role in
| q play Of the deepest interest may be
made by a real artist Indeed. the cast
| throughout shared the honors Of the play,
and they were great ones.