New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-05
BELASC0 THEATRE
1.-THE TemperamentaI Journey"
an Ingenious Comedy.
AMUSING THROUGHOUT
Well Adapted, Well Played,
Well Mounted, Well Produced
A Welcome Play.

| still another great success added TO the
long list OF David Belasco's achievements
| The play chosen. Andre Rivoire's and
| Yves Miranda comedy Pour Vivre Heu-
rcux" proves under the title OF THE
Temperamen;al Journey" and in Leo
Ditrichstein's clever adaptation, thor
oughly amusing comedy ingenuously in
ve1ted well constructed. soundly and
clevorly written. we'll acted. and mounted,
and, OF course. produced to perfection.
with closest attention to every detail that
can possibly be made TO conduce to the
entertainment OF an audience and the sue
cess OF a play.
The story is that Of young painter.
man OF vision. Of genius, who does not
sell and viii not paint TO please the
public An art dealer. who knows the
quality OF his talent full well. purchases
his canvases at starvation prices. hiding
his time The artist has married, of
course. a model who is nagsinS, dis
contented wife 10 him and who, more
over carries on Irritation, 10 put It
mildly. with another knight Of the brush
who has no scruplcs about suitlnS the
public taste And so. one summer even
Ing the genius, seeing nothing before
him but neglect and domestic unhappi-
ness. starts for the Sound 10 end II all.
In the second act the funeral is about
70 take place Fame, laggard during the
Lev him In
death He has become famous over
night He is one Of America land
scaplsts. glory to his country's art.
The art dealer sees his harvest ripenins
the widow is haggling with him over the
price of the pictures left in her hands.
She is to marry the other man. She has
ordered A wreath for the dear departed
with tho touching words Rest in Peace,
10 which. At the last moment, she adds
the sim more touching ones, Until
Come" The funeral procession starts. an
imposing cortege. in which high officials.
representatives OF the arts and men
prominent in all walks Of lfe-here the
adapter has remained true 10 the oriSi-
nal-take their places And then the dead
man turns up very much alive. He had
not been drowned, after all. and they are
burving a stranger under his name. He
nersuades his best friend to keep the Sc
cret and departs for Paris. whence he
returns three years later to reassume his
Identity
This is the main plot. whose complica-
tons are too many 10 be given here at
length. They include touching love in
terest. another tender affair OF a lighter
sort. and a great many we'll contrasted
characters, among them a cheerful COM
poser and his sensible hancee. who will
marry him Just as soon as he has made
a success, and a painter, who Is the head
o. a hourishins art school.
The PLAYERS concerned all acquit them
selves excellently. Mr.. Ditrchstein's little
exotic touch suits the part OF the painter
TO perfection Richie Ling as his friend
the composer. has fine moment OF senti-
ment 10 offset the usual buoyancy Of the
character. and Cora Witherspoon. as his
nancee. Fanny Lamont, is the incarna-
ton OF feminine common sense, the KIND
Of wholesome young woman who Is a true
helpmeet 10 man and tower OF
strength IN hours Of sorrow. Isabel
living gives a touch OF genuine humor TO
her part OF the naGging wife, and spe-
cial. a very special word OF praise Is que
20 Josephine Victor's sympathetic inter
pretation Of the part OF the little ltallan-
American girl who is secretly in love with
the genius. The other parts are in good
hands.
The play is mounted 20 perfection. Inc
Italian inn on the Sound I'm the frst act
will look familiar TO all who see H. the
duplex studio apartment in the second act
is no less true to reality in every detail
and the drawing room OF the composer
and his wife I'm the third in which pros
perity has overtsken them, is a model OF
its kind. The play is clever one and
everything has been done for II that
could possibly be done 10 assure its sue
cess The Temperamentsl Journey IS
capital entertainment.