Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-21
New n National.

1t Is Il battle Of prejudices, some Old
and some new, that is waged in the new
play which Mr.. Hurlbut has written for
Elsie Ferguson. a great deal of the
stock phraseology of social protest is
met with tine well worn arguments OF
social conservatism. The outcome of the
! conflict is a compromise with sincere
human sentiment, hich is both ola and
new, triumphant.
The Strange Woman" is q literary
curiosity. 1t suggests collaboration oy
Charles Hoyt a.Iu Arthur rineio. he
Characters OF the little Iowa town, IRA" n
Win Keen d-sceEnmeat, are 1dstind.lnoiy
human. Inc mIrtn when they a"anen
ooes not prevent recognition oil their
Photographic ndelity. As the perform
ance goes on impressions are rap.diy
.ontraalSted. The title suggests a seri--
business and severity whl.n the rise OF
the curtain on a group o. gossIping VII
lage people wholly destroys Inc name
OF the play is perhaps not Wei chosen,
since the traditional significance Oh the
pm ase implies an indictment as TO char
acter which is speedily dismissed by the
action of the drama.
Into scenes of almost farcical humor the
element of emotional interest is carried
b. the role of Elsie de Pierrefond. Her
resentment Of the idea of formal marriage
with John Hemingway, who.n she loves
with sincere devotion. seems enthusiastically
perverse until substantial motive is sdp-
pied by her narrative of butter expe-
rlences during an early marriage. She
resents relationship which impl.e
bondage and ideahzes voluntary associa-
ton as d.stlns uisaed from the customary
and 1ormai marriage.
The resentment OF her views by the peo-
pie OF De.pni, Iowa, is naturally shared
by large proportion OF the audience
he dashing and bewitchingly gowned
French lady who has marr.eo the rising
young architect is entirety iconociastic in
her views. Even her charming protests
and explanations cannot remove a certain
well founoed de.erence to matrimonial
custom. But she has at least the saus-
ton of proving the h. pocrisy of ner
assaIiants and claims admiration because
ner views, ii mistaken, are sincere.
The role of lneZ is IN sharp contrast to
the comedy spirit Oh the cast. The three
serious characters are Inez, John Heming-
way. her lover, and his mother, whose
simple nature raoiates an affection that
makes argument against the marriage
which she takes for granted quite inn
possible The brilliant French lady with
PHILOSOPHERS to her credit on library
snelv.s is vanquished by the unspoken
logic of mothers gentle devotion
The background of homely humor
throws the playing of the star, Else Fer
guson, into strong relief. In this play
she Is lIlOeSu a SldT With opportunities
for emotional acting such as sne has not
hitherto enjoyed. AS the third act nears
its close she delivers a TRADE against her
nypocriticai prosecutors which is posi-
tive whirl wind of emotion. Her piquant
and graceful comedy blends with facile
smoothness into the sentiment which she
expresses with deep womanly fervor.
Throughout the play she maintains a
rrencn accent and does 1t with remark
able ease and security. 1t is needless To
say that Miss FefgusonS gowns are the
iaSt word in fashionable eIeSance, and al
the same time effectuaIy designed to en-
nance her particular style oil beauty.
1t is agreeable TO fnd in Mir. Hur. but
an author and in Miss Ferguson an act
ress whose methods are bod, direct and
In no sense initiative.
The SINCE sage setting employed rep
reSentS the architectural era which the
dialogue describes as representing the
Gen. Grant PERIOD when Japanese ar
was just beginning to become popular.
1 he cast contributes series of exce.ienC
character sketches and the dialogue is
nlIed with flashes OF genuine wit.