The Washington herald., 1913-11-18
COLUMBIA.
Richard Bennett ard His CowOrk.
ers in "Damaged Goods"

Richard Bennett ard His Cowork-
ers in Damaged Goods"
The general public Of Washington was
given its first chance to see Eugene
Rrieux's remarkable drama, Damaged
Goods" when Richard Bennett and his
coworkers presented the sociological
thesis at the Columbia Theater. before a
small audience last night, creating the
impression described by a New York
critic upon its initial performance IN the
metropolis that it initiates a new epoch
Of civilization when the human race will
cease to stumble into revolving physical
situations through ignorance.
To those who have the preconceived
impression that the French dramatist,
responsible for the play in its original
form, and Mr.. Bennett, its earnest pro-
ducer, have invited the public to a dry
discussion of venereal disease and its re-
lation to marriage, let 1t be understood
ar once that, aside from being the most
powerful protest against sex Ignorance
of which one could possibly conceive.
Damaged Goods Is also an absorbing
drama, hideous in its theme, powerful In
its execution, artistic in its presentation,
and compelling in its lesson.
A young man of wealth and social
pOSlllOl III OL oOC-
tors warning that he is in a physical
condition which makes the marriage
crime. The consequences are tragic. His
child is born with the heritage Of the
most dread disease to which human flesh
falls heir. The young wife's love and
faith and ideals are ruthlessly and ire
trievably destroyed, while the grand
mother OF the child, crying out in Bit
terness and grief, would give even her
soul TO eternal torment to save the
baby from its awful fate.
From this climax of intensive interest
the author builds his message of hope
be handicapped by the conspiracy of
silence concerning the fundamental
facts of life, pleading for the enlighten-
ment Of the younger generation; a care
that on the part of a father that the
man who marries his daughter is as
physically fit to be the father of a new
generation as he is financially and So
CiaIly equipped for the duties Of paternity,
still further urging a certificate of health
with every marriage license as a last
protection against a prevalent social
scourge-
Nor is Damaged Goods" so enveloped
in gloom as to become depressing, for.
with his presentation of a. tremendous
evil, Brieux offers a practical remedy
with characteristic optimism, treating
his subject throughout with a frankness
so brutal and complete as to quite disarm
criticism. AS the program states US a
preface to the cast the drama contains
no scene to provoke scandal or arouse
disgust, nor is there in it any obscene
word, and it may be witnessed by every
one, unless we must believe that ignor-
ance and folly are necessary conditions
Of female virtue"
Mr. Bennett plays the role of George
Dupont, the young Frepchman, whose
criminal selfishness drags the purest
thing of Gods creating-a little baby
into a cesspool of filth. imbuing the char
with a remarkable faithful |
ness to both the social and racial type,
running the whole gamut Of human emo
tions in the bitterness Of his despair.
Never was his technique more sure; his
art more finished than in this wonderful
sermon-play, for the presentation OF
which before the general public he has
worked so indefatigabIy. I
No less potent in the Brieux drama is |
the doctor, portrayed with consummate !
skill by Louis Bennison, whose lights and |
shadows of characterizatioa are as mark |
ed as his earnestness is consistent and !
others surrounding Mr.. Bennett in this !
brave and vital work of breaking down !
prejudice and prudery in matters of ut |
most importance to the human, race, are |
Olive Templeton, exquisite in the role of |
the young wife; Maud Milton, whose pic |
ture of the grandmother is convincing of /
the tragic quality of her grief; Florence |
Short, in an excellent conception OF the |
peasant nurses Adrienne Morrison (Mrs. |
Richard Bennett, In a pathetic picture Of |
the girl whose degradation and physical |
ruin had its beginning in an employer |
quite acceptable to polite society; Elsa |
Berold. in a heart-rending doctors ex-
hibit of the outcome of ignorance; Joseph |
Weber, excellent as the father of the |
young wife of Dupont; George Ferguson |
and George F. Moran in minor roles.
JULIA CHANDLER MANI. |