Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-27
Relasco.

Miss Marie T. Tempest, supported by Mr..
W. Grahame Browne and her English
company from the Playhouse, London,
presented MARY Goes First, comedy
in three acts and an epilogue by Sir
Henry Arthur Jones. at the Belasco
Theater last night, for the first time In
Washington. The play takes it's name
from rivalry over social precedence
between two women in the English
provincial town of WarkinstaL. Its
character is indicated by a quotation
on the program from Fettleworth's
Credentials of Merit (1764), chapter
on titles: Thus it appears that the
honors and Dignities Adjudged by the
state serve often but to varnish the
Stratagems and Pretences whereby
they have been obtained; and the Claim
10 PRESIDENCY is shown to be the Claim
of those who have no ether Claim to
Admiration and Esteem
Sir Henry Arthur Jones has taken
rank as one of the leading playwrights
OF his time, and because of his emil
hence and the fact that the scenes of
Mary Goes First are of this day and
generation it seems a pity that his
play should deal with polite briberieS
IN the form of political campaign con-
1r1but1ons. which he suggests are sue
cessIully practiced by those who go
ABOUT the British Empire hunting for
kn1gnthood and baronetcies English
political life has always been held up
as me example of No Bribery" But
mere mere is comedy. written by an Eng
ushman, dealing with cotempOrary
lie and manners which seems to nrove
the opposite. This phase furnishes
WHAT 1000 for serious thought there
may pc IN the play Sir Henry Arthur
Zones exposition probably constitutes
ELS method of attack upon possibilities
otherwlse considered MARY Goes
Z, TIrst is delightful comedy. Miss
ieIhpest justly ranks as the principal
comedienne of the English stage Her
present appearance at the Be1asco
Iheater is announced as her farewell
10 washington, cause for genuine
regret, especially she has not been
seen s mere Tor four years, her last visit
having been as Penelope The play
suits her. She sparkles in it, And.
best OF all. beginning with Mr. Browne.
VINO is her principal support she has
surrounded herself with one of the
most capable and interesting COM
panieS ever seen here
Americans may not understand as a
rule, that the Englishwoman knows as
much about politics as the Englishman
does-very often more. Likewise, many
Americans do not understand English
politics at all. For this reason, prob
ably. many bright lines in Mary Goes
FIRST did not seem to take hold of last
nights audience But, aside from any
of the deeper things in the play it has
an appeal all its own among women,
of whatever nationality, of whatever
station in life, on the ground that
Mary O'Grady and the coloneFs lady
are sisters under their skins" ~
For what woman does not understand
the efforts of Mary Whichello to pre-
vent Lady Bodsworth getting ahead
of her? That struggle goes back toi
primeval instincts. perhaps. And every
one was glad. very likely. last night,
when Mary's husband, in the last act,
got a baronetcy, and she became Lady |
Whichello, and SO was entitled to 'got
first" at any party which included her
rival, Lady Bodsworth-
Miss Teinpest's repertoire also in-l
cludes The Marriage of Kitty" The
latter will be produced Wednesday and
Thursday nights only. At all other per-
formances Mary Goes First" will be
PLAYED