The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-06
ADJUSTMENTS
Acadcmy-"DHmaEed Goods,n NATL
nee and night.
DijOu--Graycc Scott Company In "The
Prisoner OF Zcn,ln"
Lyric--i<cith Vaudeville, matinee aud
night.
COloDiai---vaudcvIIIe and pictures.

Plain Talk.
Wh,e hen, toward tho end of the third
the Academy OF Music last night one
OF the characters said. Now look here.
Let's hay. "a little plain talk" the au-
dience Uttered. in spite of the close
attention and absorbed interest with
which it had followed every line. every
word. For IL there ever was a play
u, IN which +, there WAS little but plain
From the beginning of the story to
IT'S actual end at the close of tho sec
ond act. and to the fall OF the curtain
sort OF economical and medical ad-
denduin TO the story itself. there
talk that ever cmanat ted from the stage
or any theatre. except when it was oc-
eu4pied by u lecturer discoursing words
OIL strong meat for men only"
m In TINS play spade is called n shovel.
me author shuns the use Of words of
sqgs J;h, and. disGarding al forms
cate facts or conditions by the en-
pl9yment Of incident or situation.
,, IL Is az bald. harsh, hideous nara
dialogue, often. In the Socratic manner
OF question and answer. and sometimes
m narro IKE IN it, SIMPLICITY, And IL is
thoroughly foreshadowcd. story OF sin
anu retribution that could well be con-
s,rmcted. Any ordinary physician or
periencc dozens of Incidents more in
tercsting In the remoteness OF their
notliar M ;h rom The cause. to say
phases that are turned in all their hor-
ror TO ocu!ists and other specialists al
most as matter Of the days work
But. while Eugene Brieux chose to
convey. his message" In words that
reek Of THE clinic and the hospital. the
insulting room and the morguc. he Sc
itcted 10 point his moral a case of
sheer. almost incredible folly. which
one one could GO. , e;Xpect to hs indulged in
whether the stage Is the proper place
Tor the PRONUNCIATION OF doctrines urg-
ing the single standard, certificates Of
various sorts, early INSTRUCTION OF the
youth. and eugenics generally, Is a mat
ter Tor the public to determine. and Il
cannot be questioned that the audience
ences In many other cities. answered It
IN me Affirmative. 1t sat and listened
IN y, tense SILENCE to long, speeches in
the broad, naked freedom OF the open
clinic. in which pathological causes and
effects are exhibited and expounded.
ana ~ applaudcd tho theories, doubtless
sound that were advanced steps
toward the betterment of humanity
WIN I'm, 'umn !, n,o t aPPpI,roy. !; .o
thrilling moment-reaIly an Incident
Damaged Goods is largely a study In
statistics. fashioned into drama form.
the introduction of series of types
which serve an horrible examples. One
line In the piece mag be taken as it's
theme; The mystery and the humbug
with which physical facts are sur:
rounded should be swept away" And
the author proceeds TO sweep them
away with the nice dclicacy of "a mule
drawn street cleaning machine.
Richard Bennett has selected for the
presentation OF his private little mint
Il company that Is far above the aver
age: Howard Han. formerly well known
here. plays the doctor with Il dignity
and impressiveness that lend much
strength 10 tho part, while his curtain
speech at the end of the second act is
no less admirable as a performance:
Arlcen 1iackctt. remembered for her
fine work with Guy Standing and
Theodore Roberts in The Right OF
Way, is terrifyingly effective az the
wife in the one big scene in the play;
Raymond Bond. though too apparently
Juvenile as the husband. Is convincing
In the heavier moments; Anna Ashley
plays an Ill woman with sickeninE
realism: Desiree Stempefs unfortunate
girl Is powerfully donc-and the word
IL not too big--and the minor charac-
ters are In capable hands
There will be two more performances
to day.
Douglas Gordon.