The Washington herald., 1914-03-03
NATIONAL.
David warneId In 4The Auctioneer.'

David warneId In ssThe Auctioneer.o
David warfieId was welcomed at the
New National Theater last night by q
house full Of old friends and new. None
other than friends could have given so
hearty a greeting. He carried their gym
pathy with him all through his imperson-
alton of Simon Levi in "The Auction
eer," the play In which something like q
dozen years ago he first assumed stellar
proportions. 1t was like meeting an old
acquaintance to see the figure of the old
Jewish peddler and auctioneer among the
odds and ends of his shop in Hester
street: to follow him through all the ups
and downs of his business and family
life: to laugh at his 0uaintness and
shrewd wit; to smile with his smiles, and
to weep with his tears. And that is Just
what the audience did.
OF all the actors on the American stage
today there as none that has hrmer
hold on the affections of the public than
David Wsrfeld. In this respect he may
be said to be the successor OF men Ike
Sol Smith Russell II one seeks the rea-
son for this II will be found in the fact
that all of Mr. Wsrfield's characterize
tions have been placed in the humber
walks of life and that he has chosen to
present the more lovable phases OF human
nature, those that appeal to the heart
Yet each one of the roles in which he
has appeared carries within itself a moral
lesson. In Simon Levi there are en-
bodied the industry and thrift which are
distinguishing traits of the Jewish race;
the love OF home and family, the forti-
tude with which adversely is borne the
untiring energy with which the true man
sets himself to repair his shattered for
tunes, and fnally the proof that blood
is thicker than water is shown in the
forgiveness extended to the brother who
swindIed him OUT of his all and reduced
him to his former low estate.
Simon Levi is a type and warield is
for the nonce its true interpreter. In
hands less skillful than his II would
lose much of its attractiveness; in fact,
II might run danger of exciting ridicule
instead of sympathy. But Warfeld bal
ances the scales very evenly. His comedy
does not trench upon coarseness, nor does
pathos degenerate into the lachrymose-
In brief he gives US a man Of flesh and
blood and not a mere abstraction No
wonder, then. that his audience enters
Into the humor of the moment and that
IT gives vent to its pleasure by curtain
calls innumerablc.
OF the company that came with Mr..
Warfield on his first appearance in The
Auctioneer' but one member returned
with him last evening. This distinction
belongs to Marie Bates, VINO, IKE MI
warfield was rendered an ovation when
first entering upon the scene Her Mrs
Eagan is an altogether admirable crea-
tion. She is the whole-souled Irish
woman in every word she utters and in
every emotion to which she gives ex-
preston. The other figures in the play
are merely the frame for the two most
important personages. All were excel
lently presented.
Mrs. Jennie Moscowitz is most pre-
possessing Mrs. Levi; George Leguere
does well what little he has TO DO as
Richard Eagan; Harry Lewellyn as Isaac
Leavitt. Simon's good-for-nothing brother,
and Helena Phillips as his still more
reprehensible mate; Harry Rogers and
Marie Reichardt as Mr.. and Mrs. Meyer
Cohen; Janet Dunbar as HelSa, Simon's
lovable adopted daughter; Horace James
as Dawkins, and Lewis Hendricks as
Callahan. with a few other minor fig
ures, complete the very acceptable cast
The fact that the play is presented by
David Belasco accounts for the com
pleteness and accuracy OF the stage set
tings-