The Washington times., 1914-10-06
NATIONAL.

/ Miss Frances Starr. in The Secret
: achieves a sort of third act in her owr
| dramatic career She strikes new
note in her acting as pronounced as that
which Miss Ethel Barrymore sounded in
| Mid Channel" Last nights revelation
| of the soul of woman. torn. crushed
| and bleeding from the morbid growth OF
an ugly jealously. was a far cry from
her melodrama roles of early days. II
also was Ii distinct advance over the
types familiar in life to few of us, she
portrayed in The Easiest Way" and in
THE Case of Becky
There was another interesting point in
the performance at the National. II
marked the conjunction Of two eminent
dramatic clinicians. OF very recent
memory is Miss Starts exposition. in
a Belasco stage laboratory, of Becky s
dual personality. Almost as fresh in
theatergoers' minds was Henri Bern
STEMS subtle diagnosis of kleptomania.
These experts unite, in this production
of The Secret" in the creation of a
new pathological heroine. acutely ana
lyzed by the author and visualized with
keen artistic perception by the actress.
Jannelot is likely to live longer than
either of the other two creations.
Gabrielle was happy. Probably she
had done so little TO create that happi-
ness that she regarded it as a thing.
like riches, which might take wings.
That others were as happy as herself
seemed menace to her own well-being.
So with that demoniac facility OF the
women who didn't mean any ahrm' she
set about, almost unconsciously. at first,
then deliberately, to snarl the lives of
those about her.
All that was not quite clear in her
maneuvering. and in her mental proc
esses through all this intrigue. the
author has her analyze in a moment of
ruthless introspecton in the last act.
Pallid crushed. whimpering, undone.
she vanishes through door pitifully
long and so successfully perverted. So
far as the psychologist Is concerned the
play ends there. The rest seems simply
the dramatist's effort to relieve his
bleak picture and give a ray of hope
for this woman's regeneration for his
audiences sake.
Frances STAIRS impersonation Of this
woman was easily the finest character
she has created. But her work did not
entirely overshadow the accomplish
mentS of other members of the small
cast Frank Reichers depletion OF LIE
with the intensity sometimes granted
smaller intellects, was a finished bit OF
work Robert Warwick. appearing in
but one act, left a deep impression as
an early lover of the woman with whose
happiness Gabrielle played fast and
loose. Elaine Inescort as this woman.
was the only impersonation that was
affected by the Limitation of its Gre
ator, but she contributed effectively at
times to the scenes with Gabrielle. The
role Of Gabrielle's husband was accept
ably played by Montagu Love.
Once more 1t is necessary to remember
the difference between the Gallo and
Anglo-Saxon temperaments in apprais-
ing a French dramatic importation.
Capable Of separation entirely the artis-
tic and moral aspects Of a play. the
Frenchman would not be troubled by GER
tain aspects of The Secret" The Amer
lean who is considering taking a very
young person to see this presentation
would be apt to take this difference into
account J. r. H.