New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-10
N tNe o3IIos0e'
Julian L'Estrangs
Rv ACTON DAVIES.

uHTnlN Alha''a
By ACTON DAVIES.
o,.ps in a name: Any one IN last
70 .nd;euee at the Eltinge was
..;,lv entitled to make use Of shake
~. =. b7omide after sitting through
I. a,ologve of four acts and epilOgue
sI,,oeent." George Broadhursts
,..,.,;on Of sn Hungarian play by
- p,sztor. For If ever a hero
!. had been chrsteued out Of her
-. as It we're, that young person
Il lesding character in this Gym
III i'd. but intensely interesting
dana
whether it appealed to you or not
-, one question. but that it was re-
-s,t,blv well built drama and that Its
.,s,sst grew steadily, scene by scene,
..olS moi be denied. The remarkably
=. ariipc Of the cast which Manager
IN Woods had gathered together had
s.,bsps as much to do with the success
q sI5nocent" as the play itself; but
a.ugb Inc story in itself is unpleasant
~ n is general effect depressing, in
asir portrayalS the cast OF innocent
rored brilliantly. John Miltern, Pau-
nj Frederick and George Probert
,n the three artists who distin-
rished themselves.
AZ he cold hearted, calculating, but
,.,,emelv beautiful Innocent, Miss
freSsrjck as an actress proved a real
rrorise. First as a girl in her earliest
.,5s and later as p full-fedged court
v,b. she played with q pOise, a re-
me and 3 variety which she has never
soVn. Il was a role almost entirely
sreft Of tenderness, but Just once
Iksn she sang her childhood's lullaby
. the man She was deserving, she
gBched a pathetic note.
throughout she was a picture Of
eyeliness, and the manner in which she
bowed her development and at the
nue time the deterioration of limo
Nnt. Get BY act, was cleverly done. To
John Miltern fell the role of the hero
rhO shot himself during the prologue
Ind then exhibited his besotted career
throughout the balance of the play.
hr Miltern's portrayal of Bella Mem
,eiti, toe middle-sged Hungarian who
becomes lnnOeent's FIRST victim, was q
psychological study of degeneration
thieh made you SILVER at times by its
grm realism. Never once resortlng to
sslodrsms, he played with a grim re-
RNe which held his audience fascin-
lied as we'll as awed. His performance
H the latest edition of - Fool There
VAS was a real achievement. George
Piobert scored in his snowy role of a
iouthful roue, and in the last act Ar
bur Lewis, as Innocent's latest lover,
'isyed with rare subtlety and diStinc-
son. Julian L'Estrangc played the in
mAble faithful friend exceedingly
eel.
The similarity between the stage
Aethods Of 'Inuocent' and "On Trial
ne not so much alike after all. In
ach, to be sure, the story jumps back
ai some time after the prologue, but
g 4 matter Ct TACT innocent" in his
1spect resembles the method of Edwin
SeldoR's Romance more than "On
raj Tor II tells a consecutive story
lthout any Interruption.
N The prologue Nemzetti, the hero,
sois himself in a Manchurian hotel.
as iuend comes, identifies the body.
"a from the pages of his diary reads
Dc story Of his misspent life. The
Eene fades, and a villa in Manchuria
lpp1aTs, and Innocent is seen as q
~ young girl in her dissipated ia
aWs house. This role Of the father
VS. admirably acted by Hardee Kirk
ahd The old man cOnfdcs to his
Itno Nemzetti that he is going TO die
~ shortly. He fears for the future
y hls daughter, Innocent, because on
@'h sides OF his family he knows that
,at has inherited bad blood. He makes
esmlettl her guardian.
me second act is IN Budapest after
ns death. The guardian has just
nought Innocent. Her great beauty
lusets instant attention and within
10 days Of her arrival in her new en-
lionment Innocent begins TO belle her
Ahe Her guardian becomes her first
yer As soon as he loses his money
~ deserts him for the young roue who
y o,een persistently upon her trail.
~, last act finds her in a restaurant
nee under the protection Of Rus
gu policeman, Innocent is rather
ns1ed because he never asks her any
l.e;tions about her past. His reply
philosophical to say the least. Point
e 70 large emerald upon her breast,
asks her:
Why should ]? Have you ever
.ssea 10 delyc into the history OF that
~ gave you. Il happens that
~ us past. saw it first in the
~ Of a duchess, then on the bosom
marriott; later saw it gistenjng
Me almost dirty finger of a South
j'ssn millionaire. Each had it cut
set to suit their own taste. Now
80. ~ II has reached you, as you have
SNSaso, In state Of perfection"
Ma us Plot Of Innocent" is ordinary,
=. Il - developed in an engrossing
~. Moreover. it is uncommonly well
so @Sa It's dialogue is never COM
mi -g,itsss Often its lines are witty,
T', Ne whole script of the play, in
q It's sordid theme, has distinc-
~. But the acting of the play sur
~, 49, 1.-The the play itself. Combined, they
~. innocent" a good deal of SEN
va VI not very palatable kind,