Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-01-05
Incomprehensible and Audience Com
pletely Is Left In Air At Close
Of Third Act.
FIRST TWO ACTS DELUsoINs
IN TRUE BERNSTEIN WAY
Gabrielle Is Lovely Sympathetic Woman
Until True Character Is Revealed
In Third Act
BY BEAU RIALTo
written for the United Press)

(Written for the United Press)
New York, Jan. 5.-"The Secret"
David Belasco's Christmas week play
with Francis Starr in the leading role,
is still secret with the fall of the last
curtain, as far as the audience is con
cerned. The play is incomprehensible.
The reason for this is that Henri Bern
stein wrote it. Bernstein, like Belasco
is great artist and strives only for
effect. Cause and process may go
hang, says Bernstein, SO long as the ef-
feet is striking and consequently the
audience at a Bernstein play is often
left up in the air, so to speak.
First off, the settings, staging and
business we're Belasco-esque. That
means par-excellence. Miss Starr, one
Of the most promising Of the young
actresses, never did better work than
in 'The Secret and the supporting
company, with one or two exceptions,
is pleasing. But, the plays the thing
Gabrielle Jannelot miss Starr) is hap.
PLY married TO man she adores and
who is madly in love with her. She
has every thing she wants. But she is
insanely jealous. She is possessed of a
devilish spirit that cannot bear to see
anybody but herself and her husband
happy. Because Of this moral perver.
sion, she parts her husband and his
sister, involving them in lawsuit She
brings about the marriage of her dear
est friend whom she really loves, to
an eligible man, for the purpose of
making unhappy youth TO whom the
friend was engaged. Afterward she
breaks up the happy home, by bringing
on the scene the Tilted lover 1t is
these latter incidents that make the
three act play.
Wierd Production.
In it Bernstein out-Ibsens Ibsen in
wierdness and awfulness Besides Cab.
rielle little Nora and Hodda Gabler
are nursery children But Bernstein
let's the psychology Of it take care of
itself. He does not explain the motives
Of Gabriel. He allows the audience to
figure 1t out for themselves. That Is
art, yes, but far from satisfactory to
the average theatre-goer, No attempt
is made to explain.
The first two acts are delusions. Cob.
rielle in them is lovely, sympathetic
young woman, who is all the time work.
ing her Vaccinations without even the
audience suspecting it. That's Bern.
stein's way--to build up to seeming
climax and ten topple il over with an.
other about which the audience have
not dreamed In the third act Gabrielle
is revealed for the first time, not only
10 the people in the play but to the
audience, as n criminal mischief maker,
wrecker Of homes, Even then she
cannot explain her diabolical plottiugs.
Her husband, listening to her confes.
sion demands again and again; "Whyl
Whyl Whyln and she does not answer
The wronged girl friends demands to
know why, and Gabrielle cannot tell,
They all demand the answer and Bern.
stein furnishes none But the point is,
both husbands, after receiving proofs
Of their wives shortcomings, forgive
them. Those who remembered Miss
Starr in "The Easiest Way" and tho
cease Of Becky unanimously agreed
that her work has improved wonderful
ly, Gabrielle is wholly psychological
role and in the hands Of a less slillrul
actress would be a miserable hodge
podgc. Mme, simuonc played Cab.
riclle in Paris last year and the play
failed