The Washington herald., 1914-10-04
ny JAMEs 5. IIErcALFE


New York, Oct. a-That was a grand
old France Of the theater which came to
Us during the '70s OF the last CEN
tury and which is recalled to memory by
The Hawk" imported from Paris and
Just procured by William Faversham a.
his starring medium for this season. The
French plays Of that period were shown
10 Us on the stages OF Daly's and the
Union Square Theater when those houses
sheltered permanent stock companies
whose excellencies have never since been
equaled in America II was before the
American dramatist was an appreciable
factor and when our theaters had to look
abroad for most Of their dramatic ma
terial.
''The Hawk" of that Period.
When The Hawk" was frst announced
and before II was known that 1t was from
the pen Of De Croisset and dealt with
French life. there was an impression that
It had TO do IN some way with the char
acter OF the same name in that white
slave story, MY Little Sister" II was
q relief to md that the vice was French
and therefore less repulsiye. The usual
triangle consists In this case of card
sharper, his confederate wife and young
Frenchman, Of good family in love with
the latter. Through the wife's adn1irer
the couple have gained access to the rep
utable social circles in which his family
moves.
The young man catches the Hawk
cheating his mothers guests at poker.
One Of these is q millionaire American
whom the author makes omnipotent In
the affairs Of all the other characters on
account Of a shrewdness which seemed
sadly lacking for his own defense in q
game at which Americans are supposed
to excel. The husband Is driven away
by the discovery and the young man has
apparently smooth sailing with the af-
fections Of the wife, who has not been
detected. When 1t becomes necessary to
secure the husbands consent to a d.
vorce, he is finally dug out from OBJ
scure lodgings broken in spirit and purse
and addicted to morphine.
In the fnAI interview with his wife
which he demands, she becomes aware
that his cheating was simply to supply
her with luxuries and necessities. In the
revulsion Of feeling caused by this con-
fession, 1t seems easy, and more logical
than IT sounds, for her to renounce the
rather placid young Frenchman and re-
turn to the matrimonial bonds for tn
purpose OF saving her husband for q re-
formed future,
This plot gives several emotional and
picturesque scenes for Mr.. Faversham
and Mile. Dorziat, who created the prin-
ctpal female role IN Paris and who has
learned English to play it in this coun-
try. Mr.. FsyerShsm, who never rings
true when he has to play q gentleman,
is at his best when brought to bay by
his rival in the affections Of his wife and
when, a wreck of his former brazen
self, he works upon her sympathies and
her real love for him. In these relations
he carried q conviction which Is always
lacking when he has not the support OF
strong lines or effective makeup.
Mile. Dorzist handicapped, but not
seriously, by her French accent. shows
herself a charming and brilliant artist,
with the technical ability that goes with
training in the French theater. She lie
rot beautiful in face or figure, but has
the magnetism that is a more lasting as
set on the stage than those material ad-
vantages.
The Hawk is a good example In a
school that is old enough to have the
effect Of novelty on the present genera
tion, 1t is quite worth seeing. both for it.
self and the way in which it is done.
ConHIderably More Americas.
Ruth Ghatterton, who gained fame in
The Rainbow" is fortunate to have Sc
cured after that success so fitting a part
as that Of the orphan asylum girl in
Jean Webster's dramatization of her
very young and rapidly promoted star
owes quite as much to the author as to
her own abilities. This character OF the
orphan, taken from hardship to affiUence
by the unknown benefactor whom she
christens Daddy Long-Legs." is by no
means an actor-proof part or one that
could not be made commonplace by COM
monplace treatment 1t is SO rich, though,
in possibilities that Il does not necessarily
-, DNUek -, ~ Il
of great artist because she makes II
charming and appealing to the sympa-
thies. She is fortunate 4 the authors
drawing OF the character, in the quaint
lines she has to deliver and in having for
her foil the good acting and personality
that Mr.. Charles Waldron brings to the
opposite part of the rich Jervis Pendleton,
who is in the same person her unknown
benefactor and her lover.
Daddy Lon-Legs'' is a play Of ro-
nance, almost on the elementary line of
Cinderella and the Prince. which gets
close to the sympathies Of even the most
hardened theater-goer. 1t has the univer- |
sal appeal that should give It a very long |
life on our stage, and would be equally |
potent abroad In less troubled times. |
1t has the added advantages of being |
humorous, cleanly and wholesome, 50 |
only good words are to be said for it.
I'm Decidedly Intense Vein.
When Mr.. Anthony Comstock was
castin:- about for a play to attack, IT fs |
surprising that he chose The Beautiful |
Adventure" instead Of Innocent" The |
latter IL adapted by Mr.. George Broad |
hurst from the Hungarian. It is frankly |
the story Of a young girl who was bound |
by inherited prediction to join the |
ranks Of the lower half-world Of woman |
kind and the process Of her descent Is |
pictured very literally and analyticaIly |
in the play. The stage story Is ingenious |
in the method Of its telling, and there |
is no question Of its power to hold the |
interest. Like "on Trial" 1t places the