The Detroit times., 1914-11-24
OPERA HOUSE.

THE Better Way" Eugene Wal
ter's play, which but lately COM
pleted its rehearsals, met with a
gratifying reception in the opening
OF its weeks engagement IN the de-
troit Opera house, Monday night.
The Better Way" -, 10 use a
much ovoTNorked word. typical OF
certain phases OF American life; Typ
Teal lorausc much OF its story can
bee read ,pIecrmcal in the newspapers
OF the country day AfIer day JUST
clip from your taVeFite journal the
utteranCes OF Il social-worker on the
Labor problem, the report OF 9ehsa
tional divorce suit aud IN" account
OF some rich nalctactor return
from prison 10 a life OF compara'lNe
poyerty. and YOU have Mr. Walter $
NAV in the raw. The skilliuI bIShd'
ing OF incident dcHniRtion OF mar
aCter and Finished stage raft belong
TO the author.
Charlotte Walker, who in private
life is Mrs. Walter, nils the leaoihS
role. and her eXQuisit"lN modulaleu
voice. winning personality and re-
markable emotional capacity enao!e
her TO score notable success IN a
difficult part. Round after round OF
applause greeted her work IN inc
fourth act. TO which she responded
bv thanking the audience and eN-
planning that My husOahd 'Sn
here TO make a speech
The staging OF the production was
carried out under Mr.. Walters per
sonal direction and some or the e''
fects ara remarkable. The setting
OF the frst act, with the smoNlnR
chimnevs OF steel town nesting IN
the Allegheny hills as oa'A-
ground. Is startlingly realistic.
"The Better Way" Is In four 9c's
and an ppllouge. The first act dis
closes the exterior OF a laoorer 5
boarding house. conducted by JACK
stanley and his wife, Anna, In
town near Pittsburgh. Anna per-
suades Jack to invest the few thou-
sands which they have saved ns
wears OF unremitting toll and sell
denial in the, invention OF Pollsh
bow. who has discovered a way Tor
cheapening the production OF steel
lack fears 10 take the chance, pre-
ferring TO spend the amount IN
little home, but Anna fires him WIN
the desire TO one day own mills OF
his own.
The next act takes place In the
library OF the Stanley home In Plus
burgh. The invention has succeeded
and Jack Is now a millionaire. BUT
wfrife he has been going forward, MS
wife has remained the same plain
girl OF the steel town. He becomes
dissatisfied and finds another wo-
man. OF a conscienCeless type VINO
plots 10 strip him of his fortune. He
plans a divorce and places private
in his home In the at
tempt 10 obtain the necessary EVIL
dence
The third act Is in Jacks apart
ment in New York. Anna comes to
him and aided by the Polish boy at
tempts. unsuccessfully, to save MIN
from himself.
The fourth act is laid In the AL
leeehney county divorce court, where
a horde OF perjured witnesses swear
away Annals character IN an attempt
TO obtain absolute divorce for her
husband. She makes no defence un-
til informed by the court that the
granting OF the decree means the
loss OF her little son. Then she con-
POUNDS her aCcusers. causes her hus-
band TO .repudiate the plot, and
brings about the indictment Of those
for conspiracy.
In the epilogue is shown ~" re-
union OF Jack and Anna @i.er the
former has completed prison seu-
tence OF seven years.
Byron Beasley, as Jack. is a fit-
ting second to Miss Walker, and VIZ:
ginia Ainsworth, as the other wo-
man" is responsible for fine bit
OF acting. George Stuart Christie
gives an admirable performance. as
the Polish boy, and Walter Wilson,
as the upright judge, runs true to
type. John Arthur as the Bohemian
coachman and correspondent, proves
himself a finished artist.