Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-02
New National,

Some magnificent stage craft is en-
ployed in the presentation of the new
offering by Henry w. Savage at the
National Theater this week. Tho play,
Behold Thy Wife," is an absolute nov
impress is presented in a forceful way:
1t has the direct appeal Of the oid
morality play. Yet Behold Tiny wire
| is not the solemnly censortous discourse
that the title might imply. 1t Is gen.
tie. sympathetic reminder Of the in
nate and ineffaceable loyalty OF inc
normal feminine nature
Its claim to attention rests cnleny on
a wonderful creation IN stage ta,, pi Se acen.
cry studio of Joseph Urban Cine same
man who constructed the magnlnceht
scenery for last weeks big snow AZ tne
Nationally. is a work OF arr. anu
stands out as the expression OF a cen
trail theme. The remainder OF the pro
duction, including dialogue and action
is subordinate to the thrilling lmpIes,
sion conveyed to the eye Inc esssh.l s.
element of the play is the second ACT.
The first and third acts serve more IN
the relationship of prologue and epl.
logue than as parts of interdepenoeh1
drama. ~
a. man and his wife, the man bent on
divorce and entangled with a young
woman whose previous experIehees
render her by no means sensitive TO ING
idea Of figuring as i 10 tss}p com.
monplace directness, unenlivened even
by sharpness of repartee. These Trivial
quarrels lead to domestic TRAGEDY
which eliminates in frame-up loI
purposes of divorce evidence. friendly
interference contrives that the wite
shall be substituted for her rival IN an
elopement. The automobile Is wrecked,
the wife and husband are rendered m
sensible Then comes the dream OF sub
conscious INSTALLATION which brings
the pair across the mysterious depths
of the River Styx amid the solemn
shadows that lie between the present
and eternity. The accusing judge. ana
damanthus, questions the souls. and the
husband, condemned for his faults,
finds his wife willing to forsake her
own happiness that she may be COM
fort and companion in his Punishment
to remorse. He beholds his wife, not as
the creature of nerves and irritation he
had so long resented, but as being OF
noble fortitude and tranScendent self
sacrifice.
1t is perhaps the most glowing tribute
to womanhood that the always chival-
rous Col Henry W. Savage has paid
since his epoch-marking production of
"Everywoman." AS an argument and a
fident announcement that it is the kind
of a play that every woman will insist
on taking her husband to see. This will
unQuestionably be the case If women
QeClQe To duOpl Inc stage dS llClI du.
vocate and attorney instead Of follow
ing the custom of speaking for them
selves.
The third act shows the recovery.
from the auto accident, the reconcilia-
ton of the husband and wife. the
melting mood on the part of the adven-
turess in recognition of the wife's
broad-minded sympathy. the formal
plighting of a, pair of young lovers
whose future had seemed threatened
by the quarrels of their elders. The
final curtain descends on an atmos-
phere of generous, kindly, human I'M
Outstanding.
To be absolutely convincing. the pres
entation of such a work must have al
most the smoothness of absolute per-
lection in mechanism, in acting and in
literary style. The possibilities of
poetic expression are 1irnitless, and fu-
ture audiences will decide whether they
have been realized to the degree which
satisfies. The domestic scenes suggest
a finesse of phraseology worthy of Os-
car Wilde, and the wonderful second
act brings up an Impression which
would be rendered complete only by
the diction of Milton or Dante.
The author, William Harlowe Briggs
has introduced contrasts Of such bold
ness and vigor that their very audacity
compels attention. The play is well
acted, Alexandra Carlisle being a wom-