The Washington times., 1915-02-09
COLUMBIA.

That elusive. indefnable idea of
something clean and pure. almost eerie;
that sensing of what might almost be
called mental perfume that comes
with the realisation Of the perfect sim
plicity Of girlhood as 1t is about to as
sumo the dignity Of woman-all this.
and completely this. IL the impression
carried away by ,the audience which
watched the launching of Ann Murdock
as star by Charles Frohman in Porter
Emerson Brownies new play. "A Girl Of
Today" at the Columbia Theater last
evening.
After all. the purpose Of presenting a
play for star is to give that star op-
portunity to display the brilliance sup
posed to be inherent with 1t. And II
tnis is all that lis needed. the new
Porter Emerson Browne piece does
was a curious combination Of conven-
tional ideas. brought up to date. The pur-
pose OF the play. aside from its rever-
sion OF the Cinderella theme for Miss
senf nctrs ftenet seemed ;na tS be to pre-;
youth and inexperience in what we are
pleased to call real life. as opposed to
the sophisticated selfishness that is
commonly believed to be the result of
A young girl who has been reared by
rich man because her mother was
his real love, though she married an
other man. IL suddenly left pennilesss
by the taking. off of the guardian and
his large estate goes to set of rela-
tives who had lived in that. worse-than-
poverty state OF semi prosperity which
ensenders ambitions 1t cannot satisfy.
Tho sympathy and understanding of
this type which lives just on the edge
Of that imasinarv line that divides the
flat from the apartment. 1t was not to
| be expected that this kind Of a family
would take kindly to the girl whom they
be the sole beneficiary OF his estate,
but had neglected the formality of pro-
vidine will to that effect. One men,
| Der Of the family. q son, does synlpa-
me tS WI With the sirl He sympath'iss. pat I'VE,
In the processes. And when she II told
help the family social ambitions with a
more pretentious marriage. she agrees
( and then tries to run away The return
Of the dead" man at this juncture sets
| things right again.
In the construction Of this play the
author has seemed to have been more
imbued with the idea that he was writ
ing play for an audience than tellipe
story that actors should naturall,
act He has carefully inserted a mum.
Der Of lines that would do we'll in al
| most any sort OF play, but this one
and has given Miss Murdock at least
one emotional scene rather difficult t.
make plausible.
Miss Murdock is sufficiently delight
full and delightfully."- sufficient. sh'
has the charm and grace AM
with an ability to make them eacl
| understood and appreciated by almos
! any sort Of an audience. That Is tn
real measure OF success for an actres
who would please the many sided pub
lie. There Ii no more difficult thing t
do than to carry the conviction Of girl
Murdock does this and in doing 1t make
sad or glad with her-almost in antici
patton OF her changing Of the moods
Is. the best evidence Of her attainmen
OF success.
The production which Charles Frohar
has given the play Is unusually goo
and the company with which has sur
rounded Miss Murdoch Is quite up to tn
the young man who captures the heal
of the fair Cinderella. is we'll chosen 70
the part and wins the sympathy Of h
audience as he does Of his sweetheal
In the play. Edwin Nicander as
slangy denizen OF what he calls "th
Forty-second Street Country Clubs
gives an excellent characterization OF
type that seems q bit out Of place
this play. Frank Mills. Pauline Du
field. William Holden. Eleanor Gordol
Belle Daube. Harry 8. Hadfield an
William Eville are entirely competent ft
the various parts assigned them-th
bein: especially true in the case Of M
Mills. Miss Duffeld. and Mr.. Holden.
GARDNER MACK.