The Washington times., 1915-09-28
BELASCO.

Last night marked tho premiere OF
the English comedy. THE Two Vir-
tues" by Alfred sutro. with q. II.
Sothern in the role Of Jeffery Panton.
Perhaps because Of a slight feeling or
unfamiliarity with such character as
Jeffery. the audience did not take
warmly to the first act. but 1t was
feeling OF strangeness quite normal
For Jenery was and was meant to be
a quaint. absorbed. sincere person IN
tent on beiEg himself and OF merely
going through the material moves OF
convention for the sake Of peace.
Jetfery Pantheon took his romance ,,,s;nl With
young Isabel. twenty years his junior
sorption. rather absent -minded It is
true. with which he observed all OF the
conventions. Bullied as a child by his
sister. Lady Milligan. bullied as q young
came very near being bullied as an
older man by his sister. Lady Milligan.
But just scant five minutes or so after
she traps him in his lair alone for the
, test out her power over him. the lost
, Isabel bursts into the room.
with her advent the ferhnine inhu.
ence which has threatenoI 90 surround
JefTery. or at least make him uncom-
Portable. is diluted. and he Is able to
view the situation with amusement.
Darling sister wants him to marry some
woman whom she has chosen. but Isa-
bel wants him TO prove his undying
| devotion. prove the sincerity Of love
which prompts the rctainment of a huge
Oil painting Of the lost one. and also
her gloves under glass. bv taking away
from her husband the dreadful woman
who has ensnared him. Sister is shown
out: against her wish. and the lioor is
1sabel's.
Not until she reveals that she has
| threatened her husband with leaving
: him and coming to her poor. dear jeff
snonsibilities OF the situation. Once the
prospect Of actually having Isabel pre-
| sents itself. he loses all interest. and
with the precipice Of married life
yawning frightfullv in front of him. I've
wildly consents to approach the Guild
| lord woman. Although Isabel has men
| toned her as 'one of them" one of
the unspeakablcs.' Jcffery sensibly
makes his own opinion his own.
And when Mrs. Guildford turns out Ia
be lovely woman. deeply interested
In the same line OF work that he has let
wran itself around him. Jeffery forgets
sister. lost love and pose. thrust out
OF him In the great interest of the mo.
ment.
He engages Mrs. Guildford as his col
laborateur. she accepts. and together
, they start work. but Isabel isn't going
to let herself slip from the pedestal
does not in the least intend to let hei
! brother marry that horrible woman. Sc
I armed with convention. wrapped about
| with chastity and ready to commit mur.
der on circumstantial evidence, the two
pure woman descend upon Mrs. Guild
ford In Jeffery's rooms and succeed In
| sending her away.
OF course. she goes and Jeffery goes
and gets. and marries her in the day
after. but that isn't the climax Tho
| real climax comes In the third act
when Jeffery having rid himself Of lisa
bel sits down and tells his sister what
he thinks Of her. how he despises her
and what contemplate meddling
prude she Is.
Haidee Wright. as the sister, gives a
presentation worthy Of compa rison with
the splendid Jeffsry role of Mr.. Sothern
Charlotte Walker does an excellent bi
OF work as Mrs Guidford in the thI.c
act. while Blanche Yurka and PasHint
! Whitson are acceptable as Alice Exerr
and Isabel Jervois. respectively.