The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-09
Song of Songs Br0zen Tale
OF Illicit Comprehensive
Sudermann Heroine Trans
planted to the Stage by
Edward Sheldon Is Wis
ualized by Irene Fenwick
with a Tragedy So Real
that the Auditor Feels that
She Has Been More Sinned
Against Than SHINING.
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

The tragic history of Lily Kardos as
revealed in Hermann Sudermann's Or
nate novel was transplanted to the local
stage at the New National Theater last
evening in Edward Sheldon's five-act
play, The Song of Songs" which strips
the soul of the unfortunate girl until II
ies naked and duivering before the eyes
of an audience that is stirred in its SYM
pathy. even while It shudders I'm horror
Of the tawdry tale.
In Mr.. Sheldon's audacious drama this
daughter of Greece, whose nature is
= tuned To idealisms too exquisite in their
fabric to endure the sordidness of
mundane sphere, is found in a board
walk bazaar of Atlantic City oblivious
to her surroundings in her spiritual
search for the siren voice of love for
which her temperamental father babe
her listen in The Song of Songs" which
represented his sole bequeathment to
her.
Here the web of circumstances thai
aE to eamesh her begin their weaving
about her life. and year later We find
her at Tarrytown, n. Y, the wife or
Senator Calkins. who has lured her to
his side still believing in her birthright
OF love, and listening in her heart for
Its song to stir.
MisundeTSto TODD in her friendship for
Richard Laird circumstances weave the
web yet tighter. driving her from the
home of an memorable husband to the
protection Of the man whose motives are
suspected. Protesting piteously. but still
holding fast TO her faith in the divine
fire, Lily begins the second dissertation
of love in her life with Laird, which
continues for four years until Stephen
Bennett. dreamer and poet, touches his
fingers to the Tyre of her being and the
beautiful song of songs" sings in her
heart.
But like many another who finds the
golden thread but to lose it, the young
heroine of the German poet-dramatist and
American playwright finds her strength
insufficient to overcome the hideous fate
which rules her destiny. This time the
grim trick is played by Phineas Bennett,
uncle and guardian of Stephen, who in
veigles the girl into a drunken debauch
which so disgusts her fance and so
blinds him to the white light of pure
spirit that exists beneath the surface,
that he consents to relinquish her, and
We find her at the end of the play ac-
cepting the fine, brave love of Richard
Laird. which has lived all through her
hectic career. offering the final solace in
her hour of inevitable retribution and
grief.
And Lily?
She has heard the Song of Songs that
somewhere in the world is destined to
at some time sing for every living crea-
ture. and knowing how wonderful is its
theme. promises herself that even If the
melody has died out utterly in her own
life she will see to it that it sings for
Richard Laird.
But despite the feeling that through
this final course, Lily will find some
measure OF peace. the auditor who has
followed her sordid story feels resent
ment in the fact that she is more sinned
n orofT ~ fhr0nr rrh,
self SHINING and leaves the theater more
absorbed with this idea than with the
girls DETECTION from the moral code.
The player folk whom A. H. Woods
presents to US in this highly emotional
play remain. in the leading roles, the
same as when the piece last season
shocked the metropolis at the Eltinge
Theater with its brazen exploitation of
Illicit companionships
Irene Fenwick vizualizes' the heroine
with an intensity of emotion almost in
credible for one of her years, inducing
the role with a realism so consumate: !
a technique so skillfui that one is vi |
tally impressed with the unutterable |
pity OF her misdirected life.
As Richard Laird Cyril Keightley pre-
SCENTS a sincere and manly picture, in |
Jecting life into a character that might
easily become theatric: Richard Dix is |
convincing in the role of the poet lover; |
Thomas 4. Wise pleasurably accentuates
what little there is of comedy relief in |
an excellent portrayal of Uncle Phineas:
Hardee Kirkland gives a capital per- |
formance as Senator CaIkins. and Flor
ence Huntington offers a beautiful pic
ture of Anna Merkee.
The large supporting cast is entirely |
adequate; the specially arranged music |
by William Furst and the mounting is |
effective, while the Dlay itself is dra
matically absorbing. |