Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-09
DEVIL s INVENTION"
AT THE BROAD STREET
New Drama Handles SkilfuIly
Rather Meagre
Material

1g9 ~ DEVILS. Ifeyi1NTIoN.' A drama b
s ossSs nSsad grosd 2es srs., cfRS.STy TSeayTe Pr0duc
Aaies Upderhill .......s.... Violet de BIGGER
q, Edwin Haie.....S William p. Mac
Ha5ts. -. .....s.ss...... .Margaret Dunn
81 Hsrbert Franaius Gustav iSsn yon segrerti sg lfP
Mary Bartlett. .........,.. katherine Enme
faqrry tsSItbon hgssei
At 4 living room in Dr. Hale's house, May
Act Ill bnnso s tbs wo aSs IaSs ia}ef S
There are Just two points to 'erhe Dew
MS Invention" on which patent might be
issued One is the loneliness which comes
70 the wife Of a young doctor-scientist
who has his head set on success instead
Of his heart on love. The other is the
situation that arises when a middle-aged
surgeon must operate on beloved young
colleague who has taken bichloride of
mercury under the delusion that this lone
liness (Which is the devils invention) has
diverted his wife's affections to the elder
man.
These two points are developed simply,
sincerely. They are not overstated, over
sentimentalized or pushed to emotional
extremes.
The first act puts the people concerned
clearly before us. They are not people
set apart from others Of the theatre by
any large amount Of NATURALIZATION, but
within their types they have very
plausible existence. AS a consequence,
they receive our respect and attention.
and when the young husband chances
upon bit of platonic sentiment which he
misoonstrues. he wins our ready SYM
pathy for his nervous, desperate exit, as
rua1I nm. eair nd fha Dlrftftnaqq 10
for neglecting a chance for the customary
frenzied vituperations.
The second act shows the husband two
days later, poisoned, back at his labora-
tory, ready for death as a vicarious judg
ment on the unfaithful. The intercessions
of friend, the wife, and finally the other
doctor are we'll handled TO create tense
emotion without melodrama. 1t may be
questioned whether the customary an
nouncement of an approaching child Is
what "A Pair Of SILK Stockings" would
call quite cricket in a goth century play,
but It is handled with the same restraint
that distinguishes the other scenes of THE
DEVILS Invention" and 1t makes a good
moment out Of the young mans refusal to
let himself be saved by the man whom
he thinks the father of the child. Even
a little more emphasis on this point
might be well to build up the power of the
elder physicians curtain-side decision to
operate.
The third act, outside some comic and
sentimental relief from three minor char
acters, does little more than allow the
elder man to heal the spiritual wounds,
rs well as the physical. by telling of the
reason for the platonic sentlment-the dis
covery that the girls mother was the
woman he left to loneliness, and another,
that he, too, might follow the path of
fame.
The faults of '"The DEVILS Invention"
as well as its patentable virtues, are two.
It is short winded as well as restrained. The
excellent self-possession of Messrs. Freybe
and Moderwen is not employed. as it de-
serves, upon theme, a plot, a dramatic
structure, of size and power. The simple
postulate OF loneliness and mistaken in
fidelity takes only 35 or 40 minutes to
state. The scene of the husbands re-
turn, leading up to the operation runs to
30 minutes. The reconciliation, including
10 minutes of ex post facto comic relief,
takes no more
Now the American stage has never had
= place for the short play-and that is the |
second count against THE DEVILS InVen- |
lion. 1t isnt-in the ordinary theatrical
sense OF the word-an evenings moneys
worth In France It might be. Cut still
more to the bone, IL might pass for a bit of
srand Gutgnolerie with a happy ending |
Dr. with the comic compromises removed, 1t
night serve as a respected and interesting
Auelg VI ono Vltal moment IN tf1ree pEOple'S
ives. an hour and a half's drama to split
I'LL. But America, unfortunately, perhaps,
wants few more punches for its nickel.
Mr.. Won Seyffertitz has given the play
It the Broad one of his usual careful and
Intelligent productions. It is unpretenti-
us. unfinicky. The settings suggest good
aste rather than a fat pocketbook The
ast Is as sSilfully got together. Mr.. Won
ieymsrtitz himself plays the elder physi-
ian with a plausible distinction. Richie
Iing, Katherine Emmett, Fulton Russell
nd Joseph Brennon make the most of
mall parts. Eileen van Biene. as the wife,
) as charming as ever and adds a simple
hare OF emotion to her natural talents.
here Is fascinating child personality in
Toilet de Bicceri. Finally, William b.
lack. after long series OF addictions to
artous sorts of dope, finds bichloride poi
oniug as easy medium as any for loos-
lg the curious and powerful type of emo
on OF which he is master. Unfortunately,
Q Is hardly convincing or interesting in /
he sober everyday of the first and last {
cts And there is where THE DEVILS In j
ention" itself stands most in need of help.
But parhaps 1t is the dramatlst not
ne actor, who must supply 1t. X. NJ