Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-30

Another new play was welcomed to
Washington for its dignified intentions
and conscientious treatment in The
Greatest Nation" A very generous re-
Spouse to the unsea soned performance
in this city is exceptional. II is pretty
generally understood that under the
modern system of production the first
week or two of presentation is likely
to be part of the process of actual
composition. and unless the first per-
Torrance is one of exceptional finish
and accuracy, the conservative play
going public, on which the legitimate
attraction must largely depend, is quite
likely to withhold its patroneg Hntil
report from elsewhere announces that
the play has survived to be chronicled
in the annals of success. William Ell
Iiott's appearances in this city have not
been very numerous, yet they establish
him on a basis of friendly acquaintance.
His portrayal OF the youthful lawyer
N the last act of Nine. y" Will al
ways be remembered, even though he
may be accounted as having surpassed
it in his subsequent career.
$3.50
AS an argument Tor peace The Great
est Nation" contains some contradictory
suggestions. 1t appeals with warm
sentiment, not with cold logic. eX-
presses the buoyancy OF youth and not
the repression of mature analysis. If
scenery alone could be relied on to
lure crowds into the theater, the ticket
l,e hes nv
eager to witness some of the most re-
markable triumphs of the scene paint
Srs brush
1t may be suspected that more atten-
ton is given to scenery than its reiia-
bility as theatric asset warrants. An
iuea sufficiently strong TO grasp the
attention, sufficiently well worked out
To hold it, has often sufficed-as in the
cases of 'Everywoman,' the Ben Greet
productions, and, according to report.
The revival of The Yellow jacket
10 win enthusiastic response without
lavish embellishments. 1t requires a
very great play, indeed, to subordinate
the scenery now considered essential 10
the idea ana expression. The Greatest
.sation has the elements OF such great
ness: bigness of concept, dignity OF
thought, purity OF purpose. 1t is OF the
type InaI challenges the most intel
iectuai attention. BY that very fact
u invites the minute criticism by ex-
acting STANDARDS which so often fays
IN honest and desirable effort ana al
lows the merest catch-penny tawdriuess
70 come and go unchauenged
One advantage enjoyed in The
Greatest Nation on It's departure from
the city was denied IT'S predecessor in
the field of dramatic novelty, Margaret
Schiller" The Greatest Nation" has
its final scene definitely and logically
worked out. 1t finishes with smiles
and reconciliation. Margaret schiller
left US in state of melancholy doubt
as whether she was on her way 10 the
conyalescent ward or the tomb.
hasty effort was made to patch up her
wounds before she left Washington
Friday night physician was called in
and he gravely announced to the audi
ence that in his opinion the patient
might recover. The announcement con-
yeyed sense of sympathetic calm that
annihilated all the emotional stress
aroused by what threatenee to be d
most complicated case. 1t transformed
the piece from tragedy into an cpl
SIDE, ana left its possibilities for a fur
Their series of scenes suggested SO
strongly that the interest of magma
lion overwhelmed the interest in what
had actually been revealed. 1t was a
courageous conclusion. 1t went straight
to the point without finesse and so far
the feelings of the audience are
concerned made the doctor the real
hero Of the play, brief and unstudied
though his speech might seem
Fun for its own sake held sway in
the little farce, 1T Pays to ADVERTISE"
whose pretensions are slight and whose
purposes are perhaps for that reason
abe more efficiently realized. ~
PHILANDEK JOHNSON
Sothern and MarIowe Scenery-Julia
0darloWe and Z. II. Sothern's entire ward
no Gf