Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-25
Relasco.

Belasco.
A spirit of serene and dignified al
truism took possession of the Belasco
Theater last night when THE Great
est Nation" play which brings Mar
ian Creighton to prominence as drama
fist in collaboration with William Ell
lott. Mr.. Elliott is also the producer
,, of the play and enacts the role of chief
responsibility, acquitting himself with
remarkable credit in each of his vari-
Gus capacities.
The prologue announces the estab-
lishment of government which shall
be morally superior to war. The realm,
which is to be one of industry and hap
pineSs. is the bequest of dying moth
err. and the sacred trust of educating her
newt born son is well bestowed on two
old retainers, one of whom attends to
his scholarship and the other to the
cultivation of his common sense. This
preliminary scene, showing the death
of the mother. is a striking revelation
of the art of stage picturinS that has
been so conspicuously developed in the
studios of Joseph Urban. Yet it is only
a faint suggestion of the wonderful
beauty which compels applause as the
curtain is lifted on the first act. show
ing the great waterway which Prince
Alan of Adlon has constructed as an
expression of authority that makes in
telligent love of humanity it's guiding
influence.
The treatment of this scene. a mag
nificent eXpanse of water banked by
mountains and spanned by noble
bridges. is in fanciful style of brush
multitudinous detail In way that pro-
duces a broad and lucid effect. 1t har-
monies well with the imaginative char
acter of the play. Mr.. Urban seems in
clined to substitute circlist rad for
the cubist fad but does so in manner
which informs the eye instead of con-
fusing it.
As an allegory the play is not close
ly knit expression of metaphor. Its
suggestions are profuse. Various
channels of thought are brought to at
tention, but. devious as they are in
trend. they all finally merge themselves
into the general impression of an APP
peal for the pursuit of peace and hap
reason.
The canal inevitably suggests the
Panama waterway. but the analogy is
not carried out closely in the event of
tional youth as well as individual
youth. against the ruthless sacrifice de-
manded by military politics is eloquent
ly voiced. The viewpoint is frankly
Ctopian and the spirit of democracy
ideal. though perhaps not quite con-
sistent in dismissing the engineer
whose genius really built the canal
with the reward that poetic justice
would demand.
Mr.. Elliott plays the role of Prince
Alan with fine grace and vitality. His
personality commands instant defer
ence on the part of the audience to his
side of the argument with the grim
visaged representative of Mars, King
Radow, so competently played by Hal
Forde. Sympathetic as was the mood
of the audience with the gentle tenets
which the play sets forth, the lingering
barbaric thirst for primal combat found
expression in vigorous round of ap-
plauSe when Alan challenged Radow TO
fight single handed and settle their diff
ferences without sacrifice of innocent
lives. 1t was a virile and timely dem
onstration, even though something of
a concession to the view that the ulti-
mate appeal to force in some form may
be made inevitable.
For it's love story the play utilities
the son and daughter of two house
holds separated by parental misunder-
Elliott in weaving this important
thread of interest into the story in a
most agreeable manner. Madam Yor-
ska as the mother and as the Princess
Xenia. the crown princess of Adlon,
did well all that fell to her share.
Rowland Blackstone was, as always,
humanity substantial in the legitimate
low comedy role as the young princes
mentor in practical life. ]. Hooker
Wright was duly whimsical in his de-
lineation of the bookworm: Sydney
Mather gave sensitive yet virile quail
ity to the character of Emmanuel the
engineer. The types surrounding the
high minded prince are those Of ear
nest sincerity. If there is any molly
coddleism suggested it is handed over
to the court of Radow. whose royal
chancellor. though astute in diplomacy.
is obviously the product of a mon
archical luxury. Roland Rushton be-
slowed the needful touch of comedy in
the role with facile accuracy.
There is positive exhilaration in fol-
lowing the uncharted flights of fancy
which substitute the dove of peace for
the military aeroplane. AS a logical
demonstration. the play might be
vulnerable to the attacks Of the political
scientist who dismisses generous emo
ton from his calculations. He might
riddle it with an epigram. But cpl
grams are often no less fallacious
than expressions of poetic impulse
Whether 1t provides reliable 'sugges-
ton for practical thought or not, the
play affords a delightful opportunity
for an excursion into the clean, whole
some upper air of idealism. J.