The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-26

MARIE INTERESTING
VEHICLE FOR MISS STARR

Marie Odile," the latest play from
the pen of Edward Knoblauch, and
which was so we'll thought of by Da-
vid Belasco that he allowed Miss
| Frances Starr to use it for the cur
rent season, was given a sympathetic
and attentive hearing at the Academy
last night. The story is of a unique
nature and we'll calculated to create
and sustain throughout its enactment
the unfiagging interest of even the
most Indifferent of audiences, and its
| rather unusual and tragic denoue-
ment would be likely to stretch to the
breaking point the heart-strings of
the vast majority.
The much mployed factor. coinci-
dence. lends an added charm and
timeliness to the play in that its
scenes, and doubtless many of its in
cidents, are identical with those oc-
! curing in war-torn Europe at this
very time. All three acts transpire in
convent in the Alsatian Mountains
during the Franco-Prussian war of
1870. The heroine is a founding
child, discovered by one of the sis
tiers on the doorstep. Reared within
the lonely walls, she has been kept
In ignorance of the mysteries of life;
she grows up in seclusion. and knows
no men but the chaplain and a de-
crepit old gardener
The drama of war approaches
nearer the convent, and all flee for
their lives after a vain effort to find
Marketable. She and the gardener
alone are left. A band of plumber
ing. pillaging Uhlan cavalry chances
that way. intoxicated with recent vic
! tory. To the innocent novice they
are all strange and wonderful BY
and by they depart save one. e,ho has
lnAVAF had affuir nf
mutual love springs in their hearts
and tragedy into their lives.
After long year the inmates re-
turn. and to the unfortunate and
wholly innocent victim of the war s
J tragedy is melted out the stern fate
decreed by the dictates of the re-
I ligious faith she has embraced by
| the austere and relentless mother su-
perior. prompted by her stern and UNI
yielding sense of duty. BY such a
conclusion the author has dared fur
nish an unpleasant ana tear compell-
ing climax. but one that is fraught
with dramatic power and impressive
ness.
Miss Starr has a long speaking part,
and one that gives her ample oppor-
tunity to display her talent and re-
sourcefulness, and she gives obvious
evidence throughout its Interpretation
of the training of the distinguished
dramatic impressario," II We may be
pardoned the phrase. who introduced
her TO the American public. Her
Marie-odtie Is constantly the sweet,
pathetic and hapless little creature
that her author intended she should
be, and her performance is highly
creditable. The other two prominent
roles are played by Marie Wainwright
and Harriet Otis Dellenbaugh. whose
past Accomplishments are a guaran-
tee of faultiess acting. jerome Pat
rick Is leading man OF heroic stat
ure and soldierly bearing, and Carl
Sauermann's nationality fits him
ideally for the role OF a Prussian SER
geant-
The entire cast and production, in
fact, bear the earmarks everywhere
of the master OF stagecraft who super
vised it. The one scene is a massive
setting and the lighting effects are
fiawless. In accordance with Belas-
co.'s usual custom, the orchestra is
dispensed with. and the curtain rises
after the house has been silenced by
the stroke Of a gong. Those who may
attend one of today's performances
will certainly find a play that will
rivet their attention. however widely
they may differ with the dramatist's
solution of the problems it involves.
c. p.