The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
Eugene Walters Latest Dra-
matte Offering story OF
a Discarded Wife.
IT rs TOLD IN FIVE ACTS

Eugene Walter Il the author OF just
n Woman" which wac acted last night
a, the Forty-eighth street Theatre under
the @g,s OF the Shuberts. Mr.. Walter
has not been represented on the local
stage since his powerful study OF ron
Temperament life. Zine Feathers WAS
played here. And a new play from his
pen IL certain to he a stimulating pic
ture Of American life. although tie
achievement OF the author may he OF
such uncertain quality. II Ia something,
however. to have written the best play
of his time. and that will always he
the distinction OF the author OF The
Easiest Way"
Mr.. Walter has come to occupy IN
the theatre something OF the place that
David Graham Phillips used to Ill among
the contemporary novelists. His plays
deal always Wit some theme which
has temporarily come TO the surface
OF society, to uee that term in its broad
cat sense. Indeed the moving idea OF
Just A Woman was used by Mr..
Phillips In one OF his stories. New
Wives for Old But the e~trangeinent
OF the American husband and wife after
the husband feels that he needs Il younger
anu n DTettler woman IL HOI "a new
idea in any form of our fiction.
IT was In The Governors Lady"
which Alice Bradley wrote for David
Belasco. that the desire of the rich
husband to exchange an old wife for a
new first reached the stage years af-
tor Il had landed elsewhere, just as
ideas take root on the stage after
every other form OF expression has ox-
haus,ed their possibilities. ~Sinsu'arly
enough another writer at this same
time-Elisabeth Jordan--turned out for
william A. Brady a very truthful and
human play on the same subject.
Variation on Did Theme.
Mr.. Water of course played a varia-
ton on the old theme. In Just a
Woman the wife. working TO help her
husband IN his rise TO wealth on the
hills about the Pittsburg manufactures
Is a foreigner. Through her advice their
slender earnings are so well invested that
their fortune comes generously and
swiftly. But in the demeanor uf the man
In the case Mr.. Walter departs furthcst
from the plan Of his predecessors. This
husband Is not ambitious FOR a social
place. which he knows his wife's manner
| will forever bar him from. Nor H. he
seeking the importance which may come
from n union considered socially correct.
quite different is the cause Of this hus-
bands desire to divorce his wife. lie
becomes dlssipated his whole resent
ment against his wife is described by
her as n spree" and even his attempt 10
give her place TO a inercenary and am.
bilious courtesan Is "A part OF this de-
generacy which luxury brings 10 a man
hitherto accustomed 10 hard labor In
this particular has Mr.. Walter made his
newly rich hero different from the Others
that preceded him.
In the five acts that tell the story NJ
Walter has shown the hills about PITS
burg nc his first and last scenes with
the acts that show the home of the two
In the DAYS Of their wealth. and tho cou",
room IN which the man seeks TO free
himself from and work the greatest In,
justice on the woman who is responsible
for his welfare.
4 Play with a unch.
Mr.. Walter has written a play that
has all that heart could desire in The
way OF "a punch. But lie has added
nothing to his artistic accomplishments
Just n Woman Is intere%t.ns. but I!
is never convincing. 1t has zone of tn,
direct realism or the simple logic o.
THE Easiest Way" II has a big idea
but it's working out is mechanical. and
more than once II suffers from the over
acting OF the principal members OF TN
east. There is "A play there. and a goo,
play. but its values were not realized u
last nights production. There was it'll,
evidence of the strong hand that il al
the play needs TO mold IL into a sympa
thetic success.
AS The Woman Josephine Victor dit
some exceedingly gooi acting and som
exceedingly bad. She was best wllei
most simple, but yielded with uutor
tunat readiness to the temptation TO ~
emotional. Her scenes with her child
most charrn!ngly played by James Eagle
were tender and moving and We're jndoci
about the only scenes in which IN
auuicnce was deeply stirred.
Walter Hampton resisted tho tcmpta
tion to overact as often az Miss Nicto
yielded TO 1t. His role, Ike hers, We
besct with pitfalls into which he o. a
sionally fell. On the whole, howrvel
} he gave a good representation OF a
villainous a villain ns often walks IN
stage. Particular credit is due Z
Walter Wilson for his good acting M III
. Jad0e and to Frank Monroe as the De
%fsctfrc.