Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-07
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Belasco.

mankind is man" Is well supported in
the group of characterizations of
which Louis Mann is the central figure
at the Belasco Theater this week.
The Bubble" enjoys the prestige of a
long run in New York. 1t takes the
auditor Intimately into the homes of
people whose interesting acquaintance
is not easily made. Gustave Muller.
the central figure Of the story. has a
viewpoint of his own which is well
worth knowing, and his unfailing
honesty, his good humor and his In
tense earnestness make him well
worthy of a place in the playgoer s
remembrance.
vents "1'he Bubble" from being work
of complete pathos: almost a tragedy OF
modern finance, as il illustrates the
manner in which the hopes and Ideals
the process of INSCRIPTIONS money
naturalization Mr.. Mann allows iuii
value to the element OF pathos. put
preserves the spirit OF whimsical Iun
with a consistency which never allow
the shadows entirely to overwhelm the
sunshine. ,, <.
The play from the outset frankly Iore-
tells a pleasant outcome to each OF the
embarra ssments which befall tne snre"u'
1onest. highly temperamental dencates-
SEN dealer whose career is followed with
so much sympathetic interest. Inc auol :
ence is taken fully into the confidence OF
the dramatist The dramatic elements
of suspense and SURPRISES are enp eat-
ing conditions as they arise constitutes
keen, analytical character study. as wen
as an example of humor the more 1rresis-
tible because it rings truthfuily.
philosophy and emotional stress IT IS
most grateful for laughter. And laughter
Mr. Mann supplies in abundance IL does
not require the explosive announcement Z
Dots I'm to remind the spectators OF
a genial mountaineering OF long stahd-
ing. The delicatess dealer dwells in All
atmosphere of highly magnified tribes.
The most extraordinary exaggeratio On
are made sincere and convincing by tne
absolute naturahess of manner with
which they are expressed. the trans1-
tons from the serious to the grotesque
are effected with such swift spontaneily
that the imagination is held in state OF
uninterrupted stimulation. With IT all
there is the sense of verify: You may
not know a GuStave Muller; but you VIII
not hesitate to take the actors Word 1or
il that he exists in all his droll intensity:
Mr. Mann is essentially a comedian OF
tempera ment. No exponent OF the ira
ditional tragedies could put more heart
and fervor into the delneation of a char
the man whose hopes and fears are held
to so simple an environment. There is
not a moment of the play in which he
snares himself the expenditure OF enOr-
nous nerve energy. Yet the energy Is
under control always directed clearly
toward the intelligent and convincing ex-
preston Of the idea. |
The play by Edward Locke, introduces
much that would be sheerly conventional
if not animated by strong individuality in
acting The financial swfndler after
gaining Muller's friendship by the ap-
proved methods OF the confidence man,
beguiIes him into buying worthless min
Ing stock with the savings Of lifetime:
tries to leave him in the lurch when the
bubble bursts and is prevented from do
ing so by his daughter and her sweet
heart. who. by quick work with the tele-
phone and a somewhat doubtful power
of attorney, compel the villain to dis
gorge enough to yield neat profit on
the transaction and leave everybody
comfortably provided for.
The company supporting Mr.. Mann
has it's responsibilities in the way OF
character interpretation. Miss Bur-
meister, as Muller's wife. was an eX-
| ample of gentle, home-loving simple
ity that reached the affections Laura
Walker, as the daughter whose bold
conspiracy with her sutton saved the
of tense acting. George Wellington, as
the lover whose devotion survives pa
rental displeasure, made the role of a
newspaper reporter refreshipgly HUI
man. and Ivan Miller did not allow the
swfndling promoter to lack plausiblllty
A large audience enjoyed the play
thoroughly and kept the curtain going
| up so often at the close of the second
act that Mr.. Mann could easily have
made speech had he been SO minded.