Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-01
Belasco.

Clever comedy drama OF current
life gradually pushed it's way into at
tention, out from under naughty little
title, at the Belasco Theater last night.
The first act was well under way be-
fore it became clearly evident that
''The Respondent" was not one of
those giddy, .flirtatious creatures of
French farce or musical comedy so fire.
quently sent on the road to trif1e with
the serious sentiments of trustful audi
ences.
The correspondent is girl with
heart story of her own, sympathetically
expressed by the acting of Emily Ann
Wellman. The first act introduces
fallen in love with Van Kreel. a rep
resentative of dissolute aff1uence, who
pursues his pleasures without consid-
ering the Borrowings they may cause.
of a mock marriage when detectives
looking for divorce evidence against
Van Kreel intrude upon the scene And
Anne. all innocent and heart-oroken'
is now correspondent.
The play progresses to tense ana
striking situation, as the plucky girl,
whose talent for writing has secured
her employment on newspaper, ana
whose personality has won the love OF
the managing editor, undertakes the
task of finding out the name of the CO.
respondent in a divorce sensation She
herself is the woman whose identity
she seeks to learn.
The situation gives opportunities for
acting which Miss Wellman improves
splendidly. especially in the scene of
her visit in a professional capacity to
the home of the woman who is bring
ing the divorce action. Powerful
scenes are also supplied by her meet
ing with the husband of this woman,
the man who had sought to make her
his victim and by her enforced revela-
tion to the man whom she loves, OF this
incident in her past, cfouded with a
suspicion so difficult to remove. 1t is
upon these elements of genuine dra-
matte strength that the story essen
TALLY depends. The responsibilities as
among Rockcline Fellowes, as Van
Kreel, the dissolute husband; Ramsey
Wallace. as John Manning, the edi-
torial lover; Marie Chambers, as the
resentful wife, and Winifred Harris,
as Mrs. Welsingham, the social ferret
who makes news merchandise of per-
sonal confidence.
The play deals with the familiar types
which the public is accustomed to view
SO Familiarity at close range that they
bellished with a decorative touch of
fiction, they are sometimes creations
that interest even though they may not
fully convince.
employed appears to have been studied
from the viewpoint of the magazine
fiction writer, viewpoint no doubt
necessary for the sake of romantic in
terest required. The managing editor
is preterna turally busy and marvellous
in his confidence to smoke cigars. read
copy. answer the telephone. keep track
Of fires and divorce cases and make
ardent love. all at the same time.
brought to view in the character of the
youthful city editor, whose lofty brow
is matched by no less lofty collar.
and whose untiring animation pro-
vokes agreeable expectation that one
Of these days the country will again
know the aggressive genius of Charles
A. Dana or a Horace Greeley. Morgan
Conan makes the role enthusiastically
entertaining.
the young woman of the theatrical pro-
fessich who appears in the first act as
a player on the road. and in the second
as an irate intruder into the editorial
adverse criticism of her ankles. Su-
zanne Villa plays the part with smart
ness and spirit. The presence of this
character in the first act, under cir
| cumstances which might easily make
her aware of the mock marriage, sug-
gests that the original intention may
have been to utilize her for explanatory
purposes in dispelling shadow from the
| correspondents character. The con-
clusion is not knit into the fabric of
/ the story with absolute accuracy. as
the play was shown last night under
conditions of obvious nervousness on
| the part of a high-strung and conscien-
| tious cast before an audience whose
early applause stimulated desire to put
| forth every effort.
1t is one of the most interesting plays
that the season has brought to atten-
| ton: an altogether unexpected but un-
mistakable realization of the possi-
! bilities of modern life and its usual
| conditions develop material worthy of
the dramatist's most accomplished
| skill. THE Correspondent is unques-
tionably an enjoyable evenings enter
tainment and free from ugly suggestion
| of any kind. ].