The Washington herald., 1916-01-18
Hall Gaines New Play Is
Deep Psychological Study
Margaret Schiller Affords
Elsie Ferguson a Role Com
mensurate in Opportunities
with Her Emotional Power.
By JULIA CHANDLER.

forcihly home to a large audience In the
New National Theater last evening by
Hall caine in his new play entitled Mar
garet Schiller" with Elsie Ferguson ere
ating the name part.
Building on the premise that warfare
is more the result of Misunderstanding
than Of Inherent hatred the English play
wright has written a highly dramatic
piece depicting the emotional effects OF
such conflict upon non-combatants-
The story Is told In a prologue and
four acts, the former being but trans
ference to the stage Of Mr.. Gaines
graphic description IN his The Drama
Of 1s5 Days OF the night Of the British
ultimatum- The Prime Minister OF Eng
land and his cabinet are awaiting Ger
msuy's reply on the night OF August 4.
1914. when the sifvery chimes sing the
hour OF midnight, and already Europe is
committed to the most CORY struggle Of
history.
Three months later, with the beginning
OF the play, we md Margaret Schiller In
the home Of her uncle, Dr. Gottfried
Schiller. Heart sick and weary with the
futile search for q position as governess
she returns home TO find that her uncle
has been dismissed from his thirty-year
position as professor at the London Col
lege of Music because he is "an allen
enemy" and that his son Friedrich has
suffered similar misfortune
The emotional depths Of the girl are
stirred. and she leaps at an opportunity
to mpsrsonate a young friend who has
just arrived from Switzerland in order TO
accept q position as governess in the
prime minister's family. Intending &c
spy upon them; to poison the mind Of his
little daughter against him. to mete out
suffering even as he, In his power, has
meted out suffering and death to her own
family, Margaret enters Sir Robert Tenn
pies home as Freda Michel Known,
however. to the chief Of police, she Is
seen upon the evening Of her arrival by
him, and denounced as spy to Sir ROD
ert the prime minister, who refuses tc
believe IN her treachery until he has
driven the girl into self-confession. In
understanding of her Interpretation of
his private character and life BY the
necessities war has placed upon his pub
lie attitude toward her people. the prime
minister Is moved by the magnanimity
Of his chfvalry to allow the girl to con
tinue In the masquerade, upon oath
that she will renounce her own people
and henceforth hold no communication
with them; swearing to be faithful to
him and hts country as long as such
fidelity demands no falsity to her own.
At the close of the month Margaret
is followed by her young brother, Otto,
who fmplores her attendance upon her
uncle, urging a serious necessity Tor
the request to which the sister yields in
her love for the orphan boy so much her
junior and whom she has mothered since
childhood. She finds herself trapped into
a conspiracy against the life of the prime
minister, out Of which there Is no way
save through the death Of Sir Robert.
or Otto. unless she makes the supreme
sacrifice OF herself for the man whom
H.
radius OF her tender love.
Cqlrakeousiy she meets the exigency
Of the situation. following, with the dawn
Of Christmas morning, the example of
sacrifice set by Him whose birth the
day celebrstes-the Christ who once
upon a time proclaimed to the world
that greater love hath no man than
this"-closing a beautiful life In trag-
edy as deep as the conditions which
have environed It.
Mr.. Gains new drama Is powerful
psychological study following the
cause and effect Of hideous conditions
upon a human mind. and proving how
vitality the emotions are swayed by
questions of personal or patriotic In
terest, while from a purely human
standpoint the tale unfolded is one of
absorbing interest
From the prologue this interest
IN ms
the development Of Margaret Schiller's
change of vision in the light Of
fairer understanding Of values to the
tremendous climax of the third act.
when she fights her courageous battle
for self-eiacement that lives more In
portant may be preserved
In the visualization Of Margaret Schfl-
Ier," Elsie Ferguson achieved last even
ing q splendidly balanced performance
III.
development, and so sincerely does Miss
Ferguson sound the purpose of the play;
so llumfne the spiritual qualities Of the
character she impersonates and so COM
Dletely realize the depth of its emotional
Ism that her portrayal Is the acme Of
realism.
In the large supporting company with
which Klaw & Erlanger and the Charles
Frohnan interests have surrounded Miss
Ferguson there are a number Of capable
,olk, including Norman Trevor, whose
nervous trepidation in the role of the
prime minister at the beginning Of the
play was completely lost In an earnest
performance with the development Of
serious RESPONSIBILITIES; Joseph Adefman
who Is capital as Doctor Schiller; Paul
Ooucet In virile Characterization of the
music teachers son, and Gareth Hughes,
who brings just the right touch Of i'm
oetuOsiry 10 ms VfSudnLAtlOn OF MAI
yaTees young brother.
OF the women In the cast, Grace
Cariye gives a charmingly natural per-
Eormance as the prime minister's sis
ter; Marie Reichhardt achieves an ex-
celient characterization as Mrs. Schil-
ler; Eileen Van Biene has small oppor-
tunities in a role that is just feeder"
and little Runa Hodges makes a beau
tiful picture as the prime minister's
daughter Peggy, carrying OF the un-
childlike phraseology allotted to her
with deal of charm.
Other members of the cast are. IN the
main. adequate to the demands upon
them, and the producers have set Mr..
Gaines purposefui and tragic story
with discriminating taste
Beiasco--H'Maid I'm America"
Maid in America is a breezy example
OF the Americsn-made-si siris-and music
show, and the girls are the most I'M
portant part Of the entertainment. This
latest product OF the New York Win
far "a 81