Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-19

New National.

New National.
| There is no more pathetic figure in
the human category, perhaps. than the
young old man who has never hao
sweetheart. but has buried hlmseh IN
OCCUPATIONS of the mind until AFTER ne
has passed forty, when his heart wakes
up and he finds himself desperately IN
love with an attractive young woman
whom he believes has not the ieas' III
terest in the world in him. IL Is Sueli
a figure that ]. NJ. Barrie w ..CS WIN W
finesse into the romance ol Ia b,,
fessor's Love Story" presenleu ny
George Arliss at the New ->dtioi'ai ia''
night.
And the figure becomes even more
pathetic by being surrouhueo Wy a
atmosphere surcharsed w, W. a..rca an
and even laughter and with sta.o. al
excuse for a truant sympathetlc tear.
Prof Goodwillie of the story Is a als
tinguished electrician he Is ~a
a book which shall make nun l., a,,ish
in the scientific world, ana ne Is nhisn
ing up the closing chapters Win Inc
assistance of Lucy White. tnoroushiy
human and altogether charhiinS S3
woman secretary. who IN the s ~
space of a month has grown TO love
him and. with the iuscrutable art OF
the designing feminine is seeking, II .ol
to capture, at least to conserve nun
from the designs or laseii'''
young dowager, Lady Clldlhs: sos
The professor, outside OF MS pio,ee
sion, is as simple in his manner anu DIS
helpless as a child, so that II is sHail
wonder that his good sister, MISS ~ ..,
Goodwillie, herself a bit embittereo by
the memory of sad love analr IN her
own life, should have endeavored 10
make her sister love atone TO MN ZOE
all other kinds, and to keep MN alooI
from femininity until she mao iouhu
wife whom she believed would oe SUIT
able for him months absence from
him, however, had served the little goa
of love abundantly to upset her calcu-
lations by introducing the young SEE
retary-and suddenly all the Worid was
awry for him He became distracted
and could not work His absentmind-
| edness became so tragic that a doctor
was called in. and ii was not long
thereafter that the true complaint pc
came known.
he was in love, that was ALL he pack
ed his grip and HE'D him, with ms
young secretary, to his sister IN the
country. after first establishing the
doctors error by the testimony or the
young woman secretary herself and a
discreet young housemaid. The sister
| diagnosis. made in ten minutes. con-
firmed the Doctors judgment, ana, ac-
! cordingly, the young doWaRer, VINO was
really bore to the helpless professor.
|
\ secretary. How the professor was
awakened with the truth and how the
clever young secretary outwitted the
! designing young dowager make as fas-
| cinating a romance as might be pro-
vided for a delightful evenings enter
tainment.
! A supplemental romance picturing the
battle of two Scotch farm hands Tor the
hand. if not the heart, of the young
lhousemaid, through the cleverness of the
\ n in nerfprmanCp
was made to vie with the main theme. at
least In the amusement which 1t afforded
And small wonder, for Molly Pearson, the
inimitable Bunty who used to pull
the strings was the housemaid. with
Reginald Denny and Malcolm Morley as
the rival SWANS.
To those who sought something beyond
the entertainment of the play, which is
quite familiar to the theatergoer, who
will recall e. S. Willard as the original
professor and also its delightful presenta-
ton by the once noted Columbia Players
Mr.. Arliss, whose characterization OF
Disraeli stamped him master of char
acter portraiture, was, OF course, the
chief object of interest. DisraeH and
Prof. Goodwille are not comparable, and
yet Mr. Arliss was the living personifica-
ton of both. Just as the actor lost him
self in his great character role. just as he
sunk both in his impersona ton of the
grotesque Paganini, SO all three were lost
in Prof. Goodwillie's naturalization. II
was another proof of Mr.. Arliss' wonder
full versatility. but it was not Disrael
and delightful II was in it's simplicity
and It's sincerity, and as beautiful as was
the little romance, which is masterpiece
of its kind. it yet left a feeling that
Mr.. Arliss has not yet found the real sue
cessor to his great role and the match
for his splendid histrionic accomplish
ments.
Mrs. Arliss as Agnes Goodwille agar
presented the charm of personality thai
has won her host Of admirers In Wash
ington, and Margery Maude made an at.
tractiye young secretary, while Ethe
Dane as the dowager countess seemed
an almost successful rival Of the secre
tary in the admiration of the audience.
The play was beautifully presented b,
a notable cast, which also included Viole
kembIe Cooper, Grant Stewart, Arthu
! EJdred and Edgar Kent