Evening journal., 1917-11-23
MIR. TELLEGENs SUCCESS
IN NEW PLAY. "BLIND YOIjTHD

What the audience at Lou Tellegen's
new play, Blind Youth" lacked in
numbers at The Playhouse last night
It made up in appreciation and enthusi-
asm. 70 was Mr.. Tellegen's first appear
ance in this country as an actOr-man-
ager, and the play In which he starred
was written Jointly by himself and
Willard Mack. Sufficient Il is TO say
that IL was one Of the best plays by
one OF the most admirable companies
seen in Wilmington in a long while
and that is a broad assertion to record.
The audience was reluctant TO leave
after two and one-half hours OF the
play, and In response TO continued ap-
plause, and after many curtain appear
ances, Mr.. Tellegen made a pleasing
little speech Of appreciation The entire
company was OF high character and
ability, beftting companions OF the dis
tinguished former Dutch actor. who
has taken American citizenship. II was
finished production, without the
stumbling blocks Of a premiere per-
formance. Mr.. Tellegen had the charac-
ter Of Maurice. q brilliant artist IN
Paris, who. after being Tilted by a vam-
pire Of the Latin Quarter, deliberately
starts on the downward path. After his
feet have been scared by the fires Of
hell" as a companion aptly describes
his downfall, and after he has rejected
the adventures who comes back to him
after two years, he decides TO lift him
self up. He goes back to his stony
hearted mother and half-brother in
America, and spurred on by the love Of
beautiful model, his comeback is
complete. 80 the moment when he and
the model decide TO marry, be learns
that his petted and churlish half
brother is 10 wed the adventures who
so nearly had wrecked his own life.
Maurice attempts to divert the half
brother from such folly, but his advice
is spurned. in desperation the artist
offers 10 prove his every assertion Of
the wOman's unfaithfulness by unmask-
ing her i'm his own studio. Pretending
20 fall in with the scheme, the half
brother hides behind curtains, where
the artist thinks he is concealed while
he goes through a remarkable scene
with his former mistress The half
brother, however. contemptibly sneaks
out and brings into the studio the art
ist's flancee, Just in time for her TO see
and embrace the other woman. The
mother sides with the half-brother. but
Maurice forces the truth. which the ad-
ventures admits. And in the end the
artist wins the love, of his mother
which heretofore had been denied him
Mr.. Tellegen gave a gripping, forceful
Characterization Of Maurice M0nnaer
the artist. He ran the gamut Of emo
lions without exsggeration Of the char
acter. One could forgive the Ions
speeches when they were made by Tell
legen, but would not like TO think Of
how they might sound If essayed by a
less capable and polished master Of
stage artistry. Paul POrcasi as Louis
Delmar. and Mark Smith as "Tubby'
Matthews, poor. ambitious and big
hearted artist chums Of Maurice, fur
nished the bright spots TO tighten the
story. and were indeed fne-a study in
ltemperamental contrasts. Miss Grace
Carlyle was lovely as Frances, Nlaurice's Is
lrescuing angel, and Miss Marie Cham
bers as "COnnyn Chandace, the adven-
turess. also was excellent. William
! Courtleigh, Jr., as Harry Wilton, the
spoiled half-brother; Miss Jennie Eus-
tace as Mrs. Wilton, the narrow-minded
mother, and, in fact. all the other men,
bers Of the company gave splendid in
4 iterpretations. With some Of the talky
situations smoothed out. Mr.. Tellegen
undoubtedly Will present New York
with another stage success.