The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-26
PLAYAT BELASCO
CHARMS AUDIENCE
'DiftwOOd' Proves Delight
to First Mghters."
AUTHOR AND STAR ACCLAIMED
Miss BANTER Brings Out HumOr
and Makes Lines Sparkle.

Al the Bsisses Theater last night q
representative Washington audience
saw the first production Of Drift
WOOD" the new play by Laurence
Eyre, which William Harris, jr..
brought here for q weeks engage
ment preparatory to its introduction
ito Broadway. The verdict of the
First nIghters" grown conservative
~ long association with premieres,
'WGS highly favorable, so favorable,
In fact, that after the final curtain
the applause continued until Mr.. Eyre
was forced to express his Rpprecia-
ton in person and to bring out for .
final ovation the youthful star who
had 80 much to do with making
''DriftwOod" . very delightful even
lng's entertainment
The charm OF the play IL not based
on the originality Of its conception,
for at times II Is vaguely reminiscent
OF success OF other days, but rather
on the delightfully."- different sort OF
love story that sustains interest
throughout the four acts, the heart
tugs Of the quaint dialogue and above
all the very excellent acting for which
almost every member OF the cast de-
serves credit
II the play had been less interesting.
Washington still would have been in
debted to Mr.. Brady for giving II q
chance to see the cunning little star,
Miss Fay Banter, who won her way
to the hearts OF the audience before
the first act was well started. and
made 1t very apparent why she had
succeeded in making two Broadway
hits" in'one season.
Little Lass Of East Side.
She Is seen now as q nervy, ambi-
tious, talented and altogether lovabIe
little lasS OF the East Side, whose
ambitions soar to the heights, and
who is willing to fight for what she
has set her heart on and to stay
good" Into her life in the little mu-
sic shop OF her grandfather in the
tenement district comes a wealthy
man whose marital troubles form
most of the basis for the first two
acts, as well as the spice of melo-
drama which pefvades them. His
casual interest in the young genius
is strengthened by his desire to use
her to furnish his wife with grounds
for divorce, and this ripens into love.
When on the eve of starting abroad
with him to study and, as she
thought, get married, she learns Of
the wife's existence, and, Indignant
ly refusing to become a part of the
worlds "driftwood." she returns to
the squAlid surroundings she calls
home Later, through his generosity,
though she does not know IT, she is
transplanted to the place OF her
dreams in Italy, and there develops
the genius she inherited and years
later becomes the great violinist. A
happy ending is logically brought
about
Makes Her Lines Sparkle.
To Miss Bainter's Characterization
the charm of the play must be given.
Into the dialogue the author has
written a strong current Of comedy,
and her reading OF them brings out
wildly the real humor and makes the
lines sparkle. Her acting is genuine,
her grief when her beloved violin is
broken being shared by the entire
audience, and the laughter over her
quaint sayings being a sort OF con-
tagion.
For the cast supporting her the pro-
ducer has shown excellent judgment,
and with one or two exception every
part is delightfully."- handled. Mckay
Morris, as the man she loves, de-
serves especial commentator, as do /
Joseph Adelman, the grandfather, /
Jennie Muscowitz, as the aunt ia
coba, az Herbert Delmore, as Ably. 1
All Of the character parts are realist-
ically done, and there are but few
otscordant notes in the production.
Premieres like "Driftwood" are a /
welcome diversion. and the BeIasco
this week will provide a pleasant an
tidote for the heat and mental strain
Of these troublesome times.
NJ. H II.