Evening star., 1917-03-20
ADJUSTMENTS
Belasco.

Belasco.
1t Is the extraordinary privilege Of the
artist to discuss themes which socia
custom excludes from superficial com
ment. The privilege is often usurpeo
by the charlatan and the discussion be-
comes Objectionable in the exact de-
gree that 1t is superficial and insincere
| The phenomena of nature whose mys-
terry is so closely guarded that human
wisdom stands bafled when a grain OF
wheat asserts itself as q living thing
Art may assist us in reyerencing the
beauty Of the strange eternal life prin-
ciple and ennobling the thought whlcf
it inevitably compels. In arriving AZ
a definite conclusion art Is no less
helpless than science.
In "Ception Shoals" which Nazimovs
| reveals at the Belasco Theater, the SUB
ject is the most delicate and profoune
that could be selected. In the play
discussion of motherhood 1t is the ar
| tistry that compels. The logical proc
esses are not altogether convincing
The auditor who seeks definite answer
to the question whether ignorant In
nocence in protected life is better 1ol
a girl than a full realization OF tne
harsher physical truths remains per
picked when he finds absolute Innocence
set forth as the quality which gives the
girl her chance of happiness IN. the
love of the man worth while.
The truthful glimpse into the near.
and brain of woman reared unoet
extreme restraint is the fascination OIL
the play. 1t Is realization of the char
acter by so great an actress as
served in every element OF the WORK.
from scenery to acting, that mahs
it revelation of somb1r beauty;
beauty sure to suffer and. perhaps re. so
produce or analyze the impression ~,
usual phrase or through conVentlonai
terms of comparison.
Eve, the Nazimova role. speaks as
a child. as her mind is struck by ns Tue
vague Impressions which nature forces
into life. Her naivete. owing TO her
peculiar earnestness and force OF per
sonality. becomes tragedy, Mnose
elimination is awe-inspiring. Seht,s
and sublime as is her yearnine TO hoau
warm. responsive baby life in the arms
that enfold a doll with such unavai ing
tenderness. the character represents lne
cry of eternal feminine instinct sroM st
militant. The character is the ah!l.na
esis of the sweet and familiar type
Of womanly resignation. cherishlns
packet Of love letters and lock OIL
hair. and weeping over them as
mementos of a past whose eweel
nrOmtSeS
The dramatic expedients essential 70
powerful narrative and convincing
character studies overwhelm the p,-
ology and the logic OF the play carry III
its action. The forceful interest rests
on the story Of the girl who loves ana
is beloved. and whose marriage is pre-
vented by meddlesome cruelty me
Intervention of love letters by whlch
the tyranntcal guardian OF Eve oe
stroys her hopes would have wreckeo
Jared rse and situated. Her suffering and
madness are caused not by her limo.
cence so much as by the intrusion or
the malevolent third influence:
No two photographs nnr+1sa OF naSimpfn hsT in
woman as convincingly as she she
has been the creation of grim
World experience. No ingnitesmial
fraction of a moment passes that she
is not realizing physicahy set atI herself
to portray in "Ception Shoals Lacking
ber artistry in its expression. Austin
Adams play might easily nave missed
the credit of being literary maste,-
piece, now SO justly and unreser'eols
An attempt to recite the story OF the
NAV would be necessarily process OF
reduction, dependent as the drama is
on the closest delicacy both IN wri'1ns
and interpretation 4ho SoS. -
rmu.ro,,s Each character delineation
approac ches perfection in such rare de-
gree that, considered only as q reveia-
tion of stagecraft, the performance
wonld. be ]. memorable The strikiHg
personality Of the ggardian whoss ssnstsc,sm 's1e
and deTnfion 20 the regulations eof u e
department he serves as lighthouse
keeper is masterfully revealed by
Henry Harmon Charles Bryant gives
yirile ease and dignity to the role Of
Ewes lover. Dodson Mitchell acts well
the role of rejecting the coarser mas
culine nature, from whom Eve turns
with instructive aversion, and Edith
Luckett plays with fine effect the role
of the woman who has learned the
world by hard and sad experience.
The production in a mechanical way
is a marvellous creation. The lights
and shadows become a part of the story
that is being told and constantly Is
heard, the voice of impenetrable mys-
terry in the murmur or the roar of the
unfathomable ocean. j.