The Washington herald., 1918-08-19
PoIrs-"seven Days Leave"
Did she wear ANYTHING?


We heard that question from sew
eral sources last night shortly af-
ter Suzanne Jackson visualizing a
German spy leaped from the parapet
of a seaside home into the English
Channel-er at least a well staged
scene at Polls represented ii as the
English Channel. Certainly. accord
ing to the script of the play, the
lady did not wear anything as just
a few minutes before we had seen
her in a bathing sui: which she sup
posedly removed few minutes
later.
However, we suspect camoufiage
but do not try to answer the ques-
tion. There were too many thrills
following along that time to stop
and consider any single one. For
instance almost on top of the start
ling picture we mention above there
came another vision of Miss Jean
Stuart in Kellermans. which brief
as 1t was. almost made US forget
that she was diving on a mission on
which depended the lives of 10000
American soldiers on a transport
Threatened by a German sub.
Imagine an act which shows two
women swimming the English Chan
mel. one with an idea of destruction.
the other to save. A good bit of
their struggle was denied US but
we saw the start and the finish and
the best woman won. And then
there was a fusillade Of rivet like
explosions OF machine guns and nu-
merous other types of guns of which
our ignorance prevents US from emu
meration.
Frankly. Seven Days Leave" Is
melodrama, and just as frankly did
the audience last night accept 1t as
such-and liked it Melodrama is
democratic. 1t reaches alike the
boxes and the gallery. And the
brand served up at Polls this week
Williams of the German spy type so
throughout the house. And there
was the hero and a beautiful hero
inc, the comedy element, the papers.
the drugged wine. shots in the dark
all according to the old recipe
and that startling picture of Keller
mans. a new ingredient not in the
old recipe.
We will not attempt to sketch the
story for you. See it. 1t is inter-
esting enough to hold you in your
seats at all times when the thrills
are not lifting you from them.
A most excellent cast chosen ap-
parently more for an idea toward
teamwork, than for the purpose of
exploiting any particular star,
leaves little to be desired.
Miss Jean Stuart as Lady Mary
Heather in a most difficult part that
called for both repression and
withal high colored emotional work,
handled the leading feminine role In
most effective manner. One can
readily see why she was chosen by
David Belasco to interpret lead
ing role in The Wanderer" last sea-
son. And 1t is only fair to Mr.. Be-
lasco to say that Miss Stuart is a
credit to his tutelage. ~ --
William ]. Kelly gave most vir-
lie performance as the American
major whose cleverness tricked the
German spies into his hands. The
spies, Edwin Forsberg and Suzanne
Jackson. showed q finesse of studied
Characterization as did H. Cooper
Cliffe, whose reading, especially of
those passages that were recttative.
lifted the lines with dignity that
would have been lost in less capable
hands. Florence Eldridge Is the
most refreshing and natural ingenue
we have seen since Madge Kennedy
first made her debut.
Others in the cast whose work Is
worthy of particular mention are:
Alice Belmore, Sidney Bracey.