Evening star., 1918-06-25
ADJUSTMENTS
Polls.

A stolen paper Of great Importance
in affairs of nations, a charming
woman involved against her will in
Irregularities. which burden her with
an unpleasant past, and lover ruined
by unjust but overwhelming accusa-
tion are essential ingredients in a
play of diplomatic intrigue" as 'The
Chinese Puzzle" now playing at Polls,
announces itself to be. The produc-
tion is made by W. A. Brady. who has
given the theater much popular ma
terial. fashioned always with evi-
dsnoes of care and experience Joined
with sense of rational responsibility.
All three points of the diplomatic
dramatic triangle are duly represent
ed; the scrap of paper. secret memo
randum of a loan to China; the charm
ing woman, betrothed to the man
whom it becomes her mission to be-
tray, and the lover, helpless victim
in q maze of mysterious circum-
stances. These materials proceed
into new lines of plot and counterplot.
Tho episodes have suspense and thrill,
yet the story itself becomes a back
ground for a character whcih domi-
mates the interest of the eye. the ear
and, to large degree. the mentality.
Chi Lung, the Chinese diplomat. is
the newest and perhaps the most i'm
pressive of the stage creations that
have sought to bridge the enormous
chasm between the Asiatic civiliza-
tion and the racial thought of the
new world.
In the hands of Edward Emery the
grotesquerie inevitable in Chinese
Characterization, yet compels digni-
ned admiration for high sense of
honor. unwavering discharge of moral
obligation and silent shrewdness in
measurement of men and motives,
curiously contrasted with manner
OF ingenious simplicity. A most
agreeable effect is produced by the
oriental statesman's method of meet
ing every conversational attack with
proverb which sounds as if it had
been learned from Confucius himself.
There is philosophic fascination in
the role which the abundance of
melodramatic material surrounding it
cannot subordinate. 1t goes beyond
character analysis, which ordinarily
suftlces for plot. and becomes a study
of intellectual and ethical processes
on big chronological lines. Chi Lungs
refusal to be moved to pity by the
plea Of beautiful woman in distress
and his determined self-sacrifice at
the same time in protecting her be-
cause of a deep sense of gratitude
to her lovers ancestor is fine touch,
as strong in it's appeal to the artistic
imagination as 1t may be diSappoint-
ing to the sense of sentiment edu-
Gated to current conventional stand
ards.
The play is long, the plot mechanism
complicated and not sufficiently COM
pact. Interest sparks over from one
character to another and sometimes
enables a role which figures but
slightly in the storytelling to domi-
nate attention in a manner liable to
,v
stance, by his polished acting and ir-
resistible effervescence of tempera-
ment, creates a most emphatic. as we'll
as a most agreeable impression, yet
the attention searches vainly for the
big significance SO conspicuous per-
sonality ought. to have in the events
that are passing. The heroine was
played by Alice Lindahl with COM
petence and with rare advantage in
the matter of personal beauty. The
lover has personality, but last night
did not convey an impression of
finish and ease. The drama suggests
possibilities of results to be attained
by careful selection of cast and ex-
pert rehearsing- comparable to those
Of the old stock performances of The
Two Orphans" Diplomacy" or Jim
the Penman."
AS shown last night. its greatest in
terest lay in the revelation of the
processes Of the oriental mind. This
interest is strong, even though the
thoughts are transmitted through
the mediumship of players accustomed
entirely to modern occidental express
sion. The skein of plot, though
lengthy and involved, held the au-
dience in close attention until an ex-
ceptionally late hour. 1t is a produc-
tion Of distinction. calculated to pro-
duce very positive Impressions one
way or another. This is usually the
case with drama of this kind. Once
the oriental spell is established. the
auditor is likely to dismiss CUSTOMARY
modes of criticism and submit himself
to the fascinating contemplation OF a
fantastic mood. j.