The sun., 1918-09-10
She Returns to Speaking Stage
Much Richer in Technical
Resource.
Forever After"---st the Central

Another link IN the chain that 30
tightly binds art and real estate In
New York was forged last night when
the Central Theatre. situated In tine
north end of Longacre Square. was
opened by the Shuberts. They philan-
thropically built the handsome new
playhouse which has already been de-
scribed, while w. A. Brady generously
provided a new drama to consecrate the
premises.
Alice Brady, severed for the time be-
ing from the cinema, to which she has
devoted her services for the past few
years, acted the leading role in the new
play. which was written by Owen Davis.
who called II Forever After" Mr..
Davis since his success years ago In
popular melodrama has been striving TO
find prosperity in a more exalted field
jof dramatic writing.
Forever After Is a war play and its
three acts contain scenes which alter
nate between a foreign battlefield and
the American home OF the hero before
he went to France. Into the conscious
ness OF the young soldier wounded in the
trenches, there come at intervals the cru
cial situations of his past life. Thus the
sights and sounds or warfare are blotted
out to give place to the pictures which
his memory creates. The expedient has.
of course, been beloved OF playwrights
ever since young Elmer Reizenstein put
1t into "On Trial"
Changes of Scenes.
Thus in the first act the garden in a
country town of Vermont contrasts with
the scene OF warfare, and in the second
1t is the quarters of the Harvard crew
on the Thames that provides the change.
ola tnA
OF the heroine is seen between two Views
of French chateau. Thus reality and
remembrance alternate constantly in the
mind of the soldier hero and the sight of
the audience.
Mr.. Davis has contrasted with the
tragedy of war the simplest kind Of a
love story. The poor young man Is sep
arated from the girl of his choice in the
inevitable way 1t is the cruelty OF
| wealth toward poverty that sends his
thoughts backward to his home in the
country The last act brings him and
! his sweetheart together in a chateau
| converted INFO a hospital. Even here
there Is a reversion to the story OF the
unhappy love affair at home when the
| wounded soldier sees in his deliriun
their parting. But there is the promise
| of happiness when once again the two
| die III tut HOsDltdl
The pictorial quality OF the change;
which Mr.. Davis has devised are un
deniably effective. The suggestions o.
war are in the main mercifully confined
to few minutes In every act. So it IL
In reality the pastoral quality OF the love
story which dominates the play. I'm
| luckily, there is no element Of suspens,
! in the story.
No Trace OF intrigue.
| Mr.. Davis has not troubled to nven
a fiction that contains any element O
! conflict. There is the brief separation
| of the lovers by the opposition OF thu
| girls parents But of intrigue there |:
not a trace. 1t needs just such qualit!
to give vitality to the changing scenes
| Without it there was little to absorb tn
spectators beyond the contemplation o
| the youthful lovers against their pastora
| background.
| Mr.. Davis had confined his attempt:
at humor to the speeches of the dra
| mats persona. There had been no eff
| fort to create character.
Alice Brady returned to the speaking
stage quite as fresh a picture of youth
full beauty as before and much richer il
technical resource. She was arts
enough to play the role of the CIR
| with naturalness and simplicity. TIL,
audience was captivated by her acting
Conrad Nagel played the hero will
engaging manliness and gave a note o
deep feeling to the episodes on the bat
tlefeld. Mrs Russ Whytal. Franz
Hatch and other capable actors added
their talents to the success of the per
| Torrance