The Washington herald., 1919-08-26
BeInsco-sUp From Nowhere
BY EARLE DORSEY.

Harrington and Wilson have had their
will with a play called Up From
Nowhere" which revealed itself at
the Belasco last night in a guise that
failed to inspire elation.
As a piece OF writing. Up From
Nowhere" is nowhere profound. either
in thesis or treatment; 1t might cas-
lily be classed by the unkind as
trifing II exhibits a certain tech
nicaI aptitude in its creation and ma
nipula ton: II bristIes here and there
with the indirect and rambling Wilson
witucisms, and occasionally It mir
roFs forth the downright sturdiness
Of structure that marks the Tarking-
tonian handiwork. but as a bit Of
stage writing its value in its present
form is doubtful One cannot escape
the impression that the two authors
got in each others way.
Notwithstanding Norman TTevors
manifest inaptitude for romantic act
ing, the plays inability to score in
more than desultory fashion must not
be laid at his door. As a self-msde
American OF parentage unguessed.
galvanic in his energy and ruthless
| in his determination. Trevor invests
his role with an incistve power that
can hardly fail 10 elicit appreciation
The play itself. apparently. is in error,
since one reaches the conclusion with
out strainlng that the two authors
started out to prove a dramatic the
orem and paused midway to tell a
rather commonplace love story.
George Washington Silver, a name
less child Of the slGms and later
/ successful mariner in the Oriental
trade. cynically submits himself TO
the inspection of patrician family
the daughter Of which IS offered as
fair. trade for the Silver millions
as the bride OF George Silver, Jr. Os-
tensIblv to prove that this patrician
girl is merely fortune-hunting Sill
yer. ST, returns TO his hlandishing
sailor WAYS, gives the girl an Un-
/ Chaperoned supper party which re-
suits in a near-scandal only 10 fall
, N love with her and simultaneously
| to captivate. by his unconventional
virIle magnetism. the fair pstrician's :
/ heart one searches in vain through
I this plot for anything more than a
/ germ Of an idea. though Messrs.
/ Harrington and Wilson have Eener-
/ ously written in n vain repetition Of
! the phrase that she represents the old
/ America and he the new. The point
. seems Dointless, with all the Will
sonian humor and the Tarkingtonian
. .charaCter-sketchinE
Out Of the rather vague conglom-
/ Grafton Of romance, comedy and
, near-propa Canda stand several ele-
ments that require word Of appre-
! citation. One Of these Is the cli-
max. where the forceful man. as
cused by the girl OF being in love
with herl. promptly replies with the
( same Couuter-aCcUsston, which sends
, her into a chair !n tears OF rage.
The man sinks beside her. takes her
IN his arms and rage is instantly
' transmitted into its opposite. Add
tionally. there have been written in
a number Of bits Of dialogue which
smack strongly Of the Wilson type
writer. among which is this gem;
I've been smoking this pipe for
eleven years without a word OF re-
monStrance from my crew"
Trevor. as aforesaid. is not adapted
. to romantic roles but he is a more
, convincing an5 sincere hero in "lT
. From Nowhere than in Toby
| Bow" His romantic scenes did no'
| always ring true but the cumulative
/ momentum Of three acts carried hin
over the rough spots. He was bcs
in the unromantiC passages as a mar
Of power. will and action. Ann An
drews. in the opposite role, draws
charming and accurate figure Of NJ
patriciar girl. though her lines pre-
clude a more definite portrayal OF tA'
part. In the final act. she depaTr
rather badly rom chara acter, lapse,
into a professional emotion that &
somewhat transparent. though at -
very end. she seems TO effectively le
cover. Cecil Yapp, in the role OF
retired. meddlesome old sea-doE-'
( sort of Cousin Egbert Floud charac
terization-scores heavily with SOM
! Of the best Of the Wilson dialogue
Margola Gilmore, in an ingenue ca
pacity. interprets her role with a ma
tural abandon that is refreshins
George Cassclberry as secretar
with Socialist lsaninGs, looks mos
like a Socialist than Victor Berger
Others who give accepts hle perform
ances are Frederick Howard. Leott
Miller, Olive Murray. 5. T. Shimme'
Grace Reals and Clarence Bellair.