The sun., 1919-04-10

trothed. their attack with daggers almost
to death and then his ducking In the
Arno at their hands until he barely es-
capes with his life. This Ia the place
OF existence In the Tuscany Of the fif-
teenth century on which the playwright
has built the work.
OF course there is in the mind of the
weaker ono who could not resist the
overwhelming attack OF the two brothers
only the idea OF revenge. From their
separation by his shrewdness until one
Is mad and tho other dead at his
brothers hand the thread OF the play
travels relentlessly onward to the con-
summation Of his purpose.
This Is THE Jest" of the youth seek
inG revenge, his BETA" in return for
what he has suffered. With something
almost like the sporting spirit, the VIC
tim. now that the tables are turned,
bears Ills sufrerinss. But he is threaten.
Ing the BETA" that he will play In
return,
This is bat tho main idea Of Benefits
play There are among its striking In
cidents the supper of the first act, APP
parently Intended for a reconciliation
between the two warning parties, but In
reality the start of the plan of revenge;
the affection of the gigantic bully for
the betrothed Of his victim who has now
become his courtesan. and the devotion
or the little sweetheart who tries to
save the man who had deserted her
when he is chained as a mailman In the
cellars OF the palace of the Medici.
These scenes were enacted against back
grounds Of striking beauty. The first
scene was effective, with its massive
doors opening on the summer night and
the chamber of the courtesan carried
on the key of blue in a lighter tone. In
the cellars OF the Medici palace q mas
sive pillar. to which the supposed mad
man was chained. occupied the centre of
the stage against the black shadows
Mr.. Hopkins, following his usual prac-
tice, bathed only the centre IF the stage
In which the action passed in the full
light.
Fine Acting OF the Company.
John Barrymore made a wonderful
picture as the slender painter. his regu-
lar features crowned with flaming red
hair that curled back from his fore
head. His twitching face and hesitatinR
manner showed in the opening scenes the
mental struggle OF the neurasthenic. feb
rile boy. terorized by the two DULLES who
had followed him through life. As he
gradually, by his wits. Furnishes them for
WIS euterinss MS manner grew In reliance
and force until at the final scene of the
play, when one of his enemies is muir
dered and the other mad he completely
dominated the action. II was an i'm
personation, remarkable for ts grace
and imagination, as well as for its I'm
expected power in certain scenes. Lionel
Barrymore, the swaggering, clustering
mercenary. made in his exhibition of
cruelty and animal strength a striking
contrast to the painter. Perhaps his
success was more emphatic from his lack
OF the physical means TO impose the
sense of gigantic strength, as he did on
every scene. Both the actors were re-
peatedly recalled. They as we'll as De-
nellfs play enjoyed a triumph of rare
sincerity
Maude Hanaford perhaps lacked
warmth as the courtesan, but she had
a certain artificial charm that suited
well the period Of the drama Arthur
Forrest impaired distinction to few
passages OF the first act. z. ]. Ballan-
tine indicated in the dungeon scene his
doglike alteration of his young master,
and there was competence In every role.
Mr.. Hopkins may congratulate himself
on having achieved the most interesting
theatrical production OF the year