Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-13
Shubert- Belasco.

So many reasons are presented why
1t is unwise to marry during the
three amusing acts of Jesse Lynch
Williams comedy, why Marry"
(which opened for the week at the
Schubert Belasco Theater last night,
that the bewildered auditor is in
sclined to repeat to himself the query
fn all seriousness. On the other hand,
t'1ove" and children" are the sug-
sgestions made through a pair of
very modern lovers and a world
hardened judge. The lovers are
finally married in spite of them selves
by the judge through a ruse when
they are about to sail for Paris to-
Eether without the formality of a
marriage service. What they were
about to do, according to the judge,
fs at any rate worse than marriage
| The success of why Marry is
attributable both to the clever-at
Hines sparkIing-lines and to the ad-
pnirable acting of well balanced
Fast, with Nat Goodwin in the role
pf Uncle Everett. the Judge, who
Paves the situation, and who, while
realizing the mistakes that are made
necessary and desirable to marry.
The mockery which is made of
marriage by 1.-The world and his wife,
is laid bare before the audience in
words of biting sarcasm. Yet there
is a whimsical turn given the lines
now and then which takes off the
edge John, man of wealth, who
believes in the power of money, that
every man has his price, has two
sisters. One of them is brought up
to be married "and nothing else"
The other has a scientific education,
Is interested in her career, but above
all in a young scientist John seeks
to marry the first to the prof1igate
son of a man of enormous wealth
and social position. He seeks to pre-
vent the marriage of the second to
the young scientist, and very nearly
brings about an elopement sans mar
1age vows.
The young scientists Who believes
IN nothing until it is proved, and be-
keves in neither marriage nor divorce.
makes the great discovery that love
eurpaSses everything else in the
world. When he finds that he is loved
In return his belief in marriage be-
comes certainty, but this is shaken
again by the actions of the married
relatives and friends of the girl he
loves.
In the end the very simplicity of
marriage. stripped of all form, when
man and woman declare their love
before God and in the presence of
men, making marriage as bindin g
as though performed by a. bishop in
q cathedral, is perhaps the most con-
vincing argument in favor of the rite
which the author presents
Besides Mr.. Goodwin, the parts in
the play are taken by Lotus Robb, as
the charming sister, who loves the
scientist too well to sacrifice his ca
Teer by marriage with him; Edmund
wealthy brother: Louise Randolph, as
Lucy. wife Of John. who seeks to be
an old-fashioned wife, but finds the
task difficult because of the ways of her
husband; Ernest Lawford. as Cousin
Theodore. a poor clergyman with
sick wife and six children; Leonard
Nude, as Ernest, the scientist: Anne
Morrison, as Jean, the sister who has
been brought up to be married; Oscar
v. Johnson, as Rex. whom Jean is 10
marry, not because she loves him, but
because of his parents wealth; Charles
Osgood and Arthur Dennis complete
the company, which received a cor
dial welcome from the large audience