New-York tribune., 1919-04-09
Drama
ga Good Bad Woman" at the
Harris; Matinee of
s'SilakuntaIa''
By Haywood Broun

gentleman which deals with the psy-
chology Of lady who is expectinp
To US such a play carries the same
lack OF conviction as an intimate
story of the Paris conference written
by correspondent stationed in Wash
ington. William Anthony McGuires
obstetrlcal little drama called "A
Good Bad Woman produced at the
Harris Theatre last night, seemed to
US to fall into this class. We were re-
never sure of it's truth, because In
the case Of much of its material we
knew that Mr. Mcclure could not DOS
sibly be writing of his own knowledpe
The atmosphere of at is learned On
good auth ority" and 1--WE are reliably
informed" hung heavily over the en-
tertainment.
The theme of criminal abortion
which Mr.. Mcclure has chosen as
subject for an evenings diversion in
the playhouse is not particularly IA
miliar in the theatre, but whatever un
easlness may be caused by this fact
is shrewdly mitigated by the play
wright's device of using a dramatic
technique without a single novel feat
ure. Every serious scene is followed
by scene of comic relief This sys-
tenn, which we understand is classi-
fed in the textbooks as sandwich
'cInii iique, mas gone out OF fashion
a bit in the last fifty years, but it is
nothing ever happened in "a Good
: Bad Woman" without the most elabo-
rate preparation and the broadest of
hints to the audience This is known
as foreshadowing. Mr. Mcclure has
also been most industrious in invent
ing excuses for his characters to come
on and Off at the precise moment he
has need of them. The fact that many
Of the excuses are very bad should
1T IS to his credit that he has tried
his best to justify every exit and en-
trance in an age in which many play
wrights merely whsk people on and
Off without asking leave from any one.
"a Good Bad Woman" is propa-
ganda play against abortion which is
treated in a frank and severe manner
The physician of the play states it as
his opinion that it is justified by no
Inc of the play, under the bad advice
of villanous woman friend, seeks
to avoid motherhood. The physician
to whom she is sent deceives her into
thinking that her wish has been ac-
complishcd. She rcpents and is re-
morSeful, particularly when her hus-
band learns of her plan and threatens
to divorce her and shoot the doctor
Before these threats can be turned
into accomplishment the doctor con-
fesses that he merely deceived the err
ring woman in order to teach her q
lesson.
We should catalogue "a Good Bad
Woman" as rather weak play about
ABORTION but this is not intended as
an appeal for stronger plays on the
same subject.
The play is written with such an OBJ
vious effort for theatrical effect that
There are few opportunities, therefore,
for the actors. Margaret Ellington,
Robert Edeson and Wilton Lackaye,
who are cast in the chief roles, have
little opportunity to distinguish them
selves. Richard Taber, cast in a small
comic part, is amusing, and Amy Ong-
ley manages to get some fun out of the
character of comic servant with no
great help from the author. Perhaps
occurs in the second act, when Mr.
Lackaye and Mr.. Edeson give the Har-
ward cheer.
"Shakuntala," produced at the Green
wich Village Theatre at special matt
ness yesterday, is moro than 1,40O
years old, but several of its themes
are still in use on the American stage
This old Hindu drama by Kalidasa
proved always picturesque, often
charming and occasionally dramatic
from the modern point of view. There
were other stretches, however, when
it was severely dull TO any one except
student of the drama. The play deals
with the love of q king for a maid
and recounts how the woman ovorcomes
a curse and regans the love Of the
king through the virtue of ring.
The costumes and settings of Liv-
ingston Platt are beautiful, the stand
ard of acting is not so high. The
Frank Conroy and Charles Henry
Meltzcr from the translation of Sir
Monier Monier- Williams. The adapt
tors have done good job on the whole,
although while they were at their
comprcssing they might have squeezed
little harder here and there. Prob
ably tho best performance was that
OF mr.; Conroy: Joseph Macaulay as
the king acted moderately we'll and
aid much better than that in the sing
ing OF some charming incidental music.
Beatrice Prentice as the heroine we
1ound bit too hammered. Even a
Hlhdu maiden in fifth century play
must nave moments in which she for
gets that she is Hindu maiden in
fifth century play.
Harold Meltzer aided the perform
ance very largely on the pictorial side
by his effective appearance in a cos
tune which showed his huskincss to
the best advantage. But this reminds
us OF story they used to tell about
Peter Jackson. the negro pugilist, who
was put on the stage on the strenrth eth
of his athletic prowess. His manaerr
went around in front at the end of thc
first act to learn the verdict. He
sought an opinion from critic who
was also fight fan. "''0
It's like this" said the critic. cana
to91mieally he's a wonder. Uncletomatic
However, we ought to add that Melt
zers performance. aside from the pic
torlal, was adequate, even if this dulls
the point Of the story. We did not
th!nk Geoffrey Stein was up to his
usual standards.
"Come Along'' Opens
At Nora Bayes Theatre
Come Along" musical comedy Of
inc war, which opened at the Nora
bayes Theatre, does not stir by it's
4 IN,