The sun., 1919-10-01
Ina Claire, Now Star in Her
Own Right, Most Pleasing
of Attractive Sirens.
"The Gold Diggers"--at the Lyceum


Il Niasio oAue auAAiiN AAoh
David Belasco turned his practised
hand last night to the revelation of the
chorus girl. out Of deference to some Of
her best known characteristics Avery
Hopwood. who wrote the three act com
edy of this phase of life for the eminent
manager called the play "The Gold
Diggers." Gold dggers-that is to say,
chorus girls-as they were represented
at the Lyceum Theatre with all the Be-
lasco skill last night, are at least of the
same family as the salamanders. And
salamanders were found to be interest
ing, but undramatic. On the other hand
the chorus girl as James Forbes saw
and Rose Stahl embodied her. was an I'M
commonly refreshing person. Last night
the girls Of THE Gold Diggers' were al
together of another class. They neither
had 1'rooms" in cheap Madison avenue
houses nor did they dwell in cheap ho-
tells. They dug their gold to good effect.
Most Attractive of the Lot.
The most brilliant member of this CO.
terie that peopled Mr.. Hopwood's three
act play was acted by Ina Claire. She
played an old trick. but both she and
Mr.. Hopwood, who were at it together,
played 1t well. A youth OF fortune had
developed well recognizable tendency
to marry a more or less restrained gold
digger of irresistible charm. Naturally
there were family objections put for
ward by an uncle. So uncle had to be
conquered. Ina Claire, as star of 'The
Gold Diggers," took upon her fair Shout
ders the task. She would so disgust
10
chorus girl that he would be delighted
to have his nephew marry the girl that
she represents But the plan does not
work. Uncle VIII not find anything that
is not lovable in this specimen of the
desplscd class that has 50 literally in
creased in this country the families of
millionaires and has peopled the peerage
of England. Nothing can make him think
evil OF the particular specimen he has
met, whatever she may do. He always
has an excuse. so he ultimately finds one
for marrying her and letting his nephew
take the girl of his choice. SO the gold
diggers triumph.
1t was not after all this little legend
which hardly showed its head in the
first act that amused the audience to q
degree that made the new play one Of
the most genuine of all the comedy sue
cesses that Mr.. Belasco has ever put
to his credit. 1t was the frou frol
of the story, the Incidental views ol
life and the gold digger character which
the play afforded that most delighted the
laughers. During the gfeater part of the
first act they occupied the room of the
popular girl they were visiting. They
were all there, the mercenary, the lgno'
rant, the pretentious and the natural
very amusingly acted and furnishing a
4 oft NfoftN Nf hi wi CT
ence which, fanciful or truthful, is moi
to DO resisted as a source OF humor
Jobyna Rowland again playing type
of the piratical female that she has en-
bodied before. was chief in the fun OF this
act. She was amusing. moreover, In heI
audacity and vulgarity in all the cpl
sodes that included her.
Human Enough TO He Comic.
Ina Claire, assuming the manners OF
the worst of her kind in order to recon
cile this obdurate uncle to the best
created a real parsonage and was at her
best in the long recital of her imaginary
struggles to reach the stage. Here was
Mr. Hopwood also at the height of his
achievement, since nowhere else in the
play was there such a sense of sophisti-
cation. More than once 1t was not tc
De uen1eu tnat Jne chorus girls WeTt
those of the comic papers. But Mr.
Belasco had made them human enough
to be comic. Miss Claire in this story
TO the accompaniment of assumed intoxi
cation. played lightly on the surface OF
very fine burlesque. 1t was all an un
, commonly brilliant essay in comedy act
ing, quite the best that she has ever put
to her credit.
There was the Belasco perfection II
details that appealed to the eye as wei
as the ear and intelligence. Bruce Nc
Rae, as the man Of the world suddenly
enmeshed in the tolls of the chorus girl
and Reeves Smith, as his associate ir
/ some Oh their pleasures, were admirable
| Mr. MCRae's scene of slight intoXicatiol
at the end OF the second act was mos
adroltly managed. Gladys Feldman
Lilyan Eastman and some other wei
known beauties had been collected by
Mr.. Belasco to add realism TO the grouI
! of chorus girls. Pauline Hall, remem
bered by some as a prlma donna of aC
knowledged beauty at the Casino year,
ago, played the part of stage favorlt'
| in hard luck whose prosperity in ped
ding soap among her successors showed
how generous they could be at times
Mr., Belasco had TO acknowledge tn
gratitude OF the audience for the evening
of delicious fun that "The Gold Diggers'
provides.
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