The Washington times., 1919-02-18
SCANDAL" OPENS
AT THE GARRICK

The cleverest comedy that Wash
ington has seen since Fair and
Warmer" and a rather better class
of acting-such is Cosmo Hamilton's
three-act play, Scandal" which
opened for a weeks run at the Shu-
bert-Garrick last night.
Some there were who were disap-
pointed, because, knowing that there
was to be a bedroom scene, they had
expected one of those morbidly shock
ing performances that appeal to GER
tain lower types. Instead, while the
subject handled was, perhaps, little
delicate, it was presented with such ar
tistry that there was not a line or an
action that could have offended the
most delicate sensibility.
And IL was one Of those rare cases
where every one was so well cast
that they appeared to be the play
rather than merely acting it.
Charles Cherry. in the leading male
part, endowed his role with a perfect
reality, and Francine Larrimore, his
co-star, proved more than charming
and more than a clever actress. The
rest Of the players were uniformly
good.
The play opens in the studio of
Sutherland York, a painter Of evil
cine Larrimore), daughter OF an old
and wealthy family. has managed to
escape the overzealous guardianship
Of her relatives for a night and de-
cides to visit the studio, not because
Of any infatuation for York, but
merely for the sake Of the adven-
ture, as = change from her walled-in
life.
Beatrix and York are surprised by
Pelham Franklin (Charles Cherry, a
globe-trotter Of family and fortune,
whom her family had hoped she would
marry, and his friend, Malcolm Fraser.
The two men try to persuade her to
leave with them, but she refuses, and
they 90 to Franklin's apartment across
the hall
There follows an interesting scene, in
which, to use her own words, Beatrix
beats York at his own game" At the
climax. her mother, aunt and uncle enter
and there is an exciting denouement
Driven to a corner, Bearix, on mad
impulse, decides to save herself from
scandal by asserting that her visits were
not to York but to FranSlin-her born
of-inspiration, secret husband. Frank
lin accepts the situation as BELTS a
sportsman.
The second act is in Beatrix's bed
room. where everything has been pre-
pared for the honeymooners, who, Of
course, have been delightedly accepted
BY the family.
Beatrix is preparing to retire when |
Franklin enters and tells her that
she must do one Of two things-actual- |
~ marry him, or accord him the rights |
of 3 husband. BestriX refuses to con-
slider marriage, and depends on her
pseudo-husband's sportsmanship to
save herself from the other eventual
ity. He seems adamRnt, however. and /
there follows q remarkable bit Of i
emotional acting Of the most effective /
sort-Tepresssed-wh ends in her
submitting to his will, only to be
spurned and left by him
The third act, in Franklin's summer
home a month later, shows Beatrix
paying Franklin back for the wound
70 her vanity. To complicate matters,
each has fallen in love with the other,
but, OF course, they keep this to them
selves
There is a happy ending, Of course,
with Beatrix in her lovers arms, and i
a clean taste in the audiences mouth.
The cast In support of Miss Larri-
more and Cherry consists OF William