Evening star., 1919-09-23
ADJUSTMENTS


Avery Hopwood's scintillant study
Of the chorus girl Of musical comedy.
~The Gold Diggers." In which David
Belasco is presenting Miss Ina Claire
rs q star. and which had its premiere
at the Belssco Theater last spring.
opened a weeks engagement at the
New National Theater last evening;
with an audience at all times amused
and at times quite enthusiastic. The
interest in the new Belasco produc-
tion was. of course, divided by 1tS
pretty star, whose career in theatrlcai
effort began in Washington and has
now won her'au enviable position IN
the rank of Belasco stars.
Mr.. Hopgood's play. however, IS
not a tax upon the talent OF Miss
Claire, however delightful she may
. appear in IL, but IL Is, rather. study
of the New York chorus girl, who
il presented in perhaps all her types
and with her own peculiar language,
the fruits of hitting everything In
the high places in the gruel1ng
struggle that ends with the survival
of the fttest. She Is presented IN
the veteran" stage, where her chief
aim is the annexation of a man who
can be depended upon for substan-
tial alimony against the days when
face and figure have lost their charm.
She is seen in her affectatfon. EN-.
French and much of the English ac-
cent; in her irresponsible and almost
childish indulgence of the jazz ana
a very amusing picture is present.
ed of her as an amateur eques-
trian in a stage of disillusionment,
when she thinks perhaps it is best
after all to go back to st. Louis and
marry a swain with the euphonious
pet name of Meshack.
The story that serves to introduce
her in all her phases has for its basis
the desire of Jerry Lamar miss
Mr. Hopwood terms the chorus ladies.
to help a modest, diftident little chorus
girl loved by the nephew of rich
man, who will not tolerate the thought
of such a thing. Jerry undertakes to
win over the uncle's consent and sue
ceeds far beyond her expectations, but
{ not without twinge of heartache for
herself for her oyerdaring. Bruce
McRae. as the uncle, presents fine
, Characterization, with an especially
finished scene at the close of the sec
ond act. H. Reeves Smith as James
dertaken to show the uncle how to
deal with q situation utterly beyond
him. but who, himself. falls from grace
and becomes the generous gift-be-
slowing "Sweetie" of Mabel Munroe,
"the veteran gold digger" also offers
An lnpeISOndtlOh ulBhlucu anu iSoi
even in its most ridiculous 'predica-
ment. Jobyna Rowland. as Mabel
Munroe. is the laughable delight OF
the play She wants only the right
man with the Indispensable alimony
and her concentration" lands the law
yer effectually. even his respect and
interest in her future, after she has
shown him how easily the gold digger
annexes her nuggets. The Topsy of
Ruth Terry is one of it's unforgettable
Features. 1t is thoroughly human even
ST very laughable. But the long cast
sthroughout is in every way adequate
to the demands-so good, in fact, Is the
feminine array that it would be un-
fair not to mention Beverly West, the
stimid little sweetheart of the rich
suncle's nephew; Pauline Hall. the once
famous musical comedy star; Illyan
:Tashman, Luella Gear, Gladys Field
man, Katherine Walsh and Louis Bur
ston-
Hut the star Of the play. Miss Ina
claire, Radiant buoyant, natural ana
beautiful, clever at times when the op-
tportunity afforded; in spite OF the lack
Of IL. or. rather of stellar opportunity,
Miss Claire nevertheless held the DOM
inant interest while on the stage-and
she was rarely of. Her performance
gave promise Of still greater individ-
ual effort and accomplishment. She
has evidently earned her place in star
dom. for Mr. Belasco, in a brief curtain
speech, said: 81 am proud of the little
.girlv-the hallmark OF his approval.