Evening star., 1920-02-24
Believes Outlook Brixht.
AMUSEM ENTS
sHUBERT-BELAsCo-"aeorg
Washington."

J.. SeorBo washington, play Of
patriotism, was delivered to public
attention befoEa An audience Of SEN
timent at the hsAnbert-Be Belasco The-
ater lastnight "a presentation which
extends, itself close to the midnight
hour may be assumed to leave little
to be said. even in the way of repor-
torial postscript. The author. Mr..
Percy Mackaye, has attended to all
this He discusses the difficulties Of
scene, which abundantly takes the
place OF the supplementary analysis
fhat current review IL cuStomarily ex-
pected to attempt The fact that his
eaIty . candid and discerning reference
upon so exacting a historic theme ap-
pears at the beginning Of the repre-.
sentatlon does not exclude the i'm
preston that It was written well
complete. and that it's Intention was
to foreetall the criticism which mi q
inevitably arise when q subject of 70
much traditional Importance is sub
mitted to Interpretation on purely
prologue. designated as the rheater
announces the difficulties Of the en-.
terprise, and the subsequent stage
demonstration often exemplifies them
Inc aosnor has taken great pains
to announce the Theatef's reluctance
toward the task in hand It 10 but
respectful to allow his own Common.
tary to stand as an adequate refiec-
ton OF doubts that may exist as to
the sumcdency Of the tasks fulfill
The practical resources Of tho mod.
ern stage arc drawn .upon lavfehiv
ana expef0y. The danger in their ao
~ nperai employment lies in tho pos
hIlis!y heIlisby,,. OF o%yerwhelming I'VE with en-
ward story Of a man who must have
oeen intensely human despite the az
forts to weave about him the at
tributes Of myth.
and the license Of the poet S pHetsTa' ss sr,l
ployed in including several imnrea-
sions which do not clearly identifv
themselves to the average intelii-
gence. either a. historic portraiture
or categorical suggestion.
Quite the most conspicuous frn,.
IN the play Is Mr.. George Marion. Inn
personatfng ballad singer, who an
pears at entre-scenes with two chill
dren in songs which have been col
.eeeed with evident diligence and
quaintness. Not ali of Mr.. Marion's
songs reward the listener as much
as did the plantation melodies rem
dered by colored quartet. While it
interests the student Of folklore to
revive forgotten balladists, he sell
dom rescues from oblivion much that
IS seriously worth while. Father
Time is. after all. a ruthless but dis
cerning editor. Despite the excellent
acting Of a numerous list of players,
little child led them all in genuine
human sympathy--the little girl who
sang the melodies allotted to her hole
with sweetness Of voice and a free
dom from self-consciousness that
made her tiny bit in the show an ex-
preston of genuine. unaffected art.
Walter Hampden passed through rep
resentations of various epochs in
Washington's career with dignity, yet
with animation. His scenes repre-
sented Washington's environments as
a lad. then as colonel, then as gen.
eral, and then. in serene nobility, SIM
ply as Warrington. A reference to
his domestic attachment is prettily
made by means Of his imitation on
the flute. amid martial turmoil. Of
the love notes sung by the nesting
bird when he had bldden farewell to
his wife. Many similar touches Of
delicate grace present themselves,
and the work has much material well
qualified to attract both thought and
fancy. The play is obviously too
long. and the estimation in which it
will be held will depend largely on
what is selected for elimination and
| the manner in which the remaining
material is welded together. Last
nights audience was large and en-
| thusiastic in its appreciation. ].