The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-02

one OF the characters in "Man and
Woman" And this sentence seems to
be the keynote OF the extremely in
teresting play. The author appar-
emily believes that 1t is entirely prop
err for the snake and the devil to
awaken and start the heart a-flutter-
ing.
There are some pretty serious
faults TO be found with the mechan>
ism of the play. but the critic is
forced to admit that the unusually
small cast of only four persons Is
able to rivet the attention OF the au-
dience and that the psychological
involved contributes a suspense and
an interest that make the play en-
joyable.
The most Objectionable feature of
the play is that the author, after pre-
senting a problem and devoting four
episodes to a mental struggle over
that problem, finally solves II by
sidestepping IL. II is the old plot
trick OF cutting the Gordian knot, 1t
produces a happy ending and that al
ways gives some OF the ladies In the
audience relief, but 1t also sends the
thinking portion OF the audience away
wondering what the play really
means; IL puzzles, instead OF com
pletely satisfying the interest.
1t is the usual triangular love story
Pedro, a tanner, living on a mountain
top in the Spanish Pyrennees, is old.
feeble, lame-a weakling. He is en-
gagged In smuggling and has come to
be known as "the sly fox" He is
suspected by the frontier guard, and
a soldier named Juan Consents to
try, through playing upon the affec-
lions OF Guerita. Pedro's pretty young
wife, to obtain evidence of the Snug.
Cling.
80 'ro bears of the plan and COM
mands his wife to encourage the sol
dier's affections so that he can be
placed in a compromising position,
thereby assuring the smuggIer Of
safety in his future operations.
Juan, big, husky, powerful.
though awkward and clumsy fellow,
at once falls in love with Guerita, and
she falls even more passionately in
love with him. Pedro discovers the
love affair. but refuses to give up his
wife to her lover. Juan had dscov-
cred some contraband goods in the
house, but out of regard for Guerita.
had failed to report them, and Pedro
seizes upon this fact as a weapon to
frighten the soldier to desert and
leave the country. 1t is just becom-
ing very vexing problem, and the
audience is waiting for something
really heroic when suddenly Pedro
drops over dead, a victim of heart
trouble, and the way is made clear
for the union of the twin souls.
IL the author intended to teach that
, real. true, deep-seated love is more
| sacred than marriage in which there
is no spark of affection, he should
have carried the principle out in the
action OF the play. But instead, he
, sidesteps the issue by conveniently
having Pedro drop dead
The third act is rather cruel and
! rather revolving in that human
| weakness. a human deformity, is
| made the butt of soon and Jest Guer-
ita laughs at the weakness of her
husband as compared with the vigor
of her lover. And in the fourth cpl
sode, the moral values are rather
mixed when Guerita and her lover
the characters with whom the sympa-
thfes of the audience lie. seriously
contemplate the murder OF the old
husband as solution of the problem.
All these things are realistic
enough, and even natural enough,
taking into consideration the attend
ant circumstances. but they lead to
nothing but temporary mental exhil-
iration and eventually mental con-
fusion. The only positive thing that
the author does make clear, appar-
emily, is that women do like a little
cave man" stuff, that women love
big. brawny, heroic men in preference
to little weddings, and that they are
even willing to take a beating from
them. There is plenty of cave man
loving in the play-tiger-lilSe, bone
crushing hugs and long. lingering
passionate kisses, and they help to
make the play exciting.
Larry Nash, a beautiful Spanish
type. with bewitching features am
tantalizing eyes, makes an excellent
coquette, a passionate lover, and
finished portrayer of deep emotion
She is magnetic, finished actress
Curtis Cooksey, big and handsome is
effective in the role Of the awkward
soldier-lover, battling betwee, pas
sion and duty. Holbrook Blinn, MS
pedro, is in a very unattractive role,
but he handles the part we'll.
r. W. i.