Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-18
LOU TELLEGEN WINS
IN WEAK THOMAS PLAY
Speak Of the Devil" Draws
Big Audience to See Popu-
lar Film Star

Brcad--Had not Shakespeare already
employed the title Much Ado About
Nothing" for one of his delightful
comedies, Augustus Thomas might have
aptly used It as substitute for "Spcals
ot the Dcvil"--and hit nearer the mark.
Seldom has there been so much drtvol
wrtten and recitcd around an uninter-
rormance than that offered in the pres
Cnt starring vehicle OF Lou Tellegen.
n Mr.. Thomas purposcly created sit
nations and speeches to show off the hus-
band Of Geraldine Farrar to his best
advantage regardless of plausibiity and
several other requisites Of good drama
mrgy, then, perhaps, he may be excused,
for let it be known that Mr.. TclleRen
measured up splendidiy in every oppc'r
iunity afforded him and stamped himsei.
| an actor of genuine accomplishments.
MN Tellegtn saved the play. II 1t was
at all saved.
There is something radically wrong
| with mclodramatic comedy that sends
tle audience away in sympathy with the
Villain But that was the attitude of
most of the sophisticated playgocrs last
evening At ono impassioned speech OF
lhls villE'2, II we may call him such.
wherein Ee makes a defense of his posi-
llon and heaps counter charges upon the
wife, silly. impetuous little thing, who
Seks TO divorce him to marry a French
'oldler she rursed at the front. the
audience was SO carried away from the
nont intended by the author that II
burst out in applause.
speak of the Devil the devil"
nsmg the aforementioned French soldier
y lhls country with the Blue Devils OF
france on their famous tour at the con-
,r,gsloh OF the war-,doesn't ring true.
mere is false note throughout the
r,Obo, meIS, Many or the scenes are imr
mooSolo and few border on the i'm
possible Yet, curious aa 1t may seem.
mere Is some good entertainment in IL,
Iost OIL II amusing, aside from tho
gSEsrm ~ OF Mr.. Tcllegens love scenes. In
.s , love making the star shines. The
amusement is afforded by the lines. Mr..
aS lnomaS gives evif, nee of having
strained II bit for this A strain also is
T"S,uCrspIc in the building of his sit
SscvIas SuTIas Everything seems to have been
TSIIlcHd FOR theatrical effect. MIR
opIr"m'ss khows the stage and its re-
''nor,nehts nrn ny In this respect
con,rThi. vi. me big faults in this latest
ia that bTi,o" ,bo j. OF Mr Thomas to the stage
Tvs not rot Justify the hubbub made over
the LIE, lie twist" at the end, wherein
ana i;umSln ;nItlln husband OF the very young
sTS mSoiscreet wife turns magnanimo,,s
after np urSopS ,Sp bis objection to the diVorcs
Aims" "ce cb soldier lover refuses to push a
i.cIdSsdSim,,a iItS dSimarge Of treason against him is g
m,teE!y mo,t ., ,nH weak and unconvincng% % as is is
A wo, SnSt preceding It,
spepS% STIu @ or praise must be said for the
roSsUi ri'u characterization of an Enp,isS
smnsors seheral at New York bv fwsn
probsSrn,: Alma Belwin did the hest than
Inc WIZ could be done with the mart 81
n a Sne, noo, Mac NJ, Barnes was a arnus,ng mar. OF
counsel soGa SN Portrayal Of the ex.i,iSsas
stss' sSatSsS' w., ANOTHER meritorouusS usreg impep psp.
an United TSs S,atnst mat BY Thomas Walsh as
best S nSr,Oilaln Villain and he gave one of othe the
4 All otSersa otSrTanSsS @sSe Of the evening, lie lie
gain WIN, liners who helped The pIans ns
BosslswS success 1t did were Rpaoe Rpieoe
The piay me wife of the consul asrnan, rad
vas s'Ty G,, Is adequately staged seTsrai neral
motion. .pIctrnnoo It mouse to greet the ponuea e G