Evening star., 1920-09-16
AM MUSEME ENTS
Beyond the Horizon. !"

Of despair, by by Eugene G. o'NeilI. SON
of James O'Neill. the famous Monte
Christie Of years ago, a play which has
able writers and students Of the
drama, who have pronounced it a
masterpiece. was presented last night
in Washington for the first time, at
the Shubert-Garrick Theater, by the
distinguished actor, Richard Bennett,
and a cast that fully realized its
exacting demands and acquitted itself
with notable ability.
marked characters; its plot is simple
and it's story proceeds to the tragic
climax without artif1ce and with re-
lentless force.
Two brothers, Robert and Andrew
Mayo, sons of lovable mother and
sturdy old farmer, of great strength
OF purpose and character. imagine
they are both in love with Ruth At
adjoining farm, which Mayo. the elder,
is anxious shall be annexed to his
own through the marriage of Andrew,
strong. sensible and typical farmer.
invalid from childhood, and whose
smattering Of education, if not his
physical condition, has made him a
dreamer. with an irrepressible yearn-
ing to get out into the great world
beyond the chain Of rugged hills that
surround his home, believing that
Ruth loves Andrew, eagerly seizes the
opportunity offered by his uncle for
2 three-year tour around the world
in the good ship Sunda- On the eve
OF his departure. however. Ruth per-
suades him that it is he she loves. and
that he must not go.
Thinking it all so wonderful. 80
beautiful he tells the old folks and
the uncle. and adds. "Of course, you
know, I can't 60 now" Andrew. who
has overheard the confession, with
crushing disappointment, thereupon
declares that he will go with the
damns the farm. whereupon his father
curses him. From this point the sad
story unfolds the miscarriage Of Rob-
ert and Ruth and the fact that, after
All. Ruth loves Andrew best. Their
little daughter does not help remedy
the situation. The old farmer dies
and matters on the farm go from bad
to worse. A brief visit from Andrew
upon his return from his voyage, pre-
paratory to shipping almost imme-
diately to Buenos Aires, the end of
his rainbow of hope for riches brings
an outburst from despairing Ruth,
followed by virtual separation from
her husband. though living in the
same house, until Andrew comes
again and a scream from Ruth an
nounces the end of Robert
1t is grim picture of life growing
out OF the mismating of Robert and
ItutH, ana the portrayal or those char
acters by Mr.. Bennett and Adrienne
Morrison. respectively. are the great
features of the performance, Miss
Morrison's revelation of absolute de-
spair in the woman matching per-
fectly the wonderful work of Mr. Rem
nett as the sick and heartbroken man
who dreams on until death releases
him. The only element of comedy
that enters into the play is discrimi- :
natingly supplied by Louise Closer
Hale, as Mrs. Atkins, Ruth's widowed
mother, whose only means of loco
motion is in rolling chair that war
rants the testiness of her temper and
the sharpness of her tongue when she
sees everything going to ruin because
of Roberts utter unfitness for his re-
sponsibilities. A powerful bit of
character work is afforded in a brief
space of time in the opening act by
Erviile Anderson, as the old farmer.
his denunciation of Andrew being a
masterpiece of histrionic defamation.