Evening star., 1921-09-16
ADJUSTMENTS
"Bluebeard's Eighth Wife. "


Ina Claire, pretty, charming an
wonderfully clever in her coined
methods. has found a fiting compari9
ion for "The Gold Diggers" in Blue.
boards Eighth Wife," billed as Alfred
Savoir's French farce, but which, acs
cording to the average American cosE
ception. has more the distinguishing
characteristics of tragic comedy. q
Daring? Yes. Some will believe IT
so to the very limit, while others.
colder in their Judgment and perhaps
, freer with the conventionalities, will
| say it is deliciously piquante- 1t 10
a sort of French Katherine and Pc
truchio, with the tables reversed. for.
| unhke the Sha kespearean comedy. il
gives the woman her day-and what
the beautiful daughter of the impover
ished Marquis de Briac, who hopes.s
by her marriage TO a rich man. to re-
| trfeve his fortunes and is not par
is willing to accept for a son-in-law.
| In "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife" the
man is John Brandon. former husband
OF seven wives. one of whom is dead
and the other six divorced with
| yearly alimony of 100000 francs.
Brandon believes he has found the
ideal he has sought for an eighth in
Monna. and Monna. Vho is fascinated
. by an abrupt. almost brutal, pro-
posal. rather likes him and decides.
| even against the protest of her sister.
| to marry him. But she also decides
| to teach him a lesson never to be for
gotten-and she does. finally making
| him man she can love and hus-
| band who viii appreciate her wifely
| favors. which she withholds until the
| lesson is taught
| This, briefly. is the story of the play.
| It's development produces some very
delightful dialogue, sharp repartee and
! uEcommonly fine acting, by Miss
| Claire. by Edmund Breese, an ideal
John Brandon, and by Harry Baxter.
as Albert de aiarceu. whom Monna
| decides to use to play her little game.
first refusing to marry him, and then
\ in the midst of a difficult situation
refusing to permit him even to kiss
her hand
| However. on the evening when she
| is Informed her husband is to return
unexpectedly 20 a!lay his jealousy and
| satisfy himseif 2; 10 her fidelity after
she has aroused him to the noint al
| most of. madness by sending him
\ Anonymous le,'a"s she Sees take tfat
young siHll ie'"1 Albert to her be63
dofr. fairly soak hiiii with champa gne
makes him dis obe. and, after putting
| on pajamas. get into her bed. where
her husband finds him. The whole OBJ
1ect OF this escapade it appears, is to
| 1orce Brandon to divorce her, that she
| then. with her alimony, may be frs
| from hnancial pressure in her choice
OF husband and not a chattel to be
| bartered and sold, as she thinks Bran
| don believed her to be when he mar
| ried her. She k-oNs he loves her and
she also loves him. but she desires her
marriage to be & union upon that basis
| aione-and she has her way
Opinions are certain to differ as -
the details of play which is MR.
| proper entertair'7ont for the young or
| Tor those of dele tie sascsptibiIi,iea
IL is almost coi"-bloodedly humsG
throughout, but L is wonderfully
clever and entertaining 10 thoes who
can bare to face unvaTnished truth an
| the stage.
| Ernest Stallard does eyceIlentIy as
the irnpecunious Marquis de Bri:ic, aud
Jules Epailly is amusing as the detec-
| nFe' while Anne Meredith Leono.e
harris and Philip Tonee. in unimpor-
| tant roles, are adequate
| ihere is feeling that "BIuebeard's
EIGHTH Wife" with its present eolIin-
ment, is destined for long and high.
iy successful run in the metropolis,