The Washington herald., 1922-09-03
SEEING THINGS
At NIGHT
Continued From Page One.
BY HEYwoOD BROUN.

Continued From Page One.
thor can come forward with OBJ
servation of life which is both true
and amusing. all the more amusing
because Il can be recognized as
part Of the common experience OF
mankind. In this particular SEN
tence mankind" does not embrace
prohibitionists
When we speak Of the observa-
tions Of Don Marquis as true we
do not mean that they are in any
sense literal transcripts from life.
They are colored both by a playful
exaggeration and by the filter of
point of view. We hnd, for in
stance. that the villain of the play
is a church deacon who pretends
to use the most rigorous morality.
This is, of course, a familiar and
convenient tradition Of the theater.
And yet we imagine that in real
life church deacons are not much
worse than the common run of hu-
manity.
We admit that this is mere sup
position. Our opinion is not based
on extensive research nor is il well
documented. But the villain OF
The Old Soak" in spite OF his ex-
cessive vices, is a little more cred
ible than usual because before the
evening is done We begin to see
life from the point of view of
Glen Hawley, and to the Old Soak
a deacon would be pretty apt to
seem a villain.
II is difficult to describe the
charm of the Old Soak because a
mere retelling of the story sug-
gests none of the manifold virtues
Of the play. A hardly more con-
Sentional plot could be imagined.
although We suppose some play
wright or other will disprove our
statement before the season is
over. We have the nervous and
worried young man who simply
must get $4,000 for a business op-
portunity and certainly no theater-
broken spectator can work up any
surprise over the later revelation
that the young man has stolen
money from his employers.
II is true, of course. that in real
life young men do sometimes de-
fault, but anyone who watches ex-
I istence wholly through the theater
must get the notion that such ac-
tion is customary In dramas
banks seem to be conducted for the
sole purpose of providing some juv-
emile with an opportunity to get
short in his accounts and provide
third act. 1t is inevitable also
that the young man who stole the
money shall be shown to have
spent IL on an actress who is in
troduced in the play and allowed
Z one short scene in slang
This much OF the play is compul-
sorry and dreary; il is only when
Don Marquis turns to the elective
system that his play becomes the
/ first delight of the new season.
After an act or so he feels that he
has done his duty to the plot and
begins to neglect it. The Old Soak.
AL, the retired bartender, and Mel
lie, the comic serving maid. stand
about and discuss liquor. the sa-
loon. hooch and life in general.
/ The critic who insists on being
technical will probably want TO
make the point that this is mere
vaudeville. After that has been
granted we may proceed to add
that il is glorious fun.
As a matter of fact there is one
scene in the play which has genuine
| dramatic stamina. This comes to-
ward the end and consists of a con-
/ versation between Glenn Hawlev
Ghe Old Soak) and the wicked dea-
con who is called Webster Parsons.
Glenn works upon the deacon. not
by threats, but by repeating vari-
Gus newspaper stories about fear
ful things which have happened TO
country bankers. He has a mar
ticularly vivid tale of one who was
found hanging in his counting
room and Glenn goes on to surniise
Just what remarks would be made
by the employees Of Webster Par
sons If they should happen down in
the morning and find him dangling
in the same fashion
4 With his hands he indicates to
the terrified deacon the exact man.
ner m which a body swings aim
Iessly back and forth Unfortu-
nately the vivid effect Of all this
ingenious writing is rather spoiled
oy having the scene degenerate
into one of those things in which
the villain pulls a gun only to he
forced to drop his weapon hy the
hero. who points a cigarette lighter
at him.
The role of the Old Soak Is
played by Harry Beresford. who
gives one of the best performances
seen hereabouts in some time. Per
haps IT is as good as that of Frank
Bacon In 'Lightnin.' At any rate
II is close enough to serve as the
subject of a debate.
Marie Tempest. who has been ab-
sent from America for many sea-
sons. returns and shows that none
of her old brilliant and hammered
style has left her. That of many
other players has. and devotees of
the modern theater are likely 10
hnd Miss Tempest too artificial for
much comfort
Her play, "A Serpent's Tooth" by
Charles Richman. is a rather inter-
esting theme about a mother who
reveals the worthlessness of her
son to the girl he is going "a
marry. This is a departure from
the usual custom of the drama bu,
though the theme is new the man.
ner of its telling is ancient. Les.
lie Howard. who plays the part OF
the young ne'er-do-well, gives a
performance which is just as ex.
cellent as IL Is easy. The charac.
ter which he plays steals a mere
$4,000.
George Whites Scandals" serve,
as one more evidence of the fac,
that Ziegfeld Is supreme in tn,