Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-07
THE LAW BREAKER"
MAKES LOCAL HIT
New Emotional Play Amusss
Large Audience at Tho
Playhouse.

The ups and downs OF a string OF
pearls held tho close attention OF a
very sympathetic audience at The
Playhouse last night, as the symbolic
The Law Breaker"
Text and situations are from the
practised hand OF Jules Eckert Good
man. and the equally experienced
touch OF william A. Brady Is seen in
the capable company which has been
brought together for its presentation.
The audience holds no Illusions as
TO the genuineness OF the jewels, in
these days OF near" everything, feel
ing quite confident that real gems
worth "a thousand dollars apiece would
he guarded more closely. So long as
the substitutes flash" like the real
thing, however they are accepted;
and this attitude envelops and car :
ries with IT the points of proper con-
duct which are the subject OF copious
discussion among the characters, and
lie At the base OF the pot, II This 1t to
be taken seriously.
The outstanding figure Is Joan Fow-
Ter. who wears the necklace. a 10000
affair at pre-war prices. The part is
well assumed by Laura Walker, whose
excellent diction and pervading per-
sonality lend conviction to a part not
too readily put over. Joan holds de-
cided vews on the inequity OF legal
penalties in many cases. Her views
as argued with her father are sup
ported by q cleric OF advanced view
point. and are demonstrated when her
brother is held responsible, by the re-
port OF a detective. for a loss suffered
by the fathers bank The father is
all for hushing the matter up. bu,
takes the opposite tack when another
report fastsns the crime on another
man. Who is brought into the room
and turns out to be an underworld
acquaintance OF tho brother, with a
police record.
BY the statement OF Joan tn,
brother has been guilty OF filching tn,
necklace. which he confesses. On tha
basis she asks clemency for jim
Thorne. capitally carried by Johr
Cromwell and stakes the pearls a.
surety for his forswearing his Law
breaking career.
The altruistic leaven has unex
pectedly worked when. at the explra
ton of two months elapsed, Jim i
seen at the fiat of Kit Grey. assume,
|, by Fsire Binney. whose heart is tru
to Jim. although keenly sought By Bill
Dobba. played with much JUNCTION /,
. Morgan Wallace. in a derby hat an,
with the nervous sweep OF. the Chi
, with the back OF the hand supposed Z
, characterize the typical badger,
The leaven has been working ais
: In the case OF Tom Fowler, who is
; notably weak brother. He displays
? somewhat belated mood Of true manli
. ness. and Ia backed up by Jim Thorn.
: who however. administers discip
linary licking" by way OF lesson.
The story OF the influence OF Joa
over Jim excites the jealousy OF XII
who nevertheless hands back the cas-
Jim stole from the bank.
When he returns this in person I
Joan at her home that night, in tn
vHig scene OF the third act. and de
mands the necklace. which he ha
promised to bring back to Kit. Joa
slips II into her corsage and defe
HIM TO take II. The leaven agai
!, works and his effrontery quans befor
hers
y The lights go out-there is a scum
< pistol shot and when the ligh,
r come back, XII is discovered. wounde.
. and the necklace is gone frorn th
table.
> The fourth act, which could scarcel
I help seeming weak after the china
= which precedes. brings out the ia.
h that the pearls were taken by RiI
i who as well as Joan had been spyin
e on Jim; and these are eventually r,
: turned TO Joan, whose faith IN huma
y nature II thereby restored. and ST
y is treasured that her love for Walt,
Homer. her fathers lawyer. played /
y John Merkyl, warrant. her In MARI,
= ing him, while Kit and Jim are al.
on the way TO the altar
g The lines are piatitudinous in the
" discussions OF the ethical point. /,
" volved. but plentifully sprinkled vii
criminal arEot and allusions. III
action Is vigorous and the suspen
well maintained through the first thr,
!, acts. and the popular verdict OF II
!, vel hlied house was one OF APPROX
~ FOR the entertainment afforded.
!. The cast includes Joseph Ma
N Cauley as Father spaulding, Clino
"a Dempsey as Ewing Fowler. Marc
,e kousseau as Ricordi. the detect,
le John Milton rs Donovan and Herbe
DR. Rothke as Griggs.
There is a matinee this afterno,
,e and performance tonight.