The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-16

Engineer .............Jo Joseph Sweeney
Charlie Watts. Raymond Van Sickl,
Molla Hansen. ...:.......::. MISS AnglII
Jo johnny H iif'.,' Claude Cooper
Not since William Vaughan
Moody's, Great Divide" has
Margaret Anglin had better
vehicle for the exposition of her
emotional talents than in Willard
Robertson's, 1.-THE Sea Woman,
the new play in which she seeks
metropolitan acclaim.
1t is tragic melodrama Of q
stark, grim kind with a touch Of
romance to tighten the somber
theme, but it is superbly acted by
q skilled company of players and
it provides more than the average
in moments Of tense thrilling
drama.
The action Of the play is all set
in the living room at the base Of
a lighthouse, down Baltimore
way" Here Molla Hansen q
rugged descendant of the Vikings
and keeper of the light lives with
her ward, the orphaned daughter
OF captain who gave his life
to save Molla from death In q
catastrophe Of the sea. Molla
has had her romance and exists
with the hope that the man whose
life she saved on the China coast
win sometime come to claim her.
Eventually Molla's sweetheart,
Rodney, returns and for q few
fleeing moments the little living
room radiates joy as they discuss
plans for their early wedding.
The happiness is short lived for
MoIia learns that her youthful
protege, Pearl, is confronted with
serious trouble. The sea woman
elects to remain by the side of
her ward and her romance sails
away while she sacrifices hap
piness to straighten the tangled
love of her orphan. Pearls at
tempt to fasten the responsibility
for her misfortune upon Gov
eminent engineer forms one or
the most thrilling and tense
moments OF the play. The play
wright resorts to theatrical de-
vices to find happy ending for
it all but compensates by some
well staged thrills that thrOb with
realism.
with the tang OF the sea and
the somber theme one could read
ny associate the play with Eu-
gene O,NeiI. In the stalwart
and noble NorseWoman, Molla,
Miss Anglin has character that
drips with primitive emotions.
None of the contemporary stage
can surpass her in portraying
deep emotions, and the climax OF
4 4. nSa& oh
bathed in real tears Is but an
other tribute to the spirit with
which she endows the character
ization. Again in the scene
where she welcomes the long
missing Rodney" her act was
revealed in a most convincing
manner that carried true heart
appeal.
Sharing honors with the star is
Rea Martin, a little actress cast
in q role without a vestige OF
appeal and calling for genuine
talents. Pearl" as conceived by
the playwright has qualities that
destroy every element OF SYM
pathy and it would be difficult
to find player who could bring
out these distressing points more
forcibly than did Miss Martin in
q performance of solid merit.
Joseph Sweeney has one big op-
portunity and makes it count,
while Harry Minturn makes the
return of Rodney" a real scene
Of Joy. The essential comedy
provided by Claude Cooper as
Johnny Hickey" is inserted
congenially and was always eff
fective. "The Sea Woman" has
some minor faults characteristic
of first performance, but in it's
entirety is a production worthy
of its star. A. II. K.