The Washington times., 1925-02-03
CAPE SMOKE IS
REALLY BIG
BLAZE

After all there is nothing on
or off the stage quite SO salts
flying as smelodrama.' It pro-
vides a spilIway whereby excess
emotion can be nicely and gra-
ciously disposed Of, and in the
theater the interest 1t arouses
and the suspense 1t maintains
unite for pleasure of a thorough.
ly absorbing sort.
This Is particularly true Of
African ''melo'' stage connections.
The dark continent-so-c alledis
alive with curious and fantastic
physical and spiritual mysteries
and dangers, out Of which play
wright can easily and grippingly
fashion a Wl1irlwind pIaysuch
az, for example. Cape Smoke, !"
the Walter Archer Frost ssveldt"
drama, which witch-doctored its
way into Polls last night with
James Rennie and Ruth Shepley
its featured protagonists,
Cape Smoke, is mighty good
thriller" material, staged by Al.
T.. Arson In superbIy realistic
fashion. Like THE Bat It il
something Of a trick brew, but
the atmospheric aspect OF the
production is, together with its
plot, carried out to the final de-
tail, and the producer. Charles
Gordon, should look with salts.
faction at the net result-for It
'mels'' like q success.
Gordon and Frost have re-
quested, by program note, that
the denouement not be disclosed,
and without dIvulging the finish
Ia good one-let it be known
that Cape Smoke IS not nm
like the n1oyieized novels Of
Cynthia Stockley-a tense and
picturesque play of the African
"veldt "-that grassy land In Cape
Colony stretching from the Kar-
roe to the Orange river.
Miss Shepley, whose beauty Is
distinctive and quite common
surate with her talents is the
girl, used as a decoy by her
brother and his two scapegoat
pals-aI in debt-to wheedle.
money from a wealthy Texan
done by Mr.. Rennie IN a highly
romantic and genuinely fasci-
mating fashion. There YOU have
plot. For the unfolding OF it see
Cape Smoke and collect your
own thrills-act by act.
These two leads are precisely
cast. Their team work splendid.
Miss Shepley, in particular, is
painstaking In her creation of
the homeless girl. A contribution
to the play, unusual and really
very fine. Rennie, as always,
reads his role with all the finesse
or Richard Harding Davis engi-
neer, and is far more real as
successful hero" than any of the
hundreds of reel heroes dane.
ing their way on ceIluloid from
the Hollywood factories. Al fine
voice Is an additional Rennie
asset.
In support of these two leads.
Cape Smoke is rarely cast for q
play under the direction of a. new
manager. Percy Waram brings
to his fretful and fetish-chasing
Englishman corking punch,
especially lin the n1ellower of
the Cmelo" scenes, giving a con-
sistent and convincing perform
ance.
Sir Gerard Maxwell wiltshire Is
another rarely cast. And George
p. Roman third Of consequence.
The others in the long lineup
acquft themselves admirably. and
especially the Kaffirs, who, satu.
rate the play with ''veldt'' and
villainous atmosphere.
Cape Smoke" is novel and
Ingenious cleverly constructed
piece, well done in the main,
cleverly interpreted by Mr.. Rem
ME and Miss Shepley, with a fine
supporting cast. Mr.. Frost
should, however, tie-up the action
mere and there. A few cuts can
De conveniently made. The pace
lags here and there.
A good play with success fIirt-
ing with 1t right now!FRANK
BAER.