Evening star., 1925-04-07
Belasco-" The Sapphire
Ring.

me sapphire hlnS, WnlCn mas
elements of real comedy, of farce and
OF melodrama. was consummately
acted at the Shubert- -Belasco Theater
last night, where this play by LaSZlo
Lakatos opened for a weeks run. 1t
comes to America from Europe,
adapted" by Isabel Leighton. 1t is
product-as is THE Harem"-of the
Hungarian modern school of drama.
And, judging from the enthusia site
greeting accorded by an a udience
which filled the theater last night.
it will prove every whit as popular
In measure the two plays are COM
parable. because in each wife fools
husband, which in feminine inter
probation is vastly different from de-
ceiving him. and because in each
matters which in America have been
regarded with utmost seriousness are
treated in a light and amusing vein
The lines and situations are of de-
gree of frankness WHICH in the past
has been confined largely to the con-
tinental stage and printed page but
which. since the theatrical season of
1924-25, seems to have become the
fashion in this once juritanical coun-
try. If the laughter and rapt atten
tion with which they We're followed
last night may be considered cri-
terion, these lines and situations
gave little if any offense.
George Choos, who presents The
Sapphire Ring" is to be congratulated
upon the cast which he has chosen.
Miss Helen Gahagan, who plays
krista, the wife, has accomplished, in
her impersonation a really remark
able portrait. The subtitle of The
II. II
Portrait of Woman" The whim-
sicalness, the contrariness, the ven
turesomeness, the inquisitiveness OF
woman are revealed. Miss Gahagan
is alluring and exasperating, cal
culated TO drive even phlegmattc
husband to desperation, task which
is easy to her hand with a husband
who is the personification of jealousy.
The action Of the play revolves around
her. and it may be said with entire
justice that Miss Gahagan in voice.
gesture and sureneSs of touch COM
pletely fills the measurements of her
part. 1t would be difficult to imagine
a more attractive bit of perfect act
ing than that of Miss Gahagan. Frank
Conroy as Karoly, the hus band, and
Kenneth MacKenna, as DIR. Erno Ne
meth, the lover, are both admirable,
though the former is not yet letter
perfect in his lines. The husband is
seething furnace underneath while
for the most part, cold
exterior, and the latter very human
lover Miss Mildred Florence is cast
as Elsa, erStwhile flower girl and
mistress of DR.. Nemeth, and Marcel
Russeau as CARO-, fiancee of Elsa,
who seeks with her aid to play the
old badger game" on DIR. Nemeth. 1t
would be unfair not to mention also
the very excellent work of Milano
Tilden as JOSEF, the butler, and Miss
Elizabeth Holman as Mari, the maid.
A famous sapphire ring, about
which has grown up legend dur
ing 500 years that it shall keep
the wife faithful. but that in the
event of unfaithfulness, the stone
will crack, gives the name to the
new play-new in this country,
in Europe Such a ring had been
given Krista by her husband in the
early days OF their marriage. About
its loss. return and substitution
hangs the tale.
1t is rare that a situation more
than the meeting of
Krista with Elsa, the mistress of
the man whose apartments she is
visiting for the first time, has been
presented on the stage. by giving
krista a clearer understanding of
the man with whom she has begun
love affair and of the step she
has contemplated, this meeting prob
ably made it possible for Krista to
murmur later that virtue is it's own
reward" At all events, it was d
fortunate meeting and amusing.
The lines of the new play are
clever enough to carry it, even
though there were no action-of
which there is an abundance. Futher-
more, there is an added spice for the
auditor in the very interesting sus-