The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-08
A WET SENATOR
IN A MOIST
DRAMA

Before the week is much fur
Their advanced one may expect
to hear some pronouncement
of protest from sensitive
member of Congress over the
goings-on in the Senate Office
Building as Mr.. Augustus
Thomas elects to portray them
for the purposes of the play.
"Still Waters" his new opus
which launched the regular sea
son at the Belasco last night,
is predicated upon a controver-
sial theme. 1t will chill or
amuse the paying patron IN the
degree Of feeling possessed on
the Eighteenth Amendments.
sectiII Waters assumes tnat
there are august members OF the
TTnited States Senate who cnerlsn
an appetite for anti-Volstead pev-
o1a pes and answer the roll Calls
a. stalwart members Of the ory
army. 1t attempts to yisuailze
fha revolt of one such member
from the cloak OF hypocrisy ana
the various political maneuvers
he evolves to confound his thou
shalt not foes.
some will call it brazen propa.
canda for the wet cause ana
damn it accordingly. others may
accent 1t as true peep benlnQ
the imposing walls OF the Sen
ate corridors when the toga y
laid aside for an intimate ana
convivial moment. To those VINO
merely appraise the comedy
drama for its entertainment
value the result Is not altogetner
satisfying.
Mr.. Thomas has conceived an
excellent first act mainly be-
cause he has kept away from
Dreachment. Once the debate
upon prohibition ripens. Still
Waters becomes forensic, ar
gurnentative and frequently bor-
ing. The rabid reformer may be
an unrea sonabIe and irritating
mortal. but by the same token
the professional anti-prohibition
ist can become irksolne IN his
strength Of pleading for a cause.
Action is submerged for wet and
drv argument, and though the
dialogue now and then boasts
brilliantly pointed shaft, clarity
of plot seems to be sacrificed
for pure love Of debate. But
to the acting.
Mr.. Thomas is the Senator
Cassius Clayborn' OF the play.
The dean OF American play
wrights was 'visibly nervous last
night, and yet 1t is doubtful
whether. any actor could depict
the dignity, self-assurance, orator
ical pose and pure buncombe OF
the character better than its
author. His sings at prohibit
ton were delivered with the
yehemence and conviction Of
platform argument David Noel
Tearle, last seen here in Simon
Called Peter was admirably
cast as an attache of the British
embassy, and made his brief
passage Of words with the Sem
ator one Of the delights Of the
evening. Georgia Drew Mendum
does q splendid Job as Mrs.
Kewback," who speaks for the
wonanhood OF America and later
becomes gloriously but not boist-
erously soused. Edward Emery
as the long nosed reformer,
Herbert Waterous, Mona Kings
ley, Nyan Brownell, John p. Nc
Sweeny, Charles III. Martin and
Elsie Bartlett furnish capable but
not distinguished support in the
more important parts.
"Still Waters" is a play to be
talked about-at least in Wash
ington. It viii unquestionably be
seen by many members of Con-
gress, some Of whom will be
amused, others angry and a few,
one suspects, terribly, terribly
hurt. The Belasco audience last
night expressed sufficient APP
probation to win gracious cur
tain speech for the author-star.
"A. r. K.