Evening star., 1925-02-24
Belasco-" After Love? 2

Complete enforcement from the
New World idea of love and mar
riage and a return to the continental
interpTetation--or what we are told
i'm book and drama is that interpre-
tation-is necessary tor an under
standing and appreciation of "Atter
LoNe2" the new play in which Henry
Miller opened at the Shubert- Belasco
Theater last night. once this has
been accomplished, the play becomes
a thing of beauty. of intense interest,
of dramatic situation and suspense.
After loVe-what? is SuggeStiVely
the interrogatory title of the new
play The answer seems to be char
ity. forgiveness. aided and abetted
BY that great healer. Time.
After Love-" is an adaptation of
p French play by A. T.. Thomas. The
authors of the original were Pierre
Wolff and Henri Duvernois. There
has been no attempt to shift the
story from Paris TO New York by
the American dramatist. 1t remainG
I'm Paris, where divorces are more
rare and complaisant husbands and
wives, we are told, are not so rare.
The effort has been 10 retain the
French atmosphere. The story moves
forward with the ingenuity of .
Dumas. In the end there is a touch
that gives an opportunity of happi-
ness to the children of an ill-mated
pair-one of them the son of the IA
ther and the other the son of the
mother. neither of them born in we'd
lock.
The central figure in the drama is
the father. Francois Laurent-man of
wealth. scholar, historian-played by
Henry Miller. There has come an
L. ri
his young wife. She has a lover. At
the same time Laurent learns this
fact "Germaine,' a dainty little shop
girl, enters his life-like a breath of
Spring, he says. 1t is the story of
the unfaithful wife and faithful mis-
tresS. The former gives birth TO
son by her lover, and the latter dies,
giving birth to son of Laurent,
after n few months of happy life in
the little house set up for her by
the wealthy Frenchman.
With his own son seemingly des-
tined to face life as an illegitimate
and with the son of his wife and her
lover destined to live in luxury, safe
guarded ny his name, Laurent faces
a new difficulty. He sees his wealth
eventually inherited by boy who
i'm reality bears no drop of blood in
his veins, while his own son receives
life. The solution Of this tangle is
made possible, in a measure, through
the death of his loved Germaine.
Henry Miller, who has impressed
himself on the American theater-
going public in The Great Divide"
and many other successful plays,
brings to the characterization OF
Laurent both charm and assurance
The part. in which there is more of
,fa
as a signal achievement of the actor
In both the lighter moments and in
the emotional scenes Mr.. Miller plays
with the sure touch and his recep-
tion by the audience last night was
enthusiastic. In a curtain speech Mr..
Miller expressed his appreciation and
recalled that this was the first time
in which he has played in the Belasco
Theater since the production of THE
Great Divide
Mr.. Miller is surrounded with an
admirable cast. Germaine is played
by Florence Shirley, who really
makes of the character dainty and
lovable little woman - whose only
thought is love and real affection
for Laurent. The wife, Nine. Laurent,
is excellently played by Carlotta
Monterey 1t is a difficult un
gracious part, to which in the end
Miss Monterey lends a kind of
dignity and wins for it a certain
need of sympathy. The other parts
are capably handled by Edwin
Nicander, who plays the needy
father-in-law, an old roue, and by
Nicholas JOY, uka Chase, Albert
Morrison and Morgan Wallace.
Witty lines abound, and there is
sufficient comedy to tighten the play
and at the same time present foil
for the more serious moments.