The Washington times., 1928-12-24

For nearly six hours a capacity
audience was overwhelmed with
interest in the searching ANALYSIS
of a woman's loves and passions,
an episode story, morbid to the
point of depression, made i'm
pressive by the constant use of
asides. in which the mental Inn
pulses and feelings OF the charac-
ters are expressed to supplement
the conventional dialogue.
This new technique or method
or at least one never before
used so generously to motivate
a dramatic story-instead of be-
powerful and sweeping in force.
It's revelations are intimate and
frank with the naked truths dis
sected often more horrible than
pleasant. But the life story OF
Nina Leeds is spellbinding and
complete. Call It pathological
study, il you will, the fact re-
mains 1t is fascinating enough
to keep the .student of the theater
fastened to his seat until the last
chapter Is written.
Strange Interluden has been
catalogued by the profound as the
outstanding play achievement of
a generation, 1t wears the laurel
wreath of the Pulitzer judges as
the most significant and worthy
of the 1927.2S dramatic output.
Students of O'Neill unhesitatingly
class 1t his greatest work. To
these weighty findings / can only
add after seeing the play twice
and enjoying 4 familiarity with its
printed context. the opportunity Is
present for keen enjoyment to
those who find a pleasure in the
inspired novel and unusual Of con-
temporary drama.
Nina Leeds is an absorbing
study of unhappiness. God the
father never elects that she shall
smile. Through mine acts she
moves a morbid. sorrowful figure
cropping either for forbidden or
visionary romance. When her
fiance fell to his death in the
air fightig his crash seemed to
carry away Nina's chances for
ever living again. Al period Of
nursing and promiscuity with
wounded veterans only leaves
here more morose. Then Sam
Evans enters her life. Al shallow
minded plodder whose devotion is
constant and true but Nina does
not return it. She marries him
for want Of something better to
mother. Then the pitiful revela.
ton that her yearning for moth.
erhood must be denied for heredi.
tary insanity in her husbands
family makes any thought Of off
spring a dangerous folly.
Nina turns to DIR. Ned Darrell,
brilliant medico with great
prospects, whom she has long
secretly loved. Darrell Is shocked
by her blunt proposal that he be
come the father nf her child.
But he covets Nina and Is won to
the belief that they will both be
doing Sam service In begetting
healthy child. Sam can be bam-
boozled into believing it is his
own. and he is. DR.. Darrell re-
fuses to continue the relation
divorce Sam. All the while, poor
worshipper at Nina's shrine moves
through her life. his repressed af-
lection a constant irritation.
Sam becomes a material sue.
cess and Nina has all the creature
comforts, including the attentions
of three sturdy males but content
ment still eludes her.
MY three men," says Nina.
Was ever a more unusual scene
conceived and set down than that
of this twisted triangle, with an
extra side. all four characters
around a sitting room table. their
conflicting thoughts, patchwork
of chaos? When merciful
stroke erases Sam from the
scene, blissfully ignorant OF his
wife's deception. 1t is the spine
less but patient old Charlie
MardSden who holds out the final
chance for happiness to Nina.
Perhaps the most effective