The Washington times., 1930-02-04
.RISDON SHINES
IN O'NEILL'S
DRAMA
BY ANDREW R. KELLEY.

eugene ONelliS most pro-
found and provocative play,
Strange Interlude," the search
4 ing and absorbing analysis Of a
Woman's loves and passions,
opened a return engagement at
the National Theater last night
under the auspices Of the New
York Theater Guild.
A fascination for O'Neill the
playwright and a convenient
opportunity for a closer study
Of the chapters in the life Of
the unhappy neurotic, Nina
Leeds, has drawn this reviewer
" to the nine act, Strange In
terlude" on three occasions.
Each time a different cast has
interpreted the drama. 1 have
seen Judith Anderson, Pauline
Lord and now Elizabeth Risdon
enact the. longest and most ex-
acting role ever handed an ac-
treSS and-though comparison
be ungracious and challenged
my laurel will be planted Sc
4 curely on the brow of Eliza
beth RiSdon. An actress of the
first water who meets the SUI
preme test magnificently. This
is not an impetuouS infatuation
! for a great performance, for
the memory Of Ned McCobb's
Daughter" and a familiarity
with the Risdon talent that ex-
tends back to the Belasco stock
company days, keystoned the
finding.
Strange Interlude" has un-
dergone some slight deletlonS
in it's travels since the New
York engagement. They are
i relatively inconsequential, the
dropping Of unnecessarily frank
lines here and there, probably a
? relic of the Boston censorship.
The unusual technique which
X-rayS the minds of its central
characters still provides most
Of its spell binding appeal
long aSideS in which the mental
impulses and feelings are ex-
pressed to supplement the con-
ventional exchange of dialogue.
&When it is all over you feel that
there is nothing more to be
told, that these generally sad
and unhappy folks have been
= turned inside and out for min
ute inspection.
Nina Leeds presents q, grip
ping life story of repreSSed emo
tions. God the Father never
elects that she shall smile.
Through nine acts she moves,
O morbid, Sorrowful figure CROP
ing either for forbidden or WIS.,
Sionary romance. When her
fiance fell to his death in the
= air fighting, his crash seemed
to carry. away Nina'S chances
for ever living again. A period
of nursing and promiscuity
with wounded veterans only
leaves her more morose. Then
Sam Evans enters her life. A
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 revelation that
, her yearning for motherhood
y must be denied for hereditary
insanity in her husbands fam
bly, makes any thought of off
spring a dangerous venture.
D Nina turns to DR.. Ned Dar-
rell, q brilliant medico with
great prospects whom she
has long secretly loved. Dar-
rell is plainly shocked by her
blunt proposal that he become
(. the father of her child. But
he longs to possess Nina ID
is won to the plan by the be-
lief they will both be doing
Sam a service by begetting a
healthy child. Sam can be
bamboozled into thinking it is
10 his own-and he is. DR.. Oar
rell refuses to continue the re-
lation when Nina lacks cour-
age to divorce Sam. All the
while poor old Charlie Mars
den, a futile worshiper at
NinaS shrine moves through
her life, his repreSsed affec-
ton a constant irritation to
himself.
Sam becomes a material sue
less and Nina has all the crea-
Cure comforts including the at
vtention of three sturdy males,
but contentment still eludes
her. When a stroke eraSes G.
from the scene. blissfully ignor-
ant Of his wife's deception, it
is the spineleSS, but patient old
Charlie MarSden who holds out
the final chance for happiness
|. to Nina.
And as faithful old Charlie
takes the place of DR.. Darrell
l I'VE find Nina musing sadly:
HMy old lover o" how well
. and young he looks now
we no longer love each other
at all our account with
: God the Father is settled
afternoons Of happiness paid
for with years of pain
love naSSiOn, ecstasy in