The New York Times/1926/09/30/The Play
The Play
By J. Brooks Atkinson.Tragedy From the French.
| Gisele de Montcel | Ann Trevor | |
| Mlle. Marchand | Winifred Fraser | |
| Josephine | Minna Phillips | |
| De Montcel | Norman Trevor | |
| Irène de Montcel | Helen Menken | |
| Jacques Virieu | Basil Rathbone | |
| Georges | Arthur Lewis | |
| Françoise Meillant | Ann Andrews | |
| D'Aiguines | Arthur Wontner | |
Expertly written and admirably played, M. Bourdet’s tragedy, “The Captive,” put on at the Empire last evening, may be set down as a genuine achievement in dramatic producing—a long, engrossing, haunting play. Most of the theatrical news from Europe for several months has hung about this drama, known in Paris as “La Prisonnière,” vastly popular, sensational in its theme, and the subject of pietistic rebukes and recriminations. But whatever emotions the Parisian performance may be conveying, Mr. Hornblow’s adaptation, staged perfectly by Mr. Miller, emerges as a hard, brittle chronicle, horrible in its implications, terrible to contemplate at times, but sincere and cleanly finished. Seldom has a play been so intelligently cast; nor do we often see a performance so thoroughly disciplined in every detail. For the American version of “La Prisonnière” does not truckle nor smirk. It tells its unpleasant story in a straightforward manner, without evasion or sordid emphasis. And the splendid spirit of the production may protect it from being misunderstood.
Like a practiced dramatist, schooled in the familiar models of playwriting, M. Bourdet casts his play in the “well made” mold familiar to theatre-goers everywhere. Given a theme and the characters to unfold it, he writes a compact drama with a beginning, a climax and a firm conclusion. And writing for the stage, he occasionally tells his story most pungently by use of the symbol of the stage—a bunch of flowers, a closing door offstage, or a trivial command to a servant which conveys prodigious information. As most theatre enthusiasts know by this time, “The Captive” writes the tragedy of a young woman, well-bred and of good family, who falls into a twisted relationship with another woman. For nearly half the play this loathsome possibility, never mentioned, scarcely hinted at, hangs over the drama like a black pall, a prescience of impending doom. A member of the Foreign Office, ordered to Rome, cannot understand why his eldest daughter refuses to accompany him. Thoroughly distraught, she puts him off with an evasion. Her old friend, Jacques Vierieu, she pleads, is in love with her, and may propose to her if properly manoeuvred. When her father departs Irène summons Jacques and tries to persuade him to play the part of fiancé, a part agreeable to him, but not on these false terms. For Irène refuses to confide in him, nor in anyone else, the full truth of her frightful misery.
During the remaining two acts M. Bourdet directs his story expertly at high speed, facing the issue boldly and sounding the note of doom with increasing frequency. Fully conscious of his responsibilities, Jacques marries Irène immediately to save her from herself and to release her from the tyranny of her warped infatuation. For a years spent in travel they get on amicably and return to Paris where they set up their home. But Irène does not escape for long; nor does Jacques. In self-defense he resumes a liaison with his former sweetheart. And just before the final curtain Irène succumbs. The sound of a closing door offstage completes this sombre story.
Relentless in his presentation of this theme, M. Bourdet occasionally sets it off against the simple innocence of a little sister or the refreshing normality of Jacques and the charming Françoise Meillant. Without this illuminating relief “The Captive” might degenerate into commercial exploitation of a revolting theme. But again, the brilliant acting in every role redeems it from mere excitation. In the minor roles Miss Trevor and Miss Andrews pour tenderness and softness into the performance. Mr. Trevor, as the father, expertly sets the serious tone of the play in the early scenes. But the brunt of the performance falls upon Miss Menken as the wretched girl, Mr. Rathbone as Jacques and Mr. Wontner as a friend of both. Mr. Wontner’s appearance is a brief one, but his function in the drama is highly responsible. His crisp performance last evening was appreciatively applauded. And Mr. Rathbone acts with rare dignity and understanding; without a single histrionic flourish, his Jacques Virieu indicates profound emotion and the torture of conflicting emotions.
Well liked though Miss Menken may be, little in her past stage experience had prepared the audience for her stirring performance as the miserable young lady. She communicates the full tragic quality of her part, not only in its relation to the play but also in its relation to life itself. And for the few moments in which this girl believes herself released from an inane captivity, Miss Menken makes the contrast an indescribably tranquil interlude. She was enthusiastically applauded after every act. And once Mr. Miller acknowledged the applause with his principle actors. For whatever the theme may be, “The Captive” is to be enjoyed as an expert dramatic production.
“Contstant Nymph” Plan
Calls for All-American Cast in the Production Here, Says Basil Dean.
“The Constant Nymph” will probably be played in New York by an all-Amberican company, Basil Dean, the London theatrical manager, said yesterday. He arrived on the Olympic Tuesday to prepare for the production, which will be done in association with George C. Tyler.
“This seems only fair considering how the American public has made the novel its own,” Mr. Dean added. He said that the task here would be even more difficult than in London, where the play is being presented at the New Theatre, because the American stage is constantly forging ahead and frequently setting up new standards of achievement.
In London the part of Tessa in Mr. Dean’s dramatization of Margaret Kennedy’s novel is being played by Edna Best and that of Lewis Dodd by Noel Coward, both of whom, Mr. Dean declared, have made marked personal successes. He hopes to persuade Miss Kennedy to come to New York for the play’s opening here.
Theatrical Notes.
Tonight’s openings are “Happy Go Lucky” at the Liberty Theatre and Red Blinds" at Maxine-Elliott’s.
The complete cast for “Seed of the Brute,” Knowles Entrikin’s play, will include Robert Ames, Doris Rankin, Hilda Vaughn, Frank Conlan, Jane Seymour, Donn Cook and at Maxine Elliott’s.
The title of the play called “Youth Betrayed” has been changed to “Dangerous Desire. It opens next Monday in Baltimore.
After five years Ben Ami will revive his original production of “Samson and Deillah” at the Irving Place Jewish Art Theatre next Wednesday night.
Sunday night concerts at the Earl Carroll Theatre will be resumed this Sunday.
Subscriptions for the Civic Repertory Theatre’s season, which begins on Oct. 23, have reached the 8,000 mark, it is announced.
Frances Underwood and John F. Morrissey will rejoin “Alias the Deacon” at Werba’s Brooklyn Theatre tonight. The company will be transferred to Chicago on Sunday.
Tonight’s performance of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” will be given for the Social Centre of St. Mark’s Hospital. Tomorrow night the play will be presented in aid of the Alumni Association of Haverford College.
Mrs. Samuel Insull and her company begin rehearsals of “The Runaway Road,” a new comedy by Gretchen Damrosch Finletter, the daughter of Walter Damrosch, at the Galety Theatre today. The play will be presented at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago in November.
Ruth Vivian, a former member of the Ben Greet company, will be in charge of the course in Shakespeare at the School of the Theatre this Fall.
There will be no advance in prices for the opening of the new Fred Stone show, “Criss-Cross,” on Oct. 12 at the Globe, the Dillingham office announces.
Eddie Dowling, star of “Honeymoon Lane,” will be entertained after the theatre next Saturday night at Bayside, L. I., by the Irish Goodfellows. Fiske O’Hara is President of the organization.
Elsie Janis will open the first performance of “The Woman’s Theatre” at the Klaw Theatre, on Oct. 31, with a poem she has written.
Will Rogers begins his second transcontinental tour, with the assistance of the De Rourke Singers, on Monday night at the Bronxville Theatre.
Clifford Brooke is directing “Howdy Kings” for Anne Nichols. Minor Watson plays the leading role and others in the cast include Frank Otto, Lenita Lane, Byron Beasley and Alfred Kappeler.
The opening of Paul Robeson in “Black Boy,” scheduled for next Monday night at the Comedy Theatre, has been postponed until Wednesday night.