THE CRIMSON PLAYGOER

"It is the Law" is a sufficiently clever little melodrama, which is not entirely disclosed until the third act at least, and even then reserves a surprise for the end in the shape of an unexpected technicality. This frees the hero after he has had the satisfaction of slaying the villain, and consequently causes great rejoicing to all, and no little surprise to the people on the stage, who never seem to expect felicitous endings. As is customary, the villain is a rejected suitor of the heroine, while naturally, the hero is the accepted one. Filled with well-simulated hatred, the villain arranges a charming little scene, in which he murders his double and escapes, leaving the fainting hero to hold the bag, quite loaded down with incriminating evidence. However, after years of imprisonment the old dear is released upon the discovery by his faithful wife of the supposed victim masquerading, alive and hearty, behind a large black beard. Then comes the honest-to-goodness number and the fortunate technicality.

The first three acts ran through very smoothly; the fourth seemed new to the actors and lacked finish, but several performances will no doubt remedy it. As always, Adelyn Bushwell was effective, although she seems more at home and certainly more attractive, in her character parts than in straight roles. Walter Gilbert, the hero, is too thoroughly a matinee idol to carry much conviction or to gain much sympathy but he had to be entirely too perfect to seem altogether human. Edward Darney, as the cunning, scheming plotter had a different part, but quite a natural one, and he handled it well throughout. A. F. B.