Life — October 27, 1904 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

*LIFE- ing and interesting and easy to sit through, but one leaves the theatre with a decidedly confused idea of what was attempted by the author or the actors, except in the way of character depiction by the sub- ordinate players. . « @ N the rush of new productions it is possible to judge the French comedy company at the American by only one of its offerings, Michel and Labiche's * Le Chapeau da Paille d'Italie.” This is one of those classical and elementary farces in which no stage trick that will extort a laugh is exempt from use, Probability and possibility are sacrificed in making the situations, but it is all carried off in a spirit of French gayety, which makes it enjoyable even in this day of sophistication. The company presenting the piece enters admirably into its spirit, although they can hardly be taken as exponents of the highest school of French acting. One or two of the principals are competent, but the work of our own road companies would not compare unfavorably with that of the subordinates, . * ITCHCRAFT and sorcery, which were the names given in the days of the Inquisition to proceedings which are represented in The Sorceress" as very closely resembling the modern practice of medicine and hypnotism, form the mo- tive for Sardou's latest play. **TheSorceress" is ” pretty primitive melo- drama, and without the name of the French dramatist it may well be doubted whether it would have ever found a pro- ducer, It is amusing to think what would have happened to this play, if it had been sent to the Theatrical Trust as the work of an American author. But names are great things to conjure with, and any play by Sardou, in which Bernhardt had deigned to make a failure, and to which is added the name of Mrs, Patrick Campbell, can be counted to lure dollars from the pockets of our little-discriminating public. ‘The play shows little originality in theme or treatment. Zoraya, the daughter of a Moorish physician, loves and is loved by a young and noble Spaniard, who hears her confess before the Inquisition, and under its duress, that she has bewitched him. Having absolutely no reasoning powers, he takes her confession for a voluntary statement of the truth, Incidentally, however, she has hypnotized the Gov- ernor’s daughter whom her lover has just married. Then to escape the stake she un-hypnotizes the lady, but as she and her lover have found out too late the trick played upon them by the Inquisition, they divide a prussic acid pill into half-portions and fall dead with the final curtain, Mr. Parker's English version does not add much to the theme in the way of beauty or majesty of language, so the play has to stand on the merits of its good old dime-novel plot. Nor does Mrs, Patrick Campbell come to the rescue with any great display of her undoubted abil She seems to consider the piece as too childlike for serious effort, and the impassioned scenes, without which no Sardou play is genuine, are acted in an absolutely impersonal and noncommittal way, Her every-day treatment of the moving circum- A SLIGHT SKETCH OF MME. SCHUMANN-HEINK IN “Love's LOTTERY,’? stances in which she finds herself placed is supplemented by an equal lack of fervor on the part of Mr. Guy Standing as the impassioned Spanish lover, In fact, they might both almost as well be two very up-to-date and well-mannered persons meeting in the corridors of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and discussing golf or automobiling. This is all very polite and diverting, but it isn’t acting. In scene and costume ‘The Sorceress" is admirably presented— better, in fact, than socommonplace acreation deserves. yyerca/7e, LIFE'S CONFIDENTIAL GUIDE TO THE THEATRES. Academy of Music.—“ Checkers.” Laughable racing play. American.—French comedy company in repertory of French plays. Belasco.—" The Music Master,” with David Warfield as the star, Well acted and interesting. Broadway.—Mme. Schumann-Heink in “ Love's Lottery.” Light opera, really musical and weil sung. Casino.—* Pifl, Pafl, Pout.” Musical farce. Well staged and diverting. Criterion. —"* Business Is Business.” Translation from the French, with William H. Crane in the principal part, Not an agrecable play, but fairly well acted. Daly's.—" The Cingalee.”* Emeire.—Jobn Drew and clever company in“ The Duke of Killicrarkie.” Politely farcical comedy. Garde The College Widow," by George Ade. American college types in vigorous and laughter-producing action. Garrick.—Mr. Henry Miller in“ Joseph Entangled." See opposite. Hudson.—A, W, Pinero’s “Letty.” Interesting study in British bad morals. Knickerbocker-—E. H, Sothern and Julia Marlowe in Shakespearian repertory. Lyceum.—Mrs, Gilbert in“ Granny.” Lyric.—Otis Skinner in “The Harvester." See opposite. : Manhattan.—"Vanity Fair" in stage form, with Mrs. Fiskeas Becky Sharp. Princess.—* A Message from Mars," with Charles Hawtrey as the star. Savey.—" Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch." A really amusing stage version of a popular book. Wallack's.—“ The Sho-Gun." Comic opera of the traditional kind, Not over-brilliant, Weber Music Hall —" Higgledy-Piggledy.”” : ’) comicbooks.com