Life — February 1, 1906 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

] | play hardly worti the effort, The actor- manager's work is in the right direction, and every theatre-goer who is sick of triviality— and that means most of us—wishes him better luck next time, « . . HE man next to the gallery god put his foot cracked, sputtered and blazed. The u ing, moment of doubt and start toward the door A. pocketful of matches at followed on c orchestra floor was only her variation of the old story.—New Vord ning Su But Miss Nethersole did not lose her head, and was able to assute the audience that there was no fire, thus pre a panic. OF wise there would have been an opportunity to learn whether New York's Fire Department, d Building Department en To Police Department an are doing their duty in protecting the theatre- going public, . * R, CHANNING POL- M LOCK is an Ameri- can and he has had the temerity to write a play which concerns itself with every-day Ameri- can life. Even the occurrences. which make the plot of The Little Gray Lady” are not extraordinary. The very technical crime, which is its it basis, is out of the usual, but just exactly what it is does not make a great deal of difference and is probably not thoroughly un- derstood by many in the audience. It con- cerns itself with the redemption of currency in the Treasury Department and gives oppor- tunity fora scene and for stage business en- tirely novel The main plot is of minor consequence as the interest of the piece hinges on the charac- terization and the subordinate episodes, ‘The Washington boarding-house patronized by department employces, male and female, is a study of middle-class life highly amusing in itself and bearing intrinsic evidence of its truth- ful depiction. Its people are very real people indeed until they get into the conventional heroics, without which, ef course, the play JOLIA DEAN, could not be accepted asaplay. Mr. Pollock's best creations are the landlady’s daughter and the detective who does not advertise himself a sleuth at every turn, ‘The landlady herself is n, but both she and a highly diverting pers her husband, who fags for her and her pa- trons, are more familiar characters. Dorothy Donnelly captures the acting honors as the daughter of the boarding-house. Her prototype exists all over the United States, and it will be one of the triumphs of “LE PPIE American civilization if it can kill off this shallow, shrewd, vain, rather pretty, self-as- sertive, cheaply-dressed and over-dressed, fresh, young woman who is to be met in every pre ous assemblage in the land. Julia Dean's name is not familiar, but she had the leading serious rile and gave to it consider- able distinction, She has a dainty personality bar what was eith: badly coifed natural hair ora very bad wig—and marked refinement of She seems destined to depict many cs. Eva Vincent was the realistic and therefore humorous landlady, and Mr, William Humphrey, the discreet detective. Mr. John Al- baugh, Jr., as the combined villain and hero, speech and manner. suffering heroin unusual: should have given to the part a little more of th speech in place of Mr. Pollock, who wisely declined the empty honor of a New York cur- tain call for the author, “The Little Gray Lady” is just a pleasant bit of contemporary depiction. It has a sen- € he displayed when he made a proxy timental interest which will hold the fancy of some, but its main attractions are its atmo phere and its humor. Mr. Pollock is working in the right direction, and in the present in- ves sufficient success to justi 4g his labors, The American play- wright works under such a heavy handicap that it isa pleasant task tobe able to record it when one gives the evidence of ability shown in ‘The Little Gray Lady.” It pros vides an agreeable evening’s entertainment. y his stance ac! con nu OLICE COMMISSIONER BINGHAM was clever enough to see the absurdity of stopping a Sunday night performance of Italian opera at the Academy of Music and permitting disreputable vaudeville shows to keep open, Our Twentieth Century Sunday's laws are laughable, Metcalfe. Cee leademy of Music.—Mrs. Leslie Carter in reper "Zara" and“ Madame toire, includ du Barey Relasco. ~The Girl of the Golden West.”” An absorbing play of American life with excel- lent acting by Blanche Bates, Frank Keenan and a competent company Bijou. The Music Master." There seems to be no end tothe popularity of this pleasing play and Mr, Warfield's admirable character work. 1. Amusing ibretto and Casino, musical piece with American ¢ and C ipman in jcal comedy of contempo- y New Vork life, Well presented. Garrick he Little Gray Lady,” by Chan- ning Pollock. See above DOROTHY DONNELLY IN “THE LITTLE GRAY LADY Hippodron et and spectacte, all on a large scale and impressive in their gorgeous- ircus, b ness. Lyric later. Mexicana.” Comic opera. Notice Madison Square.—Mr. Henri de Vries in “A Case of Arson." Unusually powerful and artistice ally done. Preceded by three-act farce, “The Braisley Diamond." Manhattan.—" Before and After.” Farce com- edy adapted from the French into American sur- roundings. Very good acting. Princess.—Mt. Henry Miller in“ Grierson’s Way.” See opposite. Proctor’s Fifth weekly change of trenue, — Stock company in Twiddle Twaddle." Songs, le Weber's Theatre fun and pretty girls, Also Josie Weber and Mary Dressler making many laughs. As no representative of Live is permitted to enter the theatres in the following list, they are not included in the Guide. Asa result of this exclusion, twenty-/our managers have been arrested on a charge of criminal con spiracy and are now at large on bail, pending action by the criminal courts. DALY'S MUDSON, LYCEUM, EMPIRE. LIBERTY MAJESTIC, GARDEN. WALLAC SAVOY, KNICKERBOCKER. NEW AMSTERDAM, comicbooks.com