Life — October 14, 1909 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

“LE E* Church was invalid because it was made under a misconcep- tion of the facts. To which the Church makes answer, Yankee-wise, with another question: Would he expect her, in case he had found her married to another man, instead of a bride of the Church, to give up her husband because her lover had come back to life? The lady decides in favor of the Church, with dramatic results which make the dilemma a pla As Sister Giovanna Miss Allen has grand opportunities for that voice of hers, made up of resignation, self-com placency and cloying sweetness which apparently always sings in her own ears as it does in the hearing of her audiences. It is in keeping with the sister’s robes and the starched head- gear of the nun, Her phenomenal goodness rises superior 10 any strong ¢ in even the most emotional moments, and this being in character makes her performance an unusually agreeable one. Mr. James O'Neill is the impressive Mon- signor Saracinesca, and brings to it his splendid elocution as well as the required dignity and gentleness, Mr. William Farnum is the fiery hero, and is earnest and impassioned enough in his love and resentment to give credibility to the principal artificial situation, Miss Minna Gale returns to the stage after a long retirement to act acceptably the not alto gether pleasant role of the Countess Chiaramonte. “The White Sister "’ is rather old-fashioned for these days, when we must have novelties and new methods, but in former times would have been accounted very good enter indeed, Sv vy DY pITHOUT evident attempt to sermonize, Mr Jerome K. Jerome, erstwhile humorist, de livers a most telling discourse on the evils of selfishness in the so-called play, “ The Passing of the Third Floor Back,’’ which comes to New York after a long run in London. Per haps the humorous touches have as much to do THE PEOPLE OUT FRONT TWO DOLLARS PER. From farthest Brooklyn with a lady friend, he went to see A George M. C ow—did Abie Adler. Ry some mistake he got the wrong “ theayter " and for three truths he teaches, and certainly the former make the latter far Long hours they sat through Ibsen " more palatable. In this there may be a hint for our pulpiteers. and to see this unusual play will do them and every one else with making the sermon forcible as have the a lot of good. It’s mighty practical teaching of the “do unto others “’ religion that Mr. Jerome gives us. That is, of course the religion for use in every-day life and for every-day people, and here it is put in visible operation The cases the author selects for illustration are not ex treme ones, being the mixed population of a shabby-genteel London lodging house. They are shown first in their normal Two Plays with Religious Undertones HE latest of Mr. F. Marion Crawford’s many books gives Miss Viola Allen the best dramatic medium she has en joyed for a long time “The White Sister must also have been joy to the novelist in the & writing of it, for it is saturated with the loved so well—that of n Church The love-story lies between an impetuous young alian officer and a nun who has taken the final vows under the be lief that her lover was dead. He returns to ask the fulfill- ment of her earlier promise, claiming the contract with the MIKE’ WITHOUT HIS MAKE-UP comicbooks.com