Life — January 6, 1910 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

WU-JITSU Mr. Monk (reading instruction) : Grasp YOUR OPPONENT'S WRIST WITH YOUR RIGHT MAND AND THROW HIM OVER YOUR SMOUL- ber. interesting the stagincss of its principal actors. Se “ HY “The Goddess of Liberty And why anything about fhe plot, or about the title? A most remarkable succession of scenes, talk, marchings on and off by a rather comely lot of chorus- girls, many changes of costume, some tuneful songs badly sung, slang without wit, all a general jumble of inconse- quentiality set forth to entertain a public weary of the same things better done. And the saddest of all is that Mr. Ed- ward Abeles, who is a clever legitimate comedian, wasted himself in trying hon- estly to make it carry. The Goddess of Liberty seems to be an extinct character America to-day. In the form she was presented at Weber's Theatre a para- graph should be a sufficient obituary ET Mr. Belasco take almost any kind of a dramatic theme, subject it to his ex- pertness in theatric detail, in stage effect and in train- ing of stage people. The result is bound to be in- teresting and picturesque. In the play from the French which he calls “The Lily’? he has a theme especially interesting at this psy- chological moment when women are striving to escape from masculine chiv- alry and protection to gain the doubt- ful privilege of the ballot. Two of the meo Kirby "’ as and not a stage story is entirely spoiled by “LIP: premises to the argument are men who are unworthy of the name, being French- men of a type discredited even in France, and two women who, by the fiction of family control, they seck to keep in an unheard-of domestic seclu- sion. Result, one becomes an outwardly compliant but inwardly rebellious old maid and the other an erring lamb, pro- ducing complications which make an in- teresting but unnatural play. o * Oo * O ® © Quite in the artificial tone of the drama is the despotic father who denies his daughters their right to get married or go to the devil, and he is played with admirable artificiality by Mr. Charles Cartwright. As a character part it stands out against the would-be natural ness of Nance O'Neil, as the spinster sister, and Julia Dean, as the younger one who seeks and finds irresistible tempta- tion. Nance O'Neil comes being grotesque in her role, she forth the spinsterhood with force and conviction. less facial contortion would win sym- pathy. Mr. Hickman, as the caddish brother, and Mr. Bruce McRae, as the one person of sense in this family outfit, do good stage work In selecting “The Lily’? for his ef- very near although sets argument ‘inst almost masculine Julia Dean with x Academy of Music— The Easiest Way.” Last week of Mr. Eugene Walter's expert and well acted minute diagnosis of Tender- loin conditions. Astor—" Seven Days.” Cleverly con- trived and well staged farce with three acts of continuous laughter. Belasco—“ Is Matrimony a Failure?” The social side of suburban life humorously treat- ed. Fun with the suburbs Bijou" The Lottery Man." Mr. Cyril Scott and good company in merry farce. Broadway—" The Jolly Bachelors.” Notice later. Casino—" The Chocolate Soldier. Mr. George Bernard Shaw's “Arms and the Man” as the basis of a comic opera with light and catchy Viennese music Comedy—Mr. Laurence Irving and Hackney, in The Affinity,” former Incubus” Clever French comedy. the young person. Criterion—“ The Bachelor's Baby,” Mr. Francis Wilson, Notice later. Dalv’s—“ The Relle of Brittany.” Musical lay of the customary type, with Mr. Frank faniels as the comedian. Empire—Mr. Barrie's “ What Every Wom- an Knows.” Miss Maude Adams and good company in the Scotch author's clever sa: tire on his own people. abel with GonripznTiat, 37 forts Mr. Belasco reverts to a type of play which has some contemporaneous interest to the sex in revolt, but which in the main is a bit back of our time It may have a passing power of attrac- tion but is not at all in the line of his best effort. 009098000 @8 At the close of the second act of “ The City,” on the occasion of its first per- formance in New York, the audience gave a demonstration of feeling which has never been equalled at a theatre in the remembrance of the writer. Men yelled and women screamed as a relief to the tensity of their nervous excite- Mere applause was not sufficient to vent their feeling. It was a taneous and uncontrollable outburst and was renewed every time the curtain went up in repeated response to the clamor. In one respect tlris vocal outburst was unfortunate. It seems to have set a fashion. At the first performance of “The Lily’ at the Stuyvesant certain young men in the audience gave vent to yells as though they, too, were moved to uncontrollable emotion. It have been genuine, but—. It is to be hoped that yelling will not generally take the place of decorous applause. In some cases it might provoke indecorous hiss- ing and booing. ment spon- may Garriek—Mr. Skinner in “Your Humble Servant."” Notice later. Hackett—" Cameo Kirby,” with Mr. Dus. tin Farnum. Agreeable drama of Southern life in the first half of the last century _ Herald Square —" Old Dutch." Divert ing musical farce with Mr. Lew Fields and good support. Hippodrome—Brilliant ballet and water spectacle. Hudson—“ The Next of Kin,” by Mr. Charles Klein. Notice later. Lycewm—Marie Tempest in Mr. Maugham’s * Penelope.” Charming comedienne in very frothy comedy Lyrie—" The City." Mr. Clyde Fitch's last"play. See above Manhattan Opera House — Repertory of grand. opera Marine Elliott's—“ The Passing of th Third Floor Rack.” Mr. Forbes-Robertso and excellent London company in interesting mystical comedy-drama New Theatre—Repertory of dramas and minor opera oy—" The Commanding Offi later. Sanyvesont—* The Lily." See above Wallack's—" A Little Brother of the Rich.” Notice later. Weber's—" The Goddess of Liberty.” See above. comicbooks.com