Life — January 13, 1910 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

is a long way from being absurd melo- drama, and is, in fact, an absorbing stage story well and interestingly told. The plot makes some heavy drafts on the imagination, but one yields easily to the spirit of the piece and does not mind the improbabilities. It deals with gar- rison life in the West, is fairly accurate in its atmosphere and is well acted throughout. Both Isabel Irving and Mr. Robert Haines, one as the heroine in difficulties and the other as a blackguard who has managed to become an army officer, do unusually creditable work. Charles Millward, as the colonel in com- mand, and Gertrude Dallas, the colonel’s wife, supply picturesque perso a cast remarkably good throughout Persons who wish to sce an interest ing play which will hold their attention without attempting to drive home an argument will find in “The Command- nig Officer” an evening's entertainment. a ” B ” 2 AUGHTER is the most impor- tant thing in Mr. Francis Wil- son's bag of tricks, but in his own comedy farce, “ The Bach- elor’s Baby,"’ he sometimes gets pretty close to the pathetic. He is a baby-hater in the beginning, but in the end he is converted to the normal. The process is full of opportu- nities for fun in Mr. Wilson's usual lines as a comedian, but he also permits a bit of seriousness to show through and his performance is made more palatable by the contrast. In this he is aided by the unusual attractiveness and clever- Former: weit, WHY DON’T YE TURN? City Nephew: xtx! YE DON’T FOOL ME WHENEVER T TURN, YE GO AN’ BEAR WITH THE axe! SS ees SS x WW AX NG OF THE THIRD FLOOR BACK '” ness of a child actor put down on the programme as Baby Davis. By sheer persistence of affection this mite forces her way into the impregnable fastnesses of the bachelor’s heart and thereby works out the salvation of a not very impressive plot. The play itself is sketchy but laughable and suffices ad- mirably as a vehicle for Mr. Wilson's well-known and newly-developed abili- ties. at R. LAURENCE IRVING and Miss Mabel Hackney bring to the Comedy Theatre the Brieux play done at a trial matinee last spring under the title of “The Incubus.’" It is now called “ The Affinity,’’ but in other par- ticulars is unchanged, although played by a different and equally good cast. It is a masterly study of the cat-woman by the French author and an admirable impersonation by the English actress. It’s a laughable little play but it is at the same time a savage dissection not only of a feminine type but of the mutual tyranny at the basis of some relations between the sexes. It is frankly French and Frenchly frank, so it is not for young misses. But we have reached the point on our stage when the presumption is against the suitability of plays for mixed audiences unless that point is specifically stated. Metcalfe. ONFIDENTIALY,, LS C GUIDE ahr = Academy of Music— The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary,” with May Robson as the star. Amusing farcical comedy. ‘Astor—" Seven Days.” Unlimited laugh- ter divided into three acts of farce. Belasco—" Is Matrimony a Failure?" The commuter and his social environment turned into fun. Bijou-—" The Lottery Man. nal enterprise made laughable. pireadteay—" The Jolly Bachelors.” Notice later. Casino—"* The Chocolate Soldier.” Musical version of Mr. Shaw's “ Arms and the Man" Comedy—Mr. Laurence Irving and Mabel Hackney in “The Affinity.” Well acted ex: position of certain phases of French life. Criterion—" The Bachelor's Baby,” with Mr. Francis Wilson. See above. Daly’s—" The King of Cadonia.” with Miss Marguerite Clark and Mr. William Norris. Notice later. Empire—Last week of Mr. Barrie's “What Every Woman Knows.” Miss Maude Adams in the clever satire on Scotch character Gorrick—Mr. Otis Skinner in“ Your Humble Servant.” Notice later. Globe—Messts., Montgomery “The Old Town.” Notice later. Yellow jour- Stone in Hackett—Mr. Andrew Mack in “The Prince of Bohemia.” Notice later. Herald Square—Mr. Lew Fields and: good company in“ Old Dutch.” Amusing musical farce. Hippodrome—Circus, ballet and water spec- tacle. Big and brilliant. Hudson—* The Next of Kin,” by Mr. Charles Klein. See above. Lyceum—Marie Tempest in Mr. Maugham’s Penelepe."" Amusing but light comedy Lyric—"'The | City.” Mr. Clyde Fitch's last’ play. Highly moving drama with Mr. Tully Marshall's extraordinary exposition of degeneracy. fanhattan Opera House — Repertory of J opera, farine Elliott's—“The Passing of the Third Floor Back." Serious but amusin mystical play with excellent acting by Mr. Forbes-Robertson and London comp New Theatre—Repertory of dramas and "The Commanding Officer.” See Stuyvesant—" The Lily." Interesting ard well produced French drama. Walloct’s—" A Little Brother of the Rich.” See above. comicbooks.com