Life, 1910-02-17 · page 21 of 44
Life — February 17, 1910 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a **theatre review** of the play "None So Blind" starring John Mason, alongside a **single-panel cartoon** about domestic life. ## The Main Cartoon The cartoon depicts a husband and wife discussing theatre preferences. The wife wants an engaging play with music; the husband retorts she should stay home caring for the baby instead. This satirizes the **gender expectations of the era**—women's domestic duties superseding their entertainment desires, and the dismissive attitude toward wives seeking leisure activities outside the home. ## The Theatre Review The text critiques Mason's production as poorly written, with vague characterization and unmotivated plot elements (two villains where one would suffice). However, it praises actor John Mason's skilled performance in the leading role. The review notes that Walter Hale, playing a literary businessman, looks like a prosperous broker—seemingly a jab at how unconventional artists were stereotyped versus how they actually appeared. The overall tone is moderately negative about the play's quality, though respectful of its cast's talents.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE play “None So Blind,” which Mr. John Mason has chosen to succced “The Witching Hour,’ is open to the same charge of inexpertness on the part of the author. Of its six characters three are not on the level, and in such a small cast it seems a waste of material that there should be two principal villains when one would have supplied plenty of plot and back- ground to set forth the uprightness of the hero. Even the latter pretended he was blind when he could see perfectly, which enables him to discover that one of the bad men—a gentleman in the lit- erary busincss—has some vague inten- tion of stealing his wife and the other of spoiling the big bridge he is con- structing somewhere out in the Rocky Mountains. The author is so indefinite in his story and his character-drawing is so vague and contradictory that the play does not satisfy. It is redeemed in a measure by the dramatic possibilities in- § volved in the pretended blind- q | ness of the hero, and Mr. John Mason is a su! Trate Mr. Owt SEE MERE, USHER, I HAVE PAID FOR THE DEST SFAT: “LIFE: ciently experienced and accomplished actor to let none of them escape him Of course, the blindness being only pre- tended cannot be worked for sympathy or pathos, and Mr. Mason makes the engineer a blunt, forceful personality, who deals man-fashion with the threat- ened and actual perfidy which sur- rounds him, He can take care of the men in this way, but in the case of his wife, who has been only indefinitely wavering from fidelity, he has opportu- nities for tenderness of which he docs not entirely avail himself and thus misses some eftects of light and shade. Mr. Walter Hale is the wife-tempter, also in an indefinite way, and is the gentleman in the literary business, term is used advisedly because, as he is attired and made up by Mr. Hal has not the slightest eccentricity of di and appearance such as almost invari ubly marks those associated with litera- ture in any capacity. In fact, so far as DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF Us! 285 looks go, Mr. Hale might he a pros- perous broker or manufacturer of auto- mobiles. Nevertheless, he does about there is to be done with this ill-defined personality and delivers his lines with unusually good diction. Mabel Roe- buck, as the wife, plays the part with a great amount of facial expression, which counts for nothing, because it to have no connection with the lines she seems is speaking or the situation being dem- onstrated. She is far from unattractive but her mind should have more control over her face. The older roles were less iv portant and were fairly rendered.“ Nor So Blind’ is by Mr. Ernest Poole. He is fortunate in having Mr. Mason stand sponsor for his effort. Otherwise it might have gone to join those 8,000,000 eggs in cold storage. Met There's No Place Like, Etc. IFE: What sort of a play would you like to see? Ann: Something that keeps you awake, and has plenty of music in it. “Um. You'd better stay at home and take care of the baby.” lively, AND NOW YOU PUT THAT FIREFLY THEATRE