Variety (November 1918)

L E G I T I MATE 1$: FREEDOM. Any attempt to d«orib« In itatall tb« pro* ductlon o( "FrMdom" at tbe Centunr would be utterly fntllo. Aa a production It u cotoaeal. Iti producer* call it a play la three acts and 20 ecenea by 0. I/ewis Hlng and B. Lyall Swete, staged by Mr. Bwete. More correctly ■peaklna It Is a masque or historical pageant^ a TiBuallied reauaie of Apglo-Saxon events from A. D. 000 up to the present world atragglo for liberty. A foreword in the program sums it up as follows: This play Is a dream, yet It la not a dream, because STents happen in it that really happened. These cTents are seea Jh a dream by two American boys, llt< tie Dick Freeman.-and bis cousin, Hank Archer. Dlok, whose mother died at hie blrth.'^haa recently lost bis father too—a Virginian killed whilst fighting In tha ranks of the British Army in Prance —and ao, Dick, a saddened little chap, has come to share bis cousin's^ room and to be brought up by his mother's sister. It ia his firat night there and Mrs. Archer, practical, tactleas but. kindly, only serves to empbaaUe bis loss as she. puts the orphaned t>oy to bed. It la a relief when sbe eaya "Oood night" and he can aettie down to aleep. And then a wonderful thing happenat The boys, so dlilerent In their natures, dream tbe same splendid dream! "Hush, tbere'a music!" "Say, that's queer! Piddles ain't ItT" exclaim tbe boys, as they sit up in bed— fast asleep, though they don't know it— on the tbreahold of great happenloga. ''"And then their bushed comments take a deeper turn. "My daddy died for Free- dom!" orlea Dick. "What's Freedom T" aaka Hank. And tbe beginning of the answer comes as a beautiful woman enters ■from the garden of iiliea into thetr dream. "I am Freedom! I am the His- ' tory of the Old World and tbe New. I am the History of the United SUtee. Come, I will show you some of my pages!" And the scene closes as ahe etarts out to show the boys the fight for Freedom through all the ages of the BngUsh- speaklng peoples. Play time does not allow ub to do more than pick and choose here and there trom tbe centurles-long struggle, of which the present war Is the final gigantic episode, and stage apace drives us to de- ■ llbei^te Inaeeurades of both time and place. ■ It didn't all occur In that spot, or Just (%en. Wat Tyler haa to die at West- minster If you would see more of Eng- land In the making, though every school- boy knowa he was killed at Smitbfleld, ' and sweet Betsy Ross is driven to sit up «' nights a year before her tjpie that we ^ay hear General Washington describe i. In his own words "Old Olory" on Declara- . tlon Day, 1776. But these Inezactltudea cannot obscure the truth of the whole nor • - blur the record of the great and glorious deeds performed by our Anglo-Saxon an- cestors for BVeedom! The spectacle Is divided Into three parts— England in tbe making, America In tbe flndlOK and aa America enters the world. Throughout .— the three hours required for ita unfolding travela Harcia VanDresser In the role ot Freedom, reciting almost constantly, with probably the longeat role ever written, a pro- digious mental end physical strain, and a feat of endurance for tbe vocal chords. On tbe ^opening night ahe started oS by conserving - her emphairfiing, pronouncing such words aa . turn, Turk, firat, worship, eta, making them ^ aound like "toln," "Tolk," "foist," "wolship." and so on. Mr. Swete in a curtain speech after the per- formance, explained that tbe object of the ' presentation was to cement tbe good feeling , ' between tiie Bngllsta speaking nations and that BQ per cent, of tbe profits will be given to the Aseoclatlon for Aaslating Disabled Naval and MlllUiry officers ot tbe English-speaking ' peoples, Tbe basic Idea of the "play" is excellent and Is fine propaganda, but the writing should have been executed by a master of blank verse ' like the late Stephen Phillips. The idea of the allegorical character of Freedom escorting two modem boys through a visualized history of tbe Bngllsb-speaklng world, the dialog of the youths being extremely colloquial, would have been greatly enhanced by the pearls ot speech enianattng from Freedom bad tbey been uttered in stilted Shakespearean verbiage. This would have Invested her with more dig- nity and brought more dignity to the creation. - It not actual exbaltatton. It was very much like ottering a play with Shakespearean cos- tumes and employing modem methoda of Nevertheless tbe entire affair Is Impressive and will be strongly endorsed by tboRe engaged in educating tbe masses. An arrangement should be made with tbe local Board of Edu- cation to send all the school children of the city to see It. very much as tbey are encour- aged to patronize travelogues, ths Metropolitan Museum of Art, etc. It would be impossible to present the spec- tacle on any other stage in this country, as tbe Century is tbe only one equipped with a re- —%^.-«rlvIng- slaga-that penclta- ot making th» setG^ The only revolving stage In London la the Coliseum, though It could be done at tbe Drary Lane with Its elaborate counterweight system back of tbe footlights. Individual comment on tbe merits of tbe artists In tbe cast would be unjust for the reason that all of them appeared In a aeries of characters often unanited to their personali- ties. Miss VanDresser aa Freedom was mag- ntfleant. aaneelallv aa she "found" beraeU aa elj.-jirogressea: Wniftiri Battiata and JameS' Bagels, the boys, were superb. Heary Herbert was best In the roles of Charles I and tbe . elder' William Pitt. Mr. Swete bnd one or two (eltcltous bits, and Clara Eamea contributed a splendid characterization of Queen Elizabeth, The scenic and sartorial equipment indicates careful biatorical research end tbe inveatment ot a "king's ranaom" in coin of the realm. JoU>. THE RIDDLE: WOMAN Olga Harboe .....Petra Weaton Ktren de Oravert Francea Careen Thora Bertol Beatrice Miller Marie Meyer Beatrice Allen Nits Olrik Herbert Ransome Lllla Olrik Bertha Kallch Kristlne Jesperson ..Cbrystal Heme Otto Meyer Albert Bruolng Lara Olrik Robert Bdeson Count Brik Helsinger A. B. Anson Butler John Blaok Like a bright light in the dark waste of the current theatrical 8ea90Q burst tbe genius ot Bertba Kallch at tbe Harris. Oct. 23. The play, somewhat of the old school. Is called "The Rid- dle Woman." and Is adopted by Charlotttt B. Wells and Dorothy Donnelly from a Danish play by C. Jacobl. It telle the story of Lllla Olrik. the happily married wife of Lars Olrik, a Copenhagen merchant. To Lllla cornea Kristlne Jespenon, an unmarried friend, and begs "her to adopt her child, a boy ot six. The exiatence of the boy has never been suspected by Lilla and Is o&known to tbe rest of the world. Kristlne, wbo is very ricb. confesses that the father Is Count Erik Helsinger, that be took advantage of her aa a younger woman and haa since ob- tained large sums of money from her tj threatening, in case of refuaal, to aend her letters to him to ber mother. Helsinger is an attractive vaster, a frequent guest at the Olrlk borne and an associate ot their friends. Lllla promises to do what sbe can for her friend, and in tbe meantime effectually puts an end to Helslnger's overtures to an innocent girl, young and rich, who is a friend ot .her younger sister'e. It develops subsequently, in a higbjy dra- matic scene, that Lllla too is a victim ot Helalnger'a blackmail, having succumbed to hia blandishments years before ber marriage to Lars, He etill has three compromising let- tera sbe wrote him. It ia Kristlne to whom tbe revelation la made, and tbe two women agree to work for tbeir mutual free- dom. Lllla tries every wile known to woman to gain poeaeaaton ot her lettera. Sbe threat- ens, beseeches, alternately eloklng from a figure of thrilling command to an abased woman, fawning on ber knees. But Helainger, ever suave and smooth, Is no less cruel and unrelenting. Finally Krlstiae shoots herself and in one last scene with Helsinger Lllla again Imploreu him for her letters. Ooaded to desperation ahe chokes him until sbe manages to take them from bis pocket Her husband enters and she thrusts them into bis hands. Be grasps tbe altuatlon immediately, but after a brief struggle of doubt throws the letters unopened into the fire and clasps hla wife in bis anna. . Miss Kallch runs the gamut from light, deli- cate repose to the moat vibrant and heroic emotion and taen down to dull despair. She plays upon her voice as upon a beautiful in- strument, sometimes Bounding long monotones of misery, again bursting forth In thrilling cries of passion. That voice, with Its pulsa- tions and throbbing cadences, one could never forget. Her slight accent adds to her exotic charm, aa do her greatT burning eyes, her claaaic feeturea, ber regally set bead and her sinuous, pantheresque body. Three gorgeous gowns, clinging and shimmering, should be nentlpned, though few but Kallch could wear then. Sbe is aupported by a notable cast. Cbrystat Kerne aa Kristlne plays with great charm and narked dramatic power; Robert Edeson as tbe husband gives a strong and virile portrayal, while A. E. Anson as Helsinger is finished and artistic to the point of perfection. Albert Bruning does excellent work, as does Beatrice Allen, an attractive little Ingenue: Tbe same handsome Interior is used for all three acenea. To those wishing to see an Interesting play faultlessly acted. "Tbe Riddle Woman" la un- bealtatlngly recommended. NOT WITH MT MONEY. Oraham Baell West Colored Walter Dyke Tbomaa "Dicky" Fester, alias J. Robert Fultdn, Lowell Sberman "Penknife" Clay, alias Rev. Dr. Crabe, Walter Wllaon Amy Legrande Carroll McComaa Mrs. Wheeler Cecelia Orlfflth Rosalie Peggy Coudray Angelica Butterfield Beverly WeRtmore Henry Porter Carl Oerard Mortimer Oayllng William Robyna Ur.Cooley \ cItUensof f Robery W. Smiley Mrs. Cooley) Mt. Pelham (MinnieMilne Crook plays come and go—mostly go. The few that have remained for any length of time have bad exceptional merit. It Is not difficult to class "Not With Mt Money." which had its premlereat-the 3J>ih-Street-Oct. 25 . On the program Bdward Clarke, aljo tbe author of "De Luxe Annie," aaya he "Can- didly contributes his new crook comedy." Whatever else this may mean. It conveyed the impression he' is not altogether pleased with hIa new effort. Not that the play is entirely bad. It I* highly amusing in apots. But these spots are too few and tbey are far between. Tbe comedy Is vastly more interesting wblla tha tomplicttlona ar« bf Ipk built up, than wbea tbey are 8tfalgbteSed~6Tit. _lir~_ "_ "Not With My Money" Saa a decided "Wal- " llngtord flavor, the only difference being la thot a By-by-nlgbt pbilanthroplcal project, ln> stead of a cloth-covered carpet tack scheme, leads to reformation and fortune. Because, of course, these crooka reform, but it Is only when they are just about to be exposed do they decide to accept the straight and narrow path, "Dicky" Foster, atlaa J. Robert Fulton, a resourceful young confidence man, finds himself very much up agalnet it. Tbe manager of hla hotel has called upon him and requested set- tlement of a $130 board bill. Dicky la at "his wits.end, but relief comes when bis former con- federate enters upon the scene, as tbe Rev. Dr. Crane, a sanctimonious looking old codger In clerical garb, and saya be will be respon- sible for tbe amount, Tbta satlsflea the hotel official. Big money la In sight when Foster answers an advertisement to manage a $7,000,000 chari- table foundation fund, end Is appointed general manager with power of attorney, by tbe youth- ful helreaa whom be assures that bis business hereafter Is to use tbe money "where and how It will do tbe most good.'* A former victim, who bad been eased of a trifling $33,000; makes an early appearance and wants her money back. She. does not get It then, but goes away minus another $300. Hav- ing obtained the position, Foster makes a feeble attempt to go straight, but he and tbe nlm- bled-fingered Rev. Doctor are soon Juggling the funds. The third sot was reallly amualne and the best ot tbe four. It represented a board meeting In the offices of the new organization, which was attended by some of the "rube" families from Mt. Pelbam. A striking situ- ation at this conference also was tbe acci- dental meeting of tbe crooka, since unknown to them, the . gullible young philanthropist bad engaged all of the trio at bank president AftTfll'rPR Lowell Sherman aa tbe gentleman crook did the most with bis part, and saved tbe hero from being a beastly cad or a common black- guard. William Wilson, as his old associate, bad the best of tbe polite alang and was comlo at times. In spite of his tendency to overdo tbe thing, his was the inost laughable and humanly genuine characterization In tbe play. Carroll McComaa was good as tbe early victim through whose influence the wave of reforma- tion struck tbe gang, and Beverly Westaore as the young woman wbo wanted to get rid ot her mllllonB In a hurry was sweet and'Hksble. There were various others who did their beat In a vain attempt to put "Not With Money" across. PERKINS. Mr. Priestly Frank Kemble Cooper Bobby Ollmour Frederick Lloyd Fergus WImblisb Florence Woolereon Ada WJmbush Lillian Keroble Cooper Mrs. Hubbard Temple Plaott Minnie Hubbard Marjorla Hast Dressmaker Margery Card Martha ?i Frances Goodrich Ames Mrs. Caltborpe Ruth Chatterton After deloying the opening of the fall sea- son at his own theatre, Henry Miller selected for himself and Ruth Chatterton an English comedy called "Tbe Man from Toronto," now running at the Duke of York's. London, and renamed It "Perkins." One of tbe etorlea told in connection with tbe acceptance of the piece by Mr. Miller is that the agent went over to Philadelphia, read It and that it was given a controct within the hour. So much for ImpulalvenosB in business R8 agalnet bard, cold Judgment. Another American producer had It and thought fairly well of the manuscript. He cabled to London, however, for further information. The answer came that tbe piece was only mildly succoasful there and very doubtful for New York. Seek- ing a still further Inalgbt Into tbe affair, be arranged with the management of a stock company to produce the piece for a week, at tbe conclusion ot wblch time be relinquished hia option. "Perkins" is a well written, polite, little comedy, with nothing' new in It to recom- mend It .for American presentation. We have had Miss Chatterton as a domestic at least once before, and also Mr. Miller attempting to Interpret a rough, uncouth backwoodsman, but with a "true heart." The story ia the veriest itory-book twaddle. An elderly Canadian gentleman worth $4,- OftO.OOO-creases the ocean on .the some boat with Mrs. Calthorpe, a charming young widow. He propoees marrloge and Is rejected, Dylnr of a broken heart he leaves a will be- queathing half bis fortune to ble nephew and the remainder to the widow, provided tbey mnrry, though they have never met. The nephew Is b breezy Conadlan who owns a largo ranch In Ontario. 28 miles from a rall- wav station. Douglas Murray, the author, 1b evidently the kind of EnKliahman who still hpllpves tbe Woolworth building Is Infe'ted by Indians In full war paint, who go about ecalp- Inp; folks. Be that as It mny, the nephew, ureed by his two slaters, comes to visit the widow, who resents being ao disposed of. Her gtiArdlnn persundes her to at leant see the Cnnadtnn, and Bhc poses as the pnrlnr mnid,. with whom the noble-minded, non-mercenary Canadian promptly falls in lovo and proposes , ..marrlf.jto.. ready, add a.nslo«a..t0..sncrJflco..tho. big fortune. Sweet little tale tO' tell' the chlldhen when tbny have grown tired of the constant repotltlon of the rare good fortune thnt befell CInderolla when her aolflah alsters left bar nt hoine to drudge. - It Is oH very nicely conptructed Into three well wrfttpn acts and according to tho rules of dramatic construction. There 1b the juve- nile and Ingenue love affair for comedy re- lief and all tba other •sitntlals and ingre- dtentB-foT-playwrtMnjif UB .lErjaorlbed ty tl»» ■• rudlmentfiry rules. • ' " .r) Mr. Miller, excellent actor that he is. invejt^:; the role of the Canadian with the requlsit* romance, though a trifle old for tbe part. Miss Chatterton as the charming widow IM ■■ too young tor such a role and altogether un* equal to tbe lights and shades demanded ot such a character. The more serious momenta . were beyond her by a wide margin, The other- roles were In competent bands, especially the widow's guardian, admirably portrayed by that excellent actor. Prank Kemble Cooper. He U. always a rare treat. The American career of "Perklna" will ba- short-lived. Jdlo,- . CRITICISMS. FREBDOM. A dramatie ipectaclo in three acts and 28 scenes. By G. Lewis Hind and B. Lyall -' Swete, music by Norman O'Neill. At tbe Cett' tury, Oct. 26. The piece as a whole ia ao exceedingly ant^-v bitious undertaking,' elaborately produced..: ofttlmes highly Impressive, and IncidentollT- a goodly education.—Times. It will go into the theatrical record as one of the moat beautiful productions on a larga-: scale seen on tbe local Stage in recent yeBii.-i~ Herald. " NOT WITH MY HONBT. A crook comedy In four acts, by Bdward. Clark, at the Sfith Street. Oct. 20. "Not With My Money" Is neatly put to-" gotber and some of Its scenes are extremely. amusing.— World. - ., If future audiences can regard tbe prepos-- terous little story which slowly was unfolded in almost endless conversations as a fatrF^ dream of tbe under world, it might have a . chance. Thia seems altogether unlikely.-^.. Herald, GLORIANl^A. .': A play with music; book and lyrics Vf ■ Catherine ChlsfaolmCushlng; muslo by Rudolf Priml. At the Liberty, Oct. 28. The show Is an entertainment with so many good points, and so few bad ones, that It seema safe to predict a long stay in New York.— World. The new piece at tbe Liberty Is really « notch or two above its (ellowB.—Time*. TRSl BIO CHANOB. An American play In four acts, by Orant Morris and Witllard Mack. At the 4Sth Street, Oct. 28. "Tbe Big Chance," with all Its omditieB. brings a mood of courage and cheer Into tha somewhat dreary stmospbere of our wartime dramatics.— Timei. The llvellnesR and llfeltkenees of tbe treat- ment of tbe theme Is quite exoeptional,—WorI(^ TRB RIDDLE) I 'WOMAN. A drama in three acts by Cborlotte B. Welti and Dorotby Donnelly, based upon a Bnanlib play by C. Jacobl. At the Harris, Oct. 28. It was a thriller of a sort that Ibsen might. have thrown off in one of bis lighter moods it be had lived to overcome bis preoccupation with the abnormal and to speed up his tech* niaue to Broadway taste.—Sun. > The piny is of a school more popular a d«>' cade or two ago than today.—^me*. • liADIBS FraST. A musical play In three acts. Book and lyrics by Harry B. Smith; muRlc by A. Bald- win, Based on "A Contented Woman," by. Chartes Hoyt. At the Broadhurst Oct. 24. "■ So "Ladies First" baa come through the pro- cess of resuscitation much better than sonM of its contemporaries.—fiun. While the new title, "Ladles First," was, of course, necessary. It wasn't lived up to. HlM Bayes was first—and last.—Herald. JUDGMENTS. I Judgments fllcd In tbe County Clerk's efloo. ]] The first name is that of the Judgment debtor, .: the second the Judgment creditor, and tho .a amount of Judgment. .,„«- ■'S Arthur H. Aahley—Royal Oaraae. $102.22. ..- OuB Edwards—L. Lasarow, $(IO,0O. ■■;'}, SunerPlcturoB Diatrlbuting Corp.—F. Nelson, -J $iR.on.i.2n. .«.„.» ■'■'' Kiss Burglar Corp.—M. Blackburn, |B4fl,18, :ih LeventhnI Amusement Co., Inc.—A. Letser « 'i Co., Inc., $104.36, Arthur Aahley-Hotel Olarldge, Ino., $1)12.08. .; Dispatch Film Co. and V. 8. Fidelity ft . Ounranlee Co.—T. H. McDoweU, $057.44, v . Jenn Havez and Jean Havez, Inc.—V. Du- ■ val. »22M1. „ . . . w - Kennedy Theatres. Ino—H. • A, Samwlck, p $410.0(1, ^ , .. ■:; Harry A. Aitkin—Chas. Frohman, Ino.. et : al.. $fl,207.03. , «„..;.,- Kennedy Theatres, Inc.—S. Markendorf, $007.06. ;> ..,...._ .....,..ENGAGEME(n^...._.^......4 .Tames Lenvitt, "Three Wise Fools." ■■ Rose McEntIre, vQlorlanna." i Jack W. Brown, "Getting Together." William Danfortb for "The Plratoe of Pen- zance," Pork. _ . .. ,.^ ,„„, Bam Sothern, for "Dear Brutus." with Will- iam Olllette. . . Dudley Ayrts, Castle Square stock, Lowall, Ma«|, .. . ._. .... .