New York Clipper (Aug 1915)

Angvir'27 r^*' tteW YORK CLtRPER . Hndaon (Henry B. Harris Estate. Tngr..)~ V»der Fir?, a. melodriima. In three aeiH, b; Rol Cooper Megrue, produced Thursday eTcnlOff, Aug. ■yj, by SehTjii & Co., with this- cart: Brewster..^ McKay Morris Georg; • Wde^raff Phoebe' ' Poster 10th«l Wllloufthby Violet Ileintiii» Henry Strt-etmsn.- Felli■'Kr«mh.-< Sir George Wagstdl Ucnry-St^ben^n (jxiy Falcoocr Norman Tbarp Airs. Stephea Falconer Mallse Sheridan CbarUe Brown ftaak Craven Captain Redmond. Wlfliam ' Courtenay A Frencbnuin E, 0. Robinson Uenrl CUrlstopbc. lUAert ITtacber Jeanne Cbrlstoplic Dorotby Abbott Andre Lemalre ^. G. Boblnson Lcula. ; S. Sidney Cbon Sergeant Schmidt Jack Wessel Lieutenant I^um Prank Morgan Slajor Ton .Brcnlg Edward Uawson Ottb M. Meyer Wltbelm: K, M. Ilarvey Hans.. E, H. Sterling A Sergeant.. Carl Habln Captain Montague Walter Klncsford <;<:orge Cbarlea Lester Horace Lewis Harrington John Harland Tucker Kenry 0. V. Jobson A aergeaDt'.' James Martin Fred. Ueoi;gC' Halo Jim... Jobn Cooper Dr. Aubrey Stephen Dcnbelgh Doctor Cbarlo:) Frank" Morgan Soldisra, V'lllueer.s, Peasants, etc. Sv.NOPSis OP ScEifEs'-^ACT-'I—MtSH WIlIoDgbby's Lirlug Boom in tbe boin^. of Sir Oeorge. Wagstaff, London:'—A<^ II—An Ion at'Courrblsler; -Berglom. .4CT III—Scene "1—•"PaTt "'ot. an Ebgllab l^encb. Scene '2—^A' Ctjtfrcb-• "SoniewherB. In' France." The time U July and AukuRt. 1914. "Under.Fire,", on tbe'above date, wa? givcfi Its llrst metropAUtah presentatlou, It l^a'vDiK been first produced May 24, last, at Atlantic City, -N. J. It Is a play founded upon teportn.of ercnts of tbe war ll:at Is now derastatlng' Europe, with a love Incident Interwc>veti lu sustain the IntereHC .\lr.' Megrue Is well known to us through tbe medium of his former plays, which have won public favor either for .tbeir buman Interest or their fun making attributes. In bis present play lie bas barked back to the ahnost forgotten melo- dramatic acboul of twenty years ugo, and bas pro- (liiceil u play Ullcd W'lth "creep.s" thrills and .hmi- tiatlonK, and, while be bas ba'ndletl his subject with hU usual cicvwmesit, Tesuhlne In a well wrltteu plar of sustaining Interest, bnd with capital charac- terizations, the .success or "Under Fire" la prob- lematical. With the e.-ait war drama of the Earopmn no- tlcns going on. tl:e happenings of which are dole l out to us dally In Uie newspapers, the wisdom of the selection, of a war tbem'e for his subjc^-t Is donbtful. -A drama, more thrilling than the clever- est playwright can wrlte or tbe most adept director vaa ever'hop»-to produce, i? being staged by the warring powers, and this drama, now of mor<i than a year's, duratlooi bas so'obse.'>se<I with- Its real tragedy, that we are not in the proper mood to accept a refles of It given on the mimic stage. The action begins in Ethel Willooghby's living room In tbe borne of Sir George Wagstaff. London, Rng,. lust prior to tbe breaking out of the'Auntro- i^erblan '\^'ar. Sir <ieo>-Ee Is of the British Art- mlmlty, and ICthel Wlllonghby Is governess to bis daughter, Georsy. It transpires that Henry Street- Tnsn. a German spy. hna secretly married Ethel with the one Idea of using ber to obtain from Sir <:eorge the plans of tbe English fleet. In this he rnUa, and through the retnrn of Captain Redmond, «n old sweetheart of Ethel's, tho duplicity of Strretman is disclosed to her. War Is declared end Redmond and Ethel become English spies. The scene changes to tbe Interior of an Inn at Courvolsier. Belgium, kept by Henri Cbrlstophc. Unknown to Henri, Redmond puts in a telephone (in a big fire place), to be used by Ethel In cou- munlcatlne with headquarters. A detachment of German Infantry, beaded by Major von Brenlg. arrive and take possession of (ho place, after questioning Henri and wamlug liim now be will be treated If be lies. The telc- plioue Is dlscovcre<I' by a German- private, and Sireetman orders Henri to be shot, an order which Is nt once carried out. Redmond and Ethel arc hulh trapped,'but make good their escape. The next scene shows a section, of "Trench 27," nn English trench, located In. France. Streetmon iippearo and tries to dupe tbe English commander luto concentrating hl9 forces at n given point, bnt the German- spy's pluiw ore thwarted by the ap- pearance of Kedmond. -Kttcetman Is about to be <-onrt marsbnllpd when tbe trench Is blown to pieces by a German shell, ond everj-one killed but Kedmond, who- succeeds in crawling to the tele- -phone ctvmmunJcatlng with tbe Freich headquar- lers. Tlie scene then changes to a church "somewhere lu France," which has been turned Into a hospital, and woonded soldiers fill tbe place. Tbe Germans arc near' to Paris and Redmond bemoans bis en- forced Inactivity, when a French officer arrives from the front with tbe information that the Ger- mans are In retreat. Redtoond learns that Street- jnan Is killed, and with the appearance of Ethel I he curtain falls witli the lovers re-unlted. In tbe first-act tbe author mokes Streetman do the only melodramatic work of the act, but act two fairly teems with it, every character save Henri Chrlstopbe-doing a goodly- share. In this act. too, tbe author makes Streetman, a spy, order (he execution of -Cbrlstopbe "without even con- sul^g bis superior officer, who Is commandln;; the division occnnylng the premises. This is Inez- cuaable even on the grounds of dramatic license. Tlie trench scene. in Act.' 3 was remarkably well carried ont, and the destiurtlon of ih? trench by e burstlnr shell was one of the best examples ot etage m.M-banl.-nn New-'York has ever-seen. Tbe company wos excelli-nt, e-ach Individual mem- ber doing good work. Felli. Krembs' capital -let- , Lng was somewlmt marred by his make-up, which stamped 'hlm a "vlilaln' on bla very flrst ea(rance. Frank Craven fumlslicd tbe only comedy In the play in the role of Cbarlio Dwwn, ii war-rorre- -spondent for a New York dally, and a role that has nothing to do • with the plot, .Mr, Craven's work, however, was capital. The play 'was finely staged. - WMt. "MR; MYI>*S MYSTERY." Comedy (Ssm S.:& Lec Shubert, Inc., Ies.«ees4. —ifr. llyd'g Uyiteni, a. three act typical farce In two sccnefl. by Lillian Trimble Bradley. Prcsente-l by Joseph Brooks' on Monday evening, Aug. I'J, with this cast: Eva Wilson.' Clara 'Louise Moores Jane Abbott Ina Uorke Illshup of Bedford. Arthur El'lot Harriet Lucile Watson Irwin iMyd Taylor Holmes Inspector Bray Walter M. Sherwin James Bufflngton Arthur Laccby A Constable Jobn Parsons Engle^rdt Oeorge Lymnn Horace'Myd Harry C. I'ofwcr 'Ix>rd Fronds Phltllmore KiAuieth Huatcr Rupert Jelllbrshd Bciford -Forest Si-n'opsls; A<;t I.—Dining Itoom of the Myds. Act II.—^Tlie Library. Act 111.—The .sumo. New This pretty Uttie theatre was pried open fur the new season Monday eveuiog- with a three act furre that-shows off Ta.vlorHolmes' bumorouo ways to a uliety.. from the momeat he speaks hia first line. The first olghters-were apparently there to eujoy Holmes at all costs, and though--they laughed wltii effort at times, the.weather man could be blamed for the lack of exertion. It was a warm upeulng from tbe tbermometer's point or view, aud al- though LIlllan-TMmblcIiradley's Ht«l effort, uloue, in the' dramatic-field was not a ponderous success, the Myd farce was a most amusing one to the first nigbt-audle'ure," Mlm Bradley^dlsplavs-kirack of situation In this fumy piece, 'and she had her eye glued vlo.seiy to the parts of Mr. Myd and-the Bishop of Bedford when'-she wrote It. I'or those two characters split what'succoss the premier carried It tu. Mr. Myd, a writer of essays ou bees, nnlnten- tlooally Hcooped In ro^-altles enough ou u detec- tive' play be vouched as rut. and, ruunUlg out of IdAB Just when the "Sometbiug for iCverybiHly" magazine urdtTcd auotber "plalncloibcs" one from him, the npportnnlty artses via the cook filing her resignation. ' TMs leaves tbe Mydu-in a horrible predl<yament, (or they-have the meddling Itlshup of Itcdtord.-Invited by .blnucir. to dlue -n'ltb them. Myd accidentally cup.slzes a bottle of red Ink on a writing desk' In bis scarry to conceol a pile ot iinpaKf'blilB, and''the •'utr or his shirt and bis handkerchief come In contact with tbe fluid. Ills "reeking .'with good Ideas" wlfo uuknowlngly gra<tps the opportunltv for a new Ktory when slip hies herself to the klh-hen to prepare the mpal, her absence to be explained to the Bishop by Myd as best be can. Here tho turce starts leaping along tu rpul fun, while, during the course ot the unprofessional ilKe meal, Myd explains, telling the Bishop, who .Ik Mr.i. Myd's uncle, that she is out of town. Tlie con- fession of the ■ bee 'writer's story arouses the clergy 'a susniclon, and when the muld accldentnlly spills a string of pearls before him, which were given her by wealthy Sir I'lillllmore (who loves, but knows not her oa[>aclty In the .Myd household), and then finds the "blood" staius on the kerchief and shirt cuff, i>c concludes th:it Myd has mur- dered bis niece fur lovo fur I-^vii. the maid. Tho wife -ices the way to fortune by fclgnlug "deart- nes.V explulns wliiit u wuuder storv It will all make to hi>r tMisuy, jifnulog bee-loving husband, and although further dnvcloiimeuLs, iu which Myd masquerades as the part)', under which assumed name he bus bid In writing the driectlve storv, lead up tu fast and furious fun, with himself in danger of bis life con(ln:ially. 'i'ho climax comes about'when the three (.M.vd, his wife :ind nuld). who'have kept in iiiding lu order to allow u search to be made tor them by the police, are discovered, and nil is righted, and the success of Myd's new novel assured. Tnylor Holmes and Arthur Elliott carry the fun along at a rapid pare, and each scored Individual successes. * The role of the wife, played liy Luclle Watson, U little more than "a part," though when "tomad- ing," as Myd explahied It, she nuidejier work Im- pressable. Her iibllltv Is not even allowed oppor- tunity to pet started In this ipl.iy. The work of Clara I.onlse Moores, as the maid, brought her home succi>ss. while Kenneth- Hunter made a line Impression as the lord who fell In love with her. Walter Sherwlb made a Scotland Yanl Inspector worthy of what it needed, and Arthur I/uceby, as a windy newspaper reporter, and Beiford Forekt made an immediate strong score in a «n\y Rue1l«h tvpe. Harry Power and Iva Rorke did nirely In their respective parts of the brother and the cook. Tod. Feltman's. Couev lalnnd—Mile. Olga Mnr- wig, one of the Metropolitan Opera House balU-t dancers, has beea one of tbe features at Feltman's Wlstaila Pergola, Coney Island, thl9 seaeon.' She often works wltli the ti-am of Beiclebing and Ilart- lette, also of the' Melt'opolltan. who ore-dancing at Feltmon's. G^ne Ryaa bas added another stager and eccentric dancer'to hLs Uat appearing In the Dentsctaer Garten.'Blsle Taylor la'now appearlDfr in this garden. "Tliose Three Boys," Sepptl Burger. Carmen, DUI. Walbonk. in -The Feitman's Min- strels:" W. LItt. the Dancing Four, Clifford and Ldrsen, and the Tyrolean Singers also appear. The Seventy-first Regiment Band, uuder the direction of Lambert Eben. jflvts i.'oai.',>rt4 afternoon and evening. 13 (George : RoblosoD. mgr.) —Hie reni big evefit of tbe .seashore .Mush' iiall Kensou was ibe first ap- 12M/«I*4f«a« licaranee. Aug. Iti. of liEUTRUDK J»H?nLlTl I'^I'''''-^'^^''-^' Ai><l ^•fr company. u( Z^^P^ '^o'uc r-riy i^.'Ople lu .Max Helu- bavdt a wordless play lu eight scenes. "Sumutub," 'With an-augmootod urche.stni conducted by Max Hnffmaon. The ii|ienlug was most auspicious. Everybody who Is anybody lu voudevlllc was-In attendance, and at the ciinclimlsnr of the pla% everyone voteil It one of tho blgRcst and greatest efforta ever made to give an hours cntertaliimenL Never uefon; has such u tremendous display of scenic elfects, costumes and settluga been at- tempted In vaudeville. It is the blfieest thing vaudeville, ban ever seen. (S»'e New Acts, i Miss Hoffmann took up one half of the evcnlnf** entertainment and. as the press agent ut this house has been doing some capable work, the audience came to .see this talentisl youoK woman, and in consequence the rest of the program suf- fered. .Notwl'hataodlcg 'this big handicap,. VAUGHA.N COMFORD nnd JOH.N KING, presenting "Coon- lown Dlvorcons'' made .1 rei;u!ar luid-scascn clenu- up. Songs .as they should be rendered were given by .Mr. Comfort. "To Lou," one of the first aont; hits to make Its appcaronci; this seHson, was little short of n knockout. The large audleuce simply couldn t get enough of It. An Irish song, rallnl "^fy Own Home Town In Ireland." was another uumber that stood omi though It Is going to l>e u big feature In tbe repertoire of singing aula, ar.d Khowed the singing iiualliles of Mr. 1 omfort ti> good sdvdjitcge. Ti-at »IJ slundard ballad, "Vuu'pe MoreTh&n the Wor'd to Me." was ul.so u big ap- plause getter, the Oiidlenre <-uu>prllli>g Ibe Juft-t tO'-repeat the chorus si-v.-ral llme.s.. '^h(^ comcilt' work of Mr. Klo;;, ,<is u-iual, was a lou^h pro<lucer. Dainty and tulentetl GRACE FISHER, in 11 repertoire of tbo newest songs, scored, iler be.st ivas a .song called ".My Little rilrl." that has one of the most'original upenlnss ever itlveir with a sung.. A tnessenger buy rushes down tbe alste with a tele;:rum, hands |i !■■ .Miss I-'lsli,^!-, aud she .it <ince begins Hinging froiu It. The large uud|enc<> liked tbe Idea Ininieiisely. 'W Mttli> Bit of Heaven,".put over with Ibe old IrLsh lady In the audience as tiie planl, was tin- closing -number, and :t went unusuallv hi',;. EnWARD RLn\l»I^LT. aud ('OMPANT. in "Th" Lost Roy." captured the i.udleui-e. uiwl kept theni roaring with laughter i-vi-rv Hci-ond he was ou. .Al- though It Is one (if vaiiilevllle's oldest acts, the pa- triins here tre<ntc<l It as thouxli tliev bad never seen I', before. i-IDWIN' GRrtBCE, the nlninat JugRler and mirth prodnrer. -wiis iIht,? with iits coniedy lualerLit an<v won approval. (;ili;V aud I'ETi'/lCS. 'ii a cvclliij: pi'rforniaui-c. openi-d, nnd oft'er»'d .s<iine sterling tricks thnt met ■with Instant favor. Jurk. (Hlnier F. IttiRers. mgr.)—The second we*-U i>r Weli.'i' and Fields wils ushered in witli one of the largest .Monday matlne<v< - of the Summer 'seasotr. -Al- though till* fnmouK lenm are n show in theni- selves, .Manager Rogers has surrounded them with .•vs'Mne nn nrrn.v of talent us Is isisslhle to obtain. THE L.\ V.\ltS. niiiii and W'.niiiii. in the npi'uin; position, presented as capable a duoclDff act. With n revh«ed edition of the (-jikewalk, as 1ms ever In-"'!! .seen here. They took several hows nnd left iio- large audience clnniorlug for more. 'I'he early 'position of fiI'S*V.\.\ and JOI-; S('lII-:Xt;K find little terrors for them. They eumi- on and before their tirst song had the audience with them. "Only n Dream," suld to he an un- published song, was their opening number, nnd Judzing from its nv-eptlon a hit Is In store for It- publlstaen). rhnrocter songs wi>re rendered t>.v <iun Van to tremendoiw applnuse. "When 1 I.enve the World Behind"- was a feature number, ami -mada one of tbe blggPHt bits of the program. rilAitl.lE AIlI-fAU.V, with his big comedv c.TclIng ,nrt, s<-nred heavily. Numljer three position was a new one for Aheara, (he act generally .'Inslnif. but till' crowd was sol for him and roared'wlin > Inuichter. Several new biimoroun stunts bave tWCB added, milking this net one of the best (-vellui; ai'ts In tbe business. llAltltV I-li.\ and YAX<'rtI IXil.LY, In 'heir nnnscnslcal putter, son;; and dancing, cleaned up. Both ore big favorites h<>re. ond as ti Is ilieir last vaudeville appenram-e in some time, had little to t-oinulrtln at thv r*'(-et*tI<>n aecorded them. I7DWARDS DAVIS had a eapahle eompany of ten players, presented fur iln- ilrst lime a dramatic playlet in- one acl, entitled "The Pence Cry." It is one of tbe strongest appeals for pi-nce vaude- ville bos ever se<'n. .-nid >lr. DavU l,-^ to be itiav Sllmented on civin:; su-li a worthy performance, ule Power was tils nialii supiMirl. anil bis per- fominnev was ejislly on a par with the stor. TIti>VATO, who plii.v,s Ills violin almost to n tulklni: point, opened the .second portion Of the program. Trovato has persunullty 10 hum, snd thnt alone would make lilm n feature oi^ any bUI. playing bris violin as If K were a 'cello In one nf his tricks, and it Is ilouhtful whether anyone elsf can get as much niiixh^ out of thp InstrtHDent In tins qiusltloii as lie i-:io. JOE WEBER <nd LEW KIRLDH. changing their fierformauce soraewliui for their second week, wen» really tbe .slilnlug lights of the bill. Many new gacs Were offered, and each one was a feature an prew.ited by this wonderful team. i'l.liowhiK this teaor Is a hard Huot. but e'ever and talented Riri'll RO'/E started To to overeome the haodkap the moment she sllp|M'd on Mie stage, and before tbe chorus of her first sung made tbem sit up and take notice. 111 iiresenting ber niui-v .iiiips. by fjliarlle McCjrroii. -he bas a ton of originality that cannot full to hrUtu noiprovai from the most crltli-nl. Ruth Rnye was a big hit, and di'SPivpdly so. • AMETA, Id mirror and classic dancing, fullowtog all this exceHent talent, went at ber work witb snap and vim; aud held them ii-nii'd iiutll the i-uo- dnsion of ber cli-ver dau<'lng. Jjrk. (Continued on paoe '.tj