Variety (October 1914)

12 VARIETY NOTED STARS IN NEW PLAYS MEET FAVOR AT PREMIERES Mrs. Fiske Shows "Lady Betty Martingale" "Lively Hussy"). Otis Skinner's Splendid Art in "The SUent Voice." "Diplomacy/ 9 Tri-Star Opens. As Philadelphia, Oct. 14. "Lady Betty Martingale," with the sub-title, "The Adventures of a Live- ly Hussy," a comedy in three acts and five scenes, was shown for the first time at the Broad Monday night with Mrs. Fiske in the lead. The au- thors are John Luther Long and Frank Stayton, who have gone back to the middle of the 18th Century for plot and style. Lady Betty is the spendthrift daugh- ter of an impecunious scholar. To can- cel her debts and save herself from prison she does what many other women in similar circumstances are said to have done in that period. She takes advantage of the law which makes the husband assume his wife's debts and married a prisoner con- demned to death. The prisoner is par- doned, he lives to love her and they are again married, each thinking some one else was concerned in the prison marriage. The story is slowly unraveled in the last act. In the cast are Sidney Her- bert, Marie Chambers, Arthur Elliott, Eric Blind, Thomas Louden, Percy D. Standing, Alice Belmore, Henry War- wick and Alfred Hemming. Atlantic City, Oct. 10. Charles Frohman produced "The Si- lent Voice" at the Nixon Saturday night with Otis Skinner in the principal role of a stage version of Gouverneur Morris's story, recently published in a magazine. The dramatization is by Jules Rckert Goodman and is in four acts. The masterly playing of Mr. Skinner gives it value it would not have in less expert hands. The story has to do with the spiritual struggles of Montgomery Starr, a great musician gone deaf. Embittered by his misfortune, he becomes a misanthrope and becomes estranged from his young wife. On the verge of suicide, he finds sclacc in helping others until he wins back the love of his wife. So subtle a theme calls upon Mr. Skinner for the exercise of his finest artistry and he responds splendidly. Providence, Oct. 14. Some of this town's original first- nighters returned in the spirit last night to see, with a whole houseful of their descendants, the re-staging of the first play ever put on in Providence. This was "The Provok'd Husband" and the records have it that David Douglas and his company of players from Virginia gave it here Aug. 25, 1762. The performance caused a riot among two factions of the townspeople, and out of the incidents connected with the riot. A. E. Thomas, author of "The Rainbow," and Henry A. Baker of this city, wove a play in which they put the old play under the general title of "In Colony Times." The performance was in connection with the 150th anniversary celebration of Brown University and it was well received. Some of the old jokes sounded so new that they might do on Broadway. Northampton, Mass., Oct. 14. The Northampton Players, occupy- ing this town's municipal theatre, opened their third season Monday eve- ning in Mrs. Spencer Trask's peace play, "In the Vanguard." Smith College sent a delegation and peace advocates from many points were present. The play has interesting spec- tacular features and peace advocates hope to have it acted throughout the country. The city of Northampton owns the theatre and the organization is backed by public spirited citizens. There is little of the pure dramatic to the play, but withal it makes a strong and timely plea for the brother- hood of man, placing the individual soldier and the army as a whole in the light of murderers, and as such not heroes, but sinners for their country. The theatre had its opening under brilliant auspices, the mayor introduc- ing the players and urging support, while at the close President Burton of Smith College held forth on the evils of war. The audience was com- posed of about 98 per cent, women, which is the usual proportion there. The company is under the direction of Bertram Harrison and Jessie Bonstelle, while James Rennie and Julia Taylor are the leads. The staging is unusual for stock. Atlantic City, Oct. 14. "Up Against It," the new farce by William Eville, was given its premier performance at the Nixon here last night, disclosing an amusing story. It has the foundation of a real play. A little tinkering should turn it into a Broadway winner. That indispensible attribute of a laughing entertainment, speed, is there; its situations are ingeniously contrived and the story interesting. There are times when the action overtaxes cre- dulity anrf verges on burlesque, but much is forgiven when obvious methods are rewarded with laughs. "Up Against It" is the product of the Sexto Corporation. Syracuse, Oct. 14. With William Gillette, Blanche Bates and Marie Doro in the cast the Charles Frohman revival of Victorien Sardou's "Diplomacy" was produced at the Em- pire Friday night. This was Mr. Gil- lette's first appearance on the stage since his retirement four years ago. Other members of the cast were Bertha Joyce, JefTerys Lewis, Malise Sheridan, Gustave von Seyffertitz, Les- lie Faber, Norman Tharp, A. E. Green- away, Leslie Palmer. Henry Dornton and Charles Francis. SHOWS IN FRISCO. San Francisco, Oct. 14. The Gaiety was dark Monday night, the opening of "The Rollicking Girl" by the Kolb and Dill company being deferred until last night. Poor business continues at the Columbia where "Milestones" is in its second week. "Kitty MacKay" opened light at the Cort. SHOWS IN BOSTON. Boston, Oct. 14. Boston business is slightly below this time last year and next week brings Frances Starr in "The Secret" as the only opening after this gala week now ending which had only "To- Day" as an opening. The World's Series brought a great crowd of spenders Monday and Tues- day. "The Follies" at the Colonial and "The Whirl of the World" at the Shubert are still bucking each other. At the Series games where 35,000 were seated, the "Follies" advertising was done by kites and the "Whirl" advertis- ing by means of 50.000 cards showered npon the heads of the spectators in- viting them to come and "get acquaint- ed with the girlies on the runway." "The-Road to Happiness" at the Wil- bur and "Peg" at the Cort are quietly opposing each other in that both are on their sixth week and it is a ques- tion which holds out the longer. Hodge has a very small house to fill which will prolong his engagement and on the other hand the "Peg" show is far better known here. SHOWS IN ST. LOUIS. St. Louis, Oct. 14. When Sam Bernard and Mollie King opened at the Shubert Sunday night in "The Belle of Bond Street" they had slightly more than half a house and yet it was unquestionably the largest first night attendance since the open- ing of this season. The theatrical busi- ress here, with the exception of the popular priced vaudeville houses, the Grand and Hippodrome, is in a very bad shape as to attendance and the advent of Raymond Hitchcock in "The Beauty Shop" is anxiously awaited as a criterion of what the remainder of the winter is to be. The Park theatre companies headed by Mabel Wilber, Marion Ruckert and Mitchell Harris are doing a nice busi- ness with royalty pieces at popular prices. These theatres lie in the sub- urban district. "Madam President" with Fanny Ward, "The Queen of the Movies" and Fiske O'Hara did nothing at the Olympic, "The Elopers," Margaret II- lington and "Help Wanted" did not do much more at the Shubert. Still automobiles in large numbers crowd the streets in the vicinity of the outside picture houses and the popu- lar priced vaudeville houses are turn- ing them r.way at each performance. SHOWS IN NEW ORLEANS. New Orleans, Oct. 14. "Oh, Oh, Delphine!" is doing busi- ness at the Ti lane although the com- pany is not especially good. The Emma Bunting company at the Crescent is playing to capacity mati- nees with profitable evening attend- ance. The Lyric, Lafayette and Greenwall are dark this week. "LADY EILEEN'' FLIVS. "Lady Eileen," a comedy drama by Geraldine Ronner and Hutcheson Boyd, which was awarded the prize in a play contest conducted by Oliver Morosco, is not coming to Broadway as fondly anticipated by Morosco, The Morosco press bureau had an- nounced that Morosco was producing it here about Oct. 15 or later. The new play was given a trial per- formance at the Burbank, Los An- geles, where it proved a flivver. MAX DILL INJURED. San Francisco, Oct. 14. Max Dill, while disappearing through a trap door in the stage at the Gayety last night, during the first act of "The Rollicking Girl," fractured his ankle. He was removed to a hospital and re- placed in the cast by Bob Vernon, who went through the piece with script in hand. The accident occurred at the opening performance, which was played to ca- pacity business. "ADELE" STILL OUT. "Adele" has not closed. Peggy Wood i? playing the stellar role. The New Era Producing Co. (Jos. P. Bickerton, Jr., general manager) denies it has gone out of show business. ENGAGED FOR "STEP." W. C. Fields, the comedy juggler, has been engaged for the "Watch Your Step" show Charles P». Dillingham is preparing. He starts rehearsals next Monday. T. Roy Barnes, reported as leaving with the~"Passing Show of 1914," re- mains under his Dillingham contract and also enters the "Step" production. Mr. Barnes recently commenced to wear a mustache. It. may be perma- nent, if he's allowed to live through the experience. Halligan and Sykes have also been i-ni»apcd f°r the production. $2 DEMANDED. j Elmira, Oct. 14. "The Quaker Girl" refused to play for less than $2 at the Lyceum this week, despite the efforts of Manager Norton for a $1.50 scale. Business was good. Norworth's "Susie" Song. The full title of "The 'Susie' Song" as it is known in England, that Jack Norworth first made popular at the Hippodrome, London, is "Sister Susie Sewing Soft Short Shirts for Soldiers." Mr. Norworth made an "audience number" of it. obtaining comedy through having the house try to sing with him the words of the chorus, some of which arc "The soldiers say they'd rather lay on thistles than wear the short shirts sister Susie sews."