The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-24
FLORENCE ROBERTS
IN NEW YORK CITY
Western Star Gets Praise and
Ridicule From MetrOpOli-
tan Critics.

Florence Roberts made her New York
debut last Tuesday evening in The
Strength OF the Weak" For the New
York engagement her company was
strengthened by the addition OF the we'll
known actor. Tyrone Power. who took
the part OF the guardian. The critics diff
fer as to the merits of the play. and the
talent OF the star. Two extreme views
are here given. The New York Herald, In
praise of the performance, says:
Given High Praise.
There have been few, II any, better
acted or better written plays produced in
New York than The Strength of the
Weak" which was given It's first metro
politnn presentation In this city last night
at the Liberty theater
1t was written by Miss Alice NJ Smith
ard Miss Charlotte Thompson and pro-
duced by Mr., John Cort. New York will
gladly welcome more Of such plays by
these comparatively unknown authors and
more productions OF them uy Mr. Cort
The story told I'm the play is not for
children, but at the same time II IS not
told in an offensive way. While 1t deals
with the delicate moral problem 1t no
where sinks to the low water mark OF
Vulgarity or nastiness.
This delicate handling OF an indellcate
subject Is very largely due to the clever
art Of Miss Florence Roberts the star of
the play, and an actress who though now
rev 10 BroadWay, last night made repu-
tatlon that Will not be forgotten
Miss Roberts showed n personal appre-
citation OF the role that was almost mar
velous, and her magnetism won even n
blaSc nrSt-nlght audience TO such an cS-
tent that they were really enthusiastic
The company was without an excep-
tion, competent and satisfactory. Mr.
Tyrone Power, as the guardian was tho
best known. but Miss Ruth Allen ms
Jack tomboy type OF young woman
hood, receive tho popular appreciation. 1t
do II extremely well Mr. Max FHgnlan
as the Baron brought charming comedy
touch to several scenes"
William Winter the noted critic of the
Tribune, treats both play and star con-
temptuously In tho following:
Condemned by Winter.
"A tedious and malodorous composition.
entitled The Strength of the Weak
was brought forth last night at the Lib
erty theater, and Miss Florence Roberts,
robust heavy. vocifcrous actress. ap-
parently from OonalasSa's shore acted
the chief part In 1t. Plays produced at
this temple are. of course. sacrosanct and
nobody must laugh Mt them. This one is
perhaps the better way to dispose of such
pretentious. nddle-headed and mawkIsn
stun would be TO dismiss 1t with one
comprehensive cpithot of rdlcule The
young woman who has been lost long
ago obtained precedence as the most op-
pressive and intolcrable or all theatrical
spiSS' ANp eNPNilSHNtu pl0SBoCr could
nave expected TO see her surpassed She
hides her diminished head, however,
of the heroine OF this piece
for this amazing female has not only
got lost" but has written a book about
IL. She Is the Erring Sister turned Blue
She was seduced by her guar
dian. She said that she did not know
any better. She composed a novel on the
subject, She fell I'm love with n young !
man and told him all about II The young |
man turned out 10 be her guardians SON
and her own half-brothcr. Since Mr.. Ib-
sens Ghosts there has not been such |
Il mess as this.
zone serious word by way OF farewell. /
Many things may rightfully be written !
which may not he Judiciously shown. A |
reader, In the library. possesses the lib |
crty OF choice: Il spectator. In the thcater, |
has no liberty, hut must take the thing |
that Is offered, whether he likes II not, |