Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-04-06
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 90 66605e
30 THEATRICAL Aa
66kE

Verbose to degree. and wholly
lacking in the action which charac.
terizes the average modern comedy,
George Bernard Shaw's MAN and SUI
perman," in the hands OF Robert Lo-
raine and his excellent company, is
one of the most entertaining of plays.
In it, the brilliant Irishman's satire,
sophistry and iconoclastic epigrams
are served in palatable form. There
is nothing whatever Of an immoral
nature in the story and, with few
of the lines eliminated, there would
be nothing to offend or shock the
senshiities of any audience.
Comedy, some real comedy which
people understand, softens the bru-
tally of Shaw's satire in Man and
Superman" and gives the play val
ne from n standpoint of entertainment
that Candida" does not possess. Or
binary, everyday, orthodox folk that
would be bored by Candida" and
shocked and outraged by Mrs. War
riner's Profession" can be amused by
this play and actually overlook the
exceedingly broad lines in the first
act.
The principal character, about
whom the story turns, is John Tan
ner, young genius with iconoclast;c
views, who believes that to marry.
would be to sacrifice his liberty. to
sell his birthright; who thinks that
woman's one object in life is to mar
ry and that she is after man very
much after the fashion of the spider
and the fly; who has set forth his
modern" ideas in a book called "Man
and Superman," and who, in short,
talks throughout the three acts of the
play In true Shaw style. Curiously
enough, John Tanner is made n de-
cidedly attractive character by Mr..
Lorraine. Mr.. Lorraine is young ac-
tor of peculiar powers and of extra
ordinary talent. Perhaps in other
hands John Tanner would be insult
ferably boring, but the John Tanner
as he has been created is real. life
like character, with all his Shaw
isms and idol SCATTERING talk.
Miss Drina DeWolf is Ann White
field, the girl in the case Her in
depreciation of the part Is delightful.
Ann Whitefield loves John Tanner
and is determined to marry him, and
she does. Miss DeWolf gives the
character charming, natural person
atty one would hardly deem possible
from reading the story. 1t seems
perfectly right and proper that she
should fall in love with Jack Tanner;
that Tanner should return the love
and that she should make the icono-
clast turn traitor to his principles.
1t would take great deal of space
to give the mention deserved by all
the members OF the excellent cast,
therefore only the names and the role
assumed by each are given below:
Roeback Ramsden, an elderly Eng
lishman who, with Tanner. was made
guardian for Ann Whitefield, Louis
cretly marries Violet Robinson and
thereby brings on complications which
give rise to great deal of the con
yersation In the play. Donald Mac
! Laren; Hector Malone, ST., an
| of Hector, Jr., ]. D. Beverldge: Henry
| Craven; Mrs. Whitfield, Miss Lois
Frances Clark: Miss Susan Ramsden.
Miss Sallie Williams; Miss Violet
Robinson, Miss Nellie Thorne; Miss
Martha Evans.
The production is beautifully stag
| ed, approaching perfection in tho
wav of scenery and accc ,sories.
The play was enjoyed by rather
small audience.
| "Our New Minister"
"Our New Minister" which pleased
an audience here early in the season,
will play return engagement Mon
day night with the same excellent
! production ana cast. The sale OF
seats begins at the box office this
morning.