The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-09-06
WR|GHT LoR|MER
IN sTR0NG Drama,
''THEQU|CksAhDs'' s.

IHtQUICkSAhDs
From $40 p. m. last evening until 1920
a. m. this morning. a large and consist
entity appreciative audience at the Provi-
dence Opera House watched and heard
Mr.. Wright Lorimer work up and artis-
tically, case OF brain storm in the first
production OF 1.-THE Quicksands." by ALI
Gle Ramsey and Rudolph de Cordova.
For some unknown reason the curtain
was very late In rising. and as 1t took
| four acts 20 show Austin Ferrors. inter-
preted by Mr.; Lorimer, In the various ,isS,
| ady was termed, the audience was put TO
a strenuous endurance test. which point
In itself spoke most highly OF the piece:
4 for apparently IL was thoroughly enjoyed
by all who saw II through to the end.
and were not compelled to leave TO catch
early morning trains, interview the milk
man. or explain their long absence to
act. appeared TO appreciate the late hour,
| or rather, early hour, for In one OF his
| moods he says. 1T must be nearly
| dawnv' The audience Uttered.
| Before the curtain rose and during the
| long wait between the acts, the orchestra
worked overtime and gave quite a con-
cert of a total of about one dozen num-
| bers.
However. II was a first performance.
| and this must. OF course. be considered
| Yet there must be pruning done-a whole
ct H IN The WIN matsrs
there the dialogue. the situations. and
all that, but much OF 1t is unnecessary,
especially this being noticed In the nrst
the guilt OF the son becomes known to
the father, who Is trying girl for in
| fanticide. The son Is the murderer, not
the girl, but the young man. relying upon
evidence against himself. locket con-
| tanning his picture. A strong scene re-
suits and the father dies OF heart fall
clear herself, and Austin marries another.
From this time his soul sickness begins.
growing on him day by day, hour by
by collapse. he dies with his secret only
vaguely told 10 his wife, who believes In
him. II took one hour TO present the
first act-it should bs done in half the
time.
The cast was as follows:
Austin ......,..... ..............Mr. Lorimer
Sir Austin Ferrors, his father..........
..........................M j. NJ Colville
Helen, his fancee.. 80. Miss Hilda Englund
Maggie. his sister. Miss Amy Ricard
John Burton; George Burton, his son
.....-................Mr Lester Lonergan
wenzelI, a scientist .... Mr.. Carl Ahrendt
Sir Henry March, physician.
.........................M Mr.. j. A. Sawtelle
Csilsey a servant. =. Mr. Walter II. Crosby
Wickes a footman. Mr.. Frank opperman
Halpike a clockmaker.. Mr.. l.. j. Angus
The nurse. ..............M Miss Florence Foster
maid servant. ...... .Mrs. Grace Wilson
Nellie ............ Little Gretchen Hartman
Little Austin. ......... Master Jack Russell
sci vbgk mfw bgk mfw bg bgkgbkn
The piece Is founded upon criminal Pss--
chology, and II is indeed an interesting
subject. The character portrayed by Mr..
Lorimer Is . most difficult one. In the
first act, II is safe to say. Austin re-
ceives little or no sympathy, but this
changes as the play progresses. and not
wfthstanding the audience is Witnessing
the life action OF a murderer and moral
coward there goes out to him great SYM
pathy and feeling which can only be said
to speak In the highest terms Of the in
terpretation by Mr.. Lorimer OF charac-
ter that would naturally be repellant to
an audience. One great thing In his favor
is that he does not overact. When the
climaxes come-and OF which he is a part
the effect Is great This was demonstrat-
ed In one particular action when he starts
suddenly up from chair upon which he
is sitting II is a quick action and the
audience almost stood up with him. It's
a little thing in itself but IL shows! In
some OF his longer speeches Mr.. Lorimer
is a bit prone to be sing-songy, coming
probably from Shepard King" habit.
This he can easily remedy. other than this
his enunciation and elocutionary effect is
excellent. AS to stage presence. he makes
a mistake by too much making up. savor-
ing a bit OF the 4O-year-old chorus girl"
who has to resort to artifciality. His best
work occurs In the third and last acts,
In which his efforts are especially COM
mendable
n -. fat tnnx
more Miss Hilda Englund, as Helen
AustinS nancee and later her wife, was
quite acceptable. resembling at times Mrs.
B4ske 90 far as the fact that her enuncia-
ton ID poor is considered. The tendency
to mouth" the words needs attention. Mr..
Lester Lonergan In a dual role Of John
Burton and his son, George, was very
good, while Mr. Carl Ahrendt as winzell.
a scientist, was decidedly affective, Mr..
j. NJ Colville. as Sir Austin Ferrors.
father of Austin, only appeared In act i.
but gave an excellent Interpretation. Miss
Amy Richard gave touch OF freshness
as Maggie the sister OF Austin, while the
two childrens parts were well taken by
little Gretchen Hartman and Master Jack
Russell.
The piece Is handsomely staged-elabo-
rate I'm truth and forms most consistent
sttings for action.
To sum II up, The Quicksands'' is n
success. It is a human play-one that ap-
peals TO the emotions. 1t is possible
play. The material Is there and Mr.. Lori
mer is Just the artist to handle the major
part, which he does in a most able man.
ner However with all this. II certainly
must be pruned good and plenty to be
absolutely satisfactory. Much OF the ac-
ton, where no words are used, taking up
time, must be done away with. and then.
too, considerable of the dialogue. appar-
entity not OF vital necessity, could be cut.
The performance will be repeated this
evening and both tomorrow afternoon and
evening.