The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-13
WHAT PLAYGOERS
SEE IN GOTHAM
Franklin Fyles Talks About New
Shows and Passes Judgment
On Them.
CLYDE FITCH'S PUZZLE
Money Waiting for Playwright
Who Can Furnish Brand
New Sensation.
az FRANkLIN FYLEs.

= ? r<NlNRElN nLES.
NEW YORK. January Clara Blood
good and Blanche Walsh are actresses
Of New York birth and breeding: neither
had theatrical parentage. and both made
the transit from society 70 the stage:
but the portions OF society from which
they stepped out were separate and dis
unct Clara had grown up In an over
look cf Stuyvesaut Square which used
90 Poo 20 New oYrk what Belgravla stul
Is 10 London. residence place for very
Dretentious families. Blanche had me-
tured within sight OF the Five Points.
until recently our Whitechapel for vice
and squalor. Don't mistake me TO mean
that blanche's mental or moral culture
was less painstaSing than Ciara's: FOR
her father, Fatty Walsh. Stun politician,
educated his daughter thoroughly: but
the fact remains that Blanche was
growth OF the Five Points. and Clara
OF Stuyvesant Square. The cotncidences
are curious. therefore. that Glide Fitch
wrote THE Truth for clara Rloodeood.
with polite Fifth Avenue liar COR her
10 personate. and The Straight Road"
for Blanche Walsh. with an impoite
BowerY drunlard for her TO personate.
and that the two new plays were pre-
scented at theatres directly across Broad
way from each other or the same eve
ming
is IN Its impertinency The heroine is
such an habitual and impuisive lar that
she can't tell the truth even when she
sincerely means TO. Thus YOU sec
fitch's play IS so singular that Charles
Frohman couldn't have been expected TO
think twice. 81 at all. OF giving his pres
tge and money 10 a production OF IT, II
It had come from an unauthoritative
author And Clara Bioodgood. not act
tnction. would have nouted the sugges-
ton that She take up rsle role Of n
Sapphira with an Ananias father. but
that 81 came from thu Fitch who Is a
memoer OF her smart-set circle. and en-
listed 20 make a successful actress OF
her. Happily. these conditions favored
The Truth" and as q consequence we
get "a play that IS out o. tho ordinary
in subject and matter. n not quite extra
ordinary as a dramatic revelation. Don't
skip these next sentences in dread that
they may lead into a summary OF the
plot I shall write only that Clara Blood
good. rs Fitch's peculiar heroine by fool
ish lying 20 her fond and trustful hus-
band. convinces him that her really clean
relations with an unclean aGmirer are
foul The first half OF the comedy is
humorous with the woman's inpromptu
les but the second half IS pitiful with
the consequences OF her falsehoods. lead
Ing up TO her regeneration. and the
whole has tha rare merit OF newness
in design and facility in execution.
Graphic Realism.
For so many years have observed
frst-night audiences that I detect AZ sight
anything unusual IN their makeup. The
social stains OF Mrs. BlOodRood. and the
vogue Of the theatre. accounted for the
presence OF extremely fashionable peo-
pie at the Introduction OF 1.-THE Truth
They ciapped their glovea hands ar her
entrance. yet made no rude noise nor
logged their polite poiso for ule sake OF
friendlineSs. But interspersed with these
modisnly CARRIED and nicely hammered
ones were quite as many with contrasting
aspects OF comm0ners just as good ass
the genuine swclis mind YOU. but NOT
bearing the brand OF the TenderioIn.
These were out OF their customary place.
that was evident at a glance. and was
puzzlnE myself for solution Of Che
mystery Of their presence when IL was
cleared up by the entrance Of William j.
Kelly on the stage. lie was hailed with
applause FAR louder and longer than had
greeted the star actress. That was be-
cause Kelly had been for several wears
tho leading man I'm "a Harlem stock COM
pauy. the stage idol OF Isrlen's feminine
population. and his faithful worshipers
i-NtA N'ltA' NNNu from Ln1f end or the
town 20 the centre. 20 break their half
dollar theatrical experience with a two
dollar occasion when their own BILLY
Kelly PLAYED the husband TO the smart
set Mrs Bloodgood.
Houston street Mon. the character thar
CLYDE Fitch conceived as suitable to
the viriie Blanche Walsh. IN writing The
Straight Road" for hor swept into frst
view in a drunken sidewalk fight She
and another woman had been thrown
out by q bartender. She was hlcar-eyed
from drink. her face white and bruised.
her hair touseled. and her ragged dress
dirty. She mumbled protests TO the IN
reference beneath her breath. sc0wIed
az tho gentle approach OF a settlement
worker. and made vicious grabs at her
antagonist. This was graphic and lively
realism. and tho revolving truthfulnsss
did not seem 20 repel the Broadway
audienes. The hght had started. We we're