The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-07

lions and again pra1es that remark
able actress to be one of the greatest
figures on the contemporary stage. In
salvation Nell" Mrs. Fiske appears
as a scrubwoman in an Eighth avenue
saloon, earning meager wage and
turning it over to her worthless lover.
who is presently sent up" for eight
years, while Nell is turned into the
streets.
The Salvation Army offers her a
refuge, and Nell works out her own
salvation with fear and trembling and
keeps a roof over her boys head.
When her lover is released it is Nell's
influence that saves him. The story is
slight and obvious enough. Its merit
lies in it's attempt to portray a phase
of everyday life in New York and to
show glimpses of the quest for that
vision without which the people perish.
The character was easily within Mrs.
Fisks's remarkable powers as an &C
tress.
Mr.. HoIbrook Blinn as the brutal
companion presented a superb charac
ter study. The types and characters
of the east side were presented with
power by large company, in which
Mary Madison as Halleluiah Maggie
and Hope Latham as 'poifict'' lady
deserve special mention. Throughout
the play there were little touches of
character acting, like the hospital doc
tor in the first act by Edwin Brewster
and the deserted wife in the tenements
by Gilda Varesi, that were clever bits
on the big and crowded canvas.
The scenes showing an Eighth ave-
nue. saloon on Christmas eve and Cher
~ street, with all it's varied interests
in full operation. were remarkably
staged. 1t was in this scene that Mrs.
Fiske as Salvation Nell, ADDRESSING a
Salvation Army gathering, acted with
a pathos that went straight to the
hearts Of her audience.
w. Somerset Maugham. author of
Lady Frederick" and of Jack
Straw" is due to deliver Charles Froh-
man a new play for Miss Marie Tenn
pest on Mr.. Frohman's arrival in Lon
don. The play was contracted for last
summer before Miss Tempest achieved
her great success in Mrs. Dot" which
she is still playing at the Comedy the
lter in London. Mr.. Frohman there
fore has notified the playwright that,
although he will be glad to receive the
manuscript Of the new comedy, he can
not produce it for some time.
At the Lincoln Square theater there
are three magnets on the bill-Miss
Amelia Bingham. Juliet and Miss
Maude Odell. the $4,000 prize beauty
ind winner Of the Sandow gold medal
Although Miss Bingham's idea Of big
Moments From Great Plays" already
has won its vaudeville laurels at the
other Morris playhouses and Miss Juliet
~, the mysterious society bud of the
interrogation point, has fairly won her
recent claim to recognition, the I'M
usual preponderance Of masculine pa
irons and the appearance to a man Of
the three "baldhead rows" would seem
10 prove that the very much exploited
physical charms Of Miss Odell were re-
Eponsible for more than a normal share
of the attendance.
Miss Odell's individual performance
was far superior to the sketch, which
served as a rather perfunctory excuse
for introducing her effective poses. She
was assisted in it by Richard Purdon.
formerly of Sir Charles Wyndham's
company, in the rather quaint charac-
ter of Yorkshire farmer of means
who seeks his son in the studio Of an
actress statue lady" with the inten-
ton Of breaking of their friendship.
but, becoming enamored of her beauty,
grace and charm. observed in the al
most altogether after he had INDUCED
IN Scotch and soda. he relents and
gives his approval Of the match.
ROBERT BUTLER.