The San Francisco call., 1908-12-15
DRAMA EXPLOITS
LABOR'S RIGHTS
Play at the Valencia Is Mixture
OF Pretty Romance and
Sociology
The Lost Paradise" TransIat=
ed From the German, Gets
Spectacular Production
By Walter Anthony

demand to live off the earnings of
manual toll get logical though some
what old fashioned treatment at the
Valencia this week, where The Lost
Paradise" is being well played and
staged elaborately.
The second act, to treat of the me-
chanical side first, presents the in
terror Of a mammoth factory, sup
posed TO be somewhere near Boston.
It shows the Corliss f1ywheel whirling
realistically around. and whenever the
big door leading from the Office TO the
shop is open the churning and stamp
ing of the machinery comes with
roar to the ears. In and out of this
picture the figures of the strugglers,
laborers and employers, pass, and the
daughter Of the factory learns the
lesson of life and love. dingy set
ting for an excellent story, we'll
though, as said, somewhat archaically
told.
The development Of the plot lies in
the sOlilOquies-an ingenious and not
noticeably effective way to incitc dra
matte action. a diary containing the
truth about the invention Of the ma
chine which the factory makes is read
by the foreman. He learns from the
book that he is the one who gave
its writer the ideas whence the fin
ishcd mechanical wonder came He
lfdIllS now Ut. NldnulSn ld0 lDl6UOeu
that ne tReuben Warner) should share
in the advantages which the invention
brought. and Warner knows how
Staudish died before having an oppor-
tunity to let him in on the secret.
Warner loves the girl whose father
(Gnowlton) in stealing the patent has
become rich. The girl regards War
ner as merely q workman. A strike
develops. The misery Of the workmen
and their families is graphically and
harrOWingly depicted, and the foreman
sides with his own people after being
Tepulsed by Margaret knowlton. Then
comes the denouement, wherein, dur
ing another soliloquy. which is over
heard. Warner diVulges the secret of
the diary and the fact that he is the
rightful owner Of the patent. Follows
then. of course. the reconciliation be-
tween Margaret and Warner and
happy ending with peace and prosper
3ty' in the factory, happiness in the
knoWlton mansion and a new partner
n the firm Of Knowlton & Co, Warner
naturally being the partner.
Robert Warwick as the foreman
Warner IS impressive. poetic and
handsome II he sometimes reads his
lines with large and eloquent effect
he gets their strength well to the
surface and makes much Of the vigor-
Gus speeches allotted to the champion
Of labor Miss Stoddard as Margaret
has a splendid scene in the last act,
which shc rises to with emotional
feeling, and she at all other times
moves gracefully in the picture. The
rest or the cast is mainly good. Miss
Arleen Hackett. Miss Beatrice Nichols
and Miss Elaine Davis as the factory
girls are splendid in their makeup and
effective in their character acting
Gerald Hareourt in the juvenile role is
airy and funny and Darrell Standing
-
support OF Warwick, are excellent.
The play, might be imagined. is
from the German. Ludwig Fulda
wrote it as brief for the Teuton
workingman and Henry c. De Mile
adapted il for Americans.
Lion and the Mouse"
strong play. and one that leaves
crisp. pleasant aftertaste is The Lion
and the Mouse" which returned again
. To san Francisco at the Van Ness thea
ter last night II is one of the dramas
that can be seen and appreciated once
and then seen and appreciated all over
again. for it contains elements that at
tract without palling.
Nlrility is the keynote of this piece,
just as deep heart interest is the all
apd all of The Music Master by the
same author 1t is the bigness of the
underlying situation-not its details
velopment of a plot that is not entirely
novel or unique. There is little pure
comedy in the play, but the emotional
tendency is not carried to an extreme
that demands strong contrast as a re-
lief
So much for the play. The fact that
this is its third presentation in San
Francisco makes needless an eXplana-
tion Of the plot. and this same fact be-
speaks its merit. for merit alone could
keep il so long a favorite with the the
ater going public.
Three parts stand out above all others
in the cast. and those three parts in the
present production are in good hands
Paul Eyerton, the original John Burkett
Ryder Of the piece, is still in the part
by which the play must fall or stand
and his portrayal Of the financier in
whose hands lies immense political
power is a strong Characterization.
Edna Archer Crawford. who has sue
ceedcd Dorothy Donnolly in the role of
Shirley Rossmore since the play was
last seen in san Francisco, plays her
part in an excellent manner. The part is
one that could not be intrusted to
novice. and, although Miss Crawford is
not great emotional actress, she rises
well TO the emotional demands of the
most stirring scenes. James Cooley is
again cast in the part of Jefferson Ry-
der. the lesser roles being principally
allotted TO actors who have not been
seen before in this city.
A