The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-13
ADJUSTMENTS.
1.-THE WRITING on the WaII.v

"a Play in Three Acts by William ].
Hurlbut. Direction wallace Munro
CHARACTERS:
Irving Lawrence. .. :. Mr.. Harrison Hunter
Barbara Lawrence. Miss Olga Nethersole
Harry, their child. -. Miss Joe Wallace
Muriel Lawrence. Irvings sister,.
................. Miss Florence Huntington
John Trainor Irvings secretary. ......
........................ Mr.. Hamilton Mott
Stella Trainor, Harry's governess.
................... Miss Charlotte Tittell
Gordon Payne, engaged to Muriel......
.................... Mr.. James B. Ross
Lincoln Schuyler. ......... Mr.. Albert Perry
Peters, manservant. Mr.. Frederick Brown
Christine, a maid Miss Lillian Stafford
1.-THE Writing on the WALL in which
Miss Olga Nethersole appeared at the
Jefferson theatre last night, is distinctly
a modern play, treating of a subject
which has been rather widely exploited in
recent years in the magazines and news
papers. The play was inspired by
scandal laid at the doors of Trinity
church-the charge of having fattened
on humanity for years by renting squalid
tenements to the poor-whose blood money
was poured into the ample and affluent
Golfers of Trinity. The agitation then
started and the trend of public opinion
at that time was not without a whole
some effect and Trinity was forced TO
concede something to reform.
In the play wealthy man. arrogant in
his riches and careless of the happiness
of others when his dollars are concerned.
is besought by his wife to improve his
tenements, which have rotten fire es-
capes and are holes of pestilence. He de-
ceives his wife by pretending that new
fire escapes had been put up, when as
a matter of fact, the old fire escapes
had merely been painted. His boy, the
idol of his heart, attends a Christmas
tree celebration in one of the fathers
tenements where the child's mother had
sent presents in generous abundance.
There is fire, the boy is caught in the
trap with many other victims and Is
killed. Then in mis- agony the truth is
brought home to the stricken father. His
wife, who had confessed her love for
another man. but had sacrificed herself
for the sake Of the boy; having learned
her husbands duplicity in the matter of
the fire escapes, and having previously
discovered his intrigue with another won
an, is on the point of leaving him. He
is regenerated in this crucial hour, and
they begin life anew on the basis of
truth.
1.-The Writing on the Wall' was clearly
written for a purpose and that purpose
is the improvement of tenements. 1t must
be confessed that at times the lesson
Is singnlarly vivid and impressive, al
though the play as whole could not be
called good one. The construction is
rather awkward and Miss Nethersole has
only a few moments of real opportunity,
but even at that the performance was
decidedly interesting and the work of the
company highly cofnmendabe
Miss Nethersoe rose to pitch of emo
tionalism that is not at all unusual or diff
hcult for her In the very strong scene
when she learns that her boy is missing.
Mr. Hunter was fully equal to the occa-
sion as the father on whose head retr-
button has fallen. Both Mr.. Hunter, as
Irving Lawrence, tenement owner, and
Mr.. Perry as Lincoln Schuyler made a
good impression. Mr.. Hunter is an artist
of much ability and was quite convnc-
ing. Mr. Perry was admirably clear-cut
and virie as a man who had devoted
| himself to the poor as a sociological prob
lem. His enunciation was excellent and
| his stage presence fine and manly. Mr.
Mott was very good as the secretary.
The women Of the company, with the
exception OF Miss Nethersole of course.
| were rather weak
| sartorially and scencally the play was
| irreuroachable