The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-10-12
THE THIEF STEALS
INTO HEARTS OF
NEWARK AUDIENCE
Fife Shannon Plays Leading
Role with Admirable
Grace and Skill.

The Thief came to town last night,
ensconced herself in ine Newark
Theatre and proceeded to steal our aa'
miration and sympathy, rather against
our will in the beginning, and later
with our entire consent.
Because she loved her husband she
ridn't mind in the least stealing money
from the dear friend whose guest she
was. Nor did she turn a hair at the
idea Of placing the blame on The IN
nocent young son Of the household'
when discovery was at hand, The idea
of losing her husbands love was Il
bueaboo that looked always over her
stoulder, effectually blotting out all
sense OF right and wrong.
Anything was right that tended to
hold him to her, and everything was
wrong that stood in the way OF tnelr
love. This was how. she argued, ana
because she vas so very niucn IN .
her reasoning seemed quite plausible.
It's enormity never struck home uhtii
she discovered that her husband
couldn't see things her way. And even
then 1t was terror OF his disapproVai
rather than remors that led 10 sucn
a complete confession.
Effie shannon played the difficult
role with admirable grace n skill.
In the beginning she exhibited the
moods and pretty cajoleries of a wire
who was anxious 10 please with a
bright daintiness that was highly pleas
ing. and later, in the big emotional
scenes she rose easily and convincing
ly to their dramatic requirements. Inc
',fhief'' IL the easiest sort of a role to
everyday. In the big scene of the sec
ond act there is a long space wherein
the wife must listen to the arralgn-
ment of a bitterly indignant husband,
with nothing TO do hut convey to the
audience the effect OF his words upon
her. 1t was in this most trying situa-
ton that Miss Shannon was at her
best. Never once did she permit her
audience to lose sight of the
she was Interpreting. 1t vas hard not
to veer from the tragic to the maudlin,
and this very good actress deserves
much credit for her splendid emotional
control.
At all times her work was char
acterized by a daintiness that suggested
the loving wife far more than did the
interpretation of Miss Ellington, whose
thief seemed wise enough to know bet
ter from the beginning.
1t cannot be said that Mr.. Kelcey's
portrayal of the injured husband was
as ~forceful as that of Mr.. Bellew. AT
times he exhibited "a decided absent
mindedness, reciting his lines with a
far-away expression that robbed them
of much of their meaning. In the big
scene with Miss Shannon, however, he
threw himself into the part with a sin
certify and strength that made up for
the slight "fiatness' of other scenes.
Edward Mawson gave a quiet strength
TO the character of Raymond, father OF
the wrongly accused boy, and the boy
himself was given Just the right blend
Ing of boyish romanticism and manly
dignity by Henry Worthing. Arthur
Lawrence, as the great French detec-
tive, and Mrs. Hilary Bell, as Ray
mond's wife, were adequate. 1t takes
lust these six characters to tell the
story of the thief, straightforwardly
and sincerely, without by-play and
without the Humorous touches that
so many playwrights consider necessary
to tighten gloomy plots. Truly we are
indebted to Henry Bernstein for this
pleasing, forceful simplicity.