The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-28
LIVE THEATRICAL NOTES
 FROM GOTHAM THEATRES

New York, November 27-(Speciall-Af of the Manhattan and Metropolitan op- era houses and the New Theatre for two weeks, the f1rst-nighter returned to
 Broadway last Monday night and wit messed the addition of two dramas and one comic opera to the Gay White Way 8 repertoire. Neither the interior embellish- ments of a two million dollar new theatre nor the Parisian gowns of the Who 8 Who" family were present to distract his attention from the play, and he was permitted to render deserved applause. Lew Fields return to the Herald Square theatre, this time in his new musical pro duction of "Old Dutch," proved an at tractive supplement to the long list of musical comedies and operettas, while the lovers of the drama were treated to the first performance of "Septimus," a dram atization of W. J. Locke's novel Simple Septimus." with George Arliss in the ste!- lar role, at the Hackett theatre; and His Name On the Door," by Frank Lord a lawyer, heretofore unknown as a play
 wright at the Bijou theatre.
 "Septimus" proved to be a comedy of excellent worth with pathetic tinge to 1t, that at times made 1t intensely dra- matic. The plot of the novel is closely
 adhered to with the exception that the character of Emmy is brought into a
 more commanding position.
 It is the story of two sisters. Emmy and Fora, one strong-minded and care-free,
 the other gentle, impressionable and sem
 timental. Fora marries early in life. but
 the union is an unhappy one. She is
 finally separated from her husband and immediately starts out on pleasure trip.
 At Monte Carlo she meets Septimus Dix, a whimsical English inventor. Dix lives with his servant and a retired burglar as
 his only companions. The acquaintance of the two ripens into a platonic friend chip that brings the inventor into the girls home life.
 Meantime Emmy falls in love with an
 actor who deceives and then deserts her. ] The unsophisticated Septimus, whose knowledge of women has been gained on- | ly by reading books, offers to marry her as a solution of her difficulty.
 George Arliss, who interpreted the sub 1 tie role of Mephisto in The Devil. ''
 played the part of Septimus Dix. and his
 honest innocence was just as convincing
 as was his thorough knowledge of all
 evil in his previous play.
 | strong cast, composed of Miss Emily
 Stevens Miss Dorothy Rossmore, Miss
 Florence Edney, Miss Laura Linden Henry Wenman, Cyril Young, Claus Bo-
 
 His Name On the Door," the other dramatic contribution, is a three act play of New York life, written by a former assistant in the district attorneys office. The play furnished an opportunity for
 studying the inside operations of fake insurance concerns, and at the same time
 brought an unknown playwright of un- usual merit into the public eye. rr-l- n company, which has sold number of it's policies throughout the west and through | ''jokers" in laws of number of states | manages to pay their policy holders only 1 $500 of promised 5000. They become SC 1 open in their operations that the courts
 get after them. Seeing their danger, they | resolve to pick out a man for the goat,
 and Frederic Brent, young lawyer. is selected and made a member of the firm. In the meantime a young comic opera star, a former sweetheart of Brents, is
 swindled out of some money and she comes to Brent for advice. As he is a
 member. of the firm, he cannot give it to her.
 John Martin. the head of the company is badly snitten with the little actress and agrees to return her money. He
 goes to her apartment where he meets J B. Hunt co-partner and a heated ar | gument in which the crooked deals of the corporation are discussed follows. The l conversation is taken down by hidden /, stenographer. By this means, young Brent, who later marries the actress
 escapes the fate his ilder partners shad mapped out for him.
 | The cast was good one and included Orme Caldara, Byron Douglas, Walter | D. Greene Miss Louise Closser Hale Miss Ethel Clayton and Miss Pauline ! Duffield.
 Victor Herberts music in ''Old Dutch
 was as captivating as ever, and the pro duction, on the whole, proved pleasing one to the eye. The book of this new musical comedy is by Edgar Smith, the | lyrics by George Hobart and New Way
 burn is responsible for the production. The scenes, which were laid in Tyrol | afforded an exceptional opportunity for | picturesque backgrounds, which was talk | en advantage of
 The story deals with the troubles oi | Ludwig Streusand, familiarly known as | "Old Dutch" an inventor of note, who is
 very absent-minded. .He is travelling | through Tyrol with his daughter and fir
 order to escape undesirable publicity as- | sumes the name of Leopard Mueller The real Mueller is an adventurer of a 1 shady reputation. He turns up and for. tunately, for him, finds Streusand's pock- etbook. He immediately assumes the in
 ventor's name and is welcomed with al
 the ceremony due that parsonage. | In the meantime ''Old Dutch" has los his credentials. is unable to pay his bills
 and the hotel proprietors threaten hin with jail He is finally compelled to worl
 out his bill by performing various menia duties, which anord an opportunity for [ l great deal of horse play.
 | Lew Fields, in the character of Old ' Dutch. vas exceediuRIy funny. and aidet