The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-01
max FIGRAN IS COMING
Popular Comedian to Be Here Friday
Evening in His Latest Success
"A Big Hit.

DuluJH ed6raAus Wnen Mary James
Pa, returned from vagabondia peIls
off his coat at the end OF the second
act, and begins turning the old hand
press in the Perkins print shop at the
exciting climax of the second act, the
spectator Is in that very desirable con-
dition-from the actors and drama
lists standpoint-of having a lump in
his throat, q smile on his lips and q
pleasant little thrill around his heart
American audiences have SO long
had sentimentality disned UP to them
for pathos: vuIgarity for wit; horse
play for hunor; melodrama for drama
and noise for music, that It would be
little wonder IL their view had become
distorted, but the Duluth audiences
yesterday afternoon and evening at the
Lycenm, seemed TO know hunor when
they heard 1t, and appreciate clean.
wholesome amusement when IL was
served UP to them. They saw Mary
James Pa, they found it good. and they
were not slow to express their approx
al.
The Bdith Ellis comedy drama is
delightfu-fresh, wholesome. clean and
with the humor and pathos so delicate
" interningled and cleverly offsetting
each other, that the audience COM
pletely tOrgets itself.
It has that quality, without which
the moa cleverly constructed plot, and
the most faithfully drawn character
study, fall fiat-it is human. Ii deals
with tie commonplace scenes and in
cidents familiar to everyday folk. but
it's hunor is delicious, its pathos COM
pellinf and its stagecraft superb.
Story OF the Play.
The story in brief. has to do with
a young country editor, who heard the
call tf the world. the lust of travel,
the lire of Vagabondia. and yielded to
1t. leaving his wife to care for their
two young children She rears them,
andIestablishes their little country lob
pricing Office and newspaper on a
firm business basis. He returned after
eleyen years of knocking about the
void and drops into their home. He
Is penniless, but rich In experience-a
quaint philosopher, who views life
FIRM a kindly but facetious viewpoint.
HIS wife is about to turn him out, and
M is going in response to her request
wnen her kindly impulses get the bet
ta Of her, and she allows him to stay,
making the strange bargain with him
tIat he shall do the cooking and the
hbusework, and allow her to run the
Printing business. In one OF his whim-
seal moments he accepts. How he
seain falls in love with his wife and
children, and makes restitution in part
for the wrongs he has heaped upon
them. Is told in the last two acts, and
a charming little story 1t is.
Yesterday afternoon was Max Fig
mans first performance In the title role.
He replaces Henry e. Ddxey, whose
troubles with his manager, Mr.. Saw
age, are well known to readers Of the
newspapers. John Cort promptly
bought the entire production, and keep
ing the company intact. put Mr.. Fig
man in the title role. Mr.. Ffgnan
seems to have found himself In the
part. For many years he has been
simply amusing American audiences
in the lightest of light comedy roles.
As The Man on the Box he was pleas
ing, but the part was light comedy.
pure and simple. Mary James Pa is
a step higher. 1t Is light comedy. it
Id true, but 1T Is a little more than that. |
There Is q serious touch to the char
aeter, and Mr.. Fignan seems to grasp
IL perfectly. The character might
easily gain the contempt OF the aud |
fence, rather than its sympathy. wife |
deserters are not popular heroes in
American eyes, and Mr.. Fdgman's role |
Is not heroic one, That he can se-
cure the entire sympathy and respect |
OF the audience for the somewhat shift |
less dreamer who skipped out, ID a
tribute to Mr. Figman's ability.
Mr.. FIgnan took the play at but q |
few days notice and has been rehears-
ing but aklittIe over week He went |
on yesterday afternoon without having
had scenic or property rehearsal, but
In spike OF this fact both performances
ran like clockwork. II Mr.. Fignan
was nervous or iii at ease, he did not
show it He will undoubtedly md 1T
the most successful piece OF work In
his career.
Mr.. Savage never does things by
halves, and the production he sent out
from New York was not cheap one.
Mr.. Cort took over the company in
tact. and there are some prominent
names In 1t. Helen Lackaye. sister
ofWilton Lackaye. ID playing the lead
ins feminine role. that OF Portfa Per-
kias She has many Of the charac-
tgistics Of her famous brother, and
~ not unlike him in features, which
is not means as q reflection on Miss
Iackaye's appearance, even though her
mother would never take a prize at
leauty show She IL most capable
artist, with q very pleasing stage man.
aer and frs into the role perfectly.