The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-11-20
HiIliard in "a Fool There Was.

HilIiard in "a Fool There Was
Robert Hillard in "A Fool There
WAS" will be seen at the Jefferson
theatre Monday and Tuesday nights.
This curiously fascinating play created
"a great stir when first produced in New
! York and crowded the Liberty theatre
for weeks. Within the next is months
It had 10 later revivals at other New
York and Brooklyn playhouses.
Three remarkable engagements were
played at the Garrick theatre in Phila-
delpha despite the fact that one of them
was during the, bitterest period of the
prolonged street strike. The crowds
were so great as to force the orchestra
under the stage at every performance.
Mr.. Hillard has been honorably dent-
fed with the artistic and social life of
the theatre. He has the most emphatic
success of a long career that has in
cluded everything from farce to serious
drama and from society plays to the
sketches of vaudeville To all of these
he has lent artistic dignity and much
personal distinction.
"A Fool There Was" is an intensely
Dramatic portrayal of a phase of life set
forth In the thought and philosophy of
Kipling's poem THE Vampire" This
had its inspiration in Sir Philip Burne-
Jones painting which startled all Lon
ter Emerson Browne. the dramatist has
built a modern American play upon the
theme of painter and poet. The story
reverses the familiar triangle Of two
men and women and gathers its force
erom the struggle of two women and a
man. The latter is a polished typical
New Yorker, who stands very high in
the financial, social and diplomatic
worlds His charming home life at his
villa In Larchmont upon the eve of his
departure for Europe. where he goes to
undertake an important mission for the
government, is pictured. The action
quickly changes to the deck of big
ocean liner about to sail. Here the
strong dramatic interest begins when
he meets the vampire woman, seduc-
tive and fascinating creature of alluring
charms of whom a distracted lad has
killed himself five minutes before. AL
though the big man of the story is a
weli-seasoned citizen of the world, he
Instantly falls under the woman's spell
His mission in London is neglected for
wild days and nights in Venice and
Paris. The climax comes In the library
Of the house where he is living in
wretched solitude. He has abandoned
wife and child and in dull self-reproach
has taken to brandy. His friends have
fcrsaken him, and he has fallen very
low from high estate. The surroundings
are dust-covered and neglected; furni-
tnre. mirror and bric-a-brac have been
smashed in his drunken fury; even his
one faithful servant has left him. Then
comes the supreme struggle between the
opposing forces of good and evil, the
fnaI result of which cannot be foretold
until the instant the final curtain rails
IT is a play of symbolism and striking
contracts There are many scenes OF
brightness and clever comedy to tighten
ur the shadows Of the tensely dramatic
side. There are many flashes or real
humor and witty lines that sparkle with
epigram. The scenic production is elab-
crate and beautiful. The same used IN
1 ySe original New York production. The
Cream steamship scene with its crowds
and hustle amid the excitement OF the
sailing hour has astonishing realism
Mr.. billiard brings strong company
including Boston Churchill, as the friend
stella Archer, a. the sweet and SYM