The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-04
WEEKLY THEATRICAL LETTER
BY ELRoY B. CALVERT

bs IALt EtI
 writing a few lines on an egg Just be- iore packing it for market, dating it and signing her name and address.
 The exact sentiment is not vouched for,
 but 1t went something like this The rose is red, the violet's blue,
 II this egg appeals to you Write to her then,
 Who owns the hen
 That laid it.
 Pretty, isn't it? But he didn't write. NO.
 lie telegraphed And as three long years had passed between the sending or the egg out into the cold-storage world ana the message in reply, what wonder that | poor Hetty Candy decided that the.
 i1nder was all impatient for the wedding
 ceremony, and immediately proceeded 10 nuy up all the orange blossoms In the
 neighborhood. And what wonder that her poor little heart was about broken, when, after eating her own hucSleberry pie, | Sherlock Holmes, have caused many and pronouncing 1t good, the decelVing | person informed her that it was not bridge he wanted, but witness in pure food prosecution. You see. he was | dyspeptic, and that 3-year-old properly
 dated egg had refused to vacate once | on the subject, was able to win his case
 with the aid of Hetty's testimony. | Then tl,ere are several little side | stories that keep pace with the action. | There is the deacon's son. Biff Adams,
 who was in love with the somewhat millf-
 tant George Mills; the hero, Jack Hamlin,
 who was bent on marrying the deacon's pretty daughter Alice and the town | skinflint, who came as near as any one A. Afr xriIl lfar, r1f | the piece.
 | Of course, when reading it, there is ] much in the play that appears ridiculous and inconsistent but this does not spoil l the dramatic effect. Miss Zelda Sears shoulders most of the responsibility as | Hetty Candy While the character was l very well drawn by the author. Miss Sears presentation greatly strengthened 1t. Her humor is delightful and she touches an occasional tender note with exquisite sincerity.
 MT. Walter Young gives an excellent
 portrait of the village skinfiint. and Ruth Wells is a very amusing child. "The Nest Egg" should prove rather tasty despite the presence of the rotten
 egg.
 "The Speckled Bankv It is only necessary to pay a visit to
 the Garrick theatre and get a peep at the thriller" which recently opened there
 to realize that Sir A. Conon Doyle is a | much better novelist than playwright The many interesting works that have come from his pen are replete with ad- venture and mystery. and the marvellous conclusions of that wonderful sleuth,
 gasp of admiration from an interested reader.
 But The Speckled Bank" the name of
 the stage venture. has none of these
 qualities. On the contrary it is extreme ly obvious and very often tiresome. Throughout the entire play the audience Is waiting for a climax and when it does
 come it proves exceedingly dull The Speckled Bank is the story of
 the poisonous snake that crawled down
 the bellrope at the bedside and gently
 took the life of sleeping ladies' Dr. Grimesby Rylott, retired Anglo-Indian surgeon, owned the snake and desired the ladies snug fortunes. The ladies died
 Puzzling the cause. Coroners' juries couldn't do 1t. And do you wonder? crowner's quest sitting in the vicinity of Grimesby Rylott would have been more uspicious or that than choleric apostle of medicinal chaos and anarchy-except- ing, of course, in melodrama and in this melodrama above all.
 The company is on the whole a good one. AS the villianous pr. Grimesby Rylott, Edwin Stevens was very effec- tive. In fact he Is sometimes too effec- tive From the time the curtain goes up
 on the first act until the end of the play MT. Stevens leaves no one in doubt about
 his part of the performance. He Is a vil- Han without one redeeming quality, and would make the most courageous of melo- dramatic heroes falter
 Charles Milward gives A good straight forward performance in the role of the Sherlock Holmes and those who have never seen William Gillette in this part would undoubtedly enjoy MT. Millward's interpretation of 1t.
 Two Dawson is very good as pr. Wat son, and Irene Fenwick' makes a beauti- full and charming heroine.
 Other characters in the cast who de- serve mention are John F1nalay, Benja- min Field and Cyril Chadwick.
 The New York Hippodrome occupies an unique position in the theatrical circles. Despite the many new plays and new
 theatres, the big playhouse stands alone In the presentation of that type of pro- duction.
 The three great scenic attractions of the present season, "The International Cdp.'
 The Ballet of Niagara" and "The Earthquake'-are exceedingly popular, and fill the immense house at both the afternoon and evening performances. The circus acts, however, are constant ly changing. Among the newcomers are the Joe de Kos Co. of equilibrists, the Curzon sisters, billed as sensational aerialists, the Patty Bros, head balanc- CTS, Victoria Godona, a slack wire per former, the Four Nightons in classic poses and Sim Nederwald and his Dar- winian monkey. Spelmans performing bears, and the herd of performing ele- plants, including the worlds tlnies. pachydern, "Daby Mine"