The Washington herald., 1910-11-29
THE RELAsCo.
"AIIas Jimmy Valentine

Airs Jimmy tafentinc.T
1t Is an old axiom that "an the world
loves a lover" but it remained for the
dramatist 10 discover that "all the world
loves crook. However, simultaneously
with this discovery came the revelation
that not all kinds of crooks would do
the world must have some excuse. some
palliatiOn for this love which shows itself
abnormal on its face. So the dramatist
soon found that, TO be loved, a crook had
to be either the dashing, cavalier style
Of Raffies or the social highwayman. or
the careless type as pers0nified by Jim
Ralston, the Penman, and the later
Arsene Lupin, or it must have its SYM
pathies raised and its feelings played
upon by such as Lee Randall. Alias
Jimmy Valentine. the hero OF the latest
thief play, which opened last night what
bids fair To be a most successful week
al the Belasco.
Alias Jimmy Valentine" is unique. We
have had plays of similar import and
purport before-as witness those men
TONED with the addition of Leah
X ieschna" and one or two others which es-
cape the memory-but it remained for
Paul Armstrong 10 give US Jimmy Val
entine"
Credit is duly given on the programme
10 the late o. Henry, master OF the short
story. who wrote the little sketch. "A
Retrieved Reformation, from which the
author of the play obtained his basic
idea for the action of the piece, but to
the playwright must be given the credit
for the dialogue and the thrills with.
which the play is plentifully endowed.
Seldom indeed has there been a melo-
drama-as this is-with the almost con
ventonal hero, heroine and villain, which
has been as convincingly written and as
we'll acted.
Through its long run in New York the
story OF Jimmy Valentine" who is do
ing time in Sing Sing for a safe robbery,
and who Is pardoned by the governor
through the influence OF a girl whom he
has saved from insult. has become fairly
well known; so one may be pardoned for
not going further into the plot Of the
piece Indeed. the play has points which
cannot be brought out in short review
any more than ope could convey in cold
print the thrills. the excitement the
nervous tension OF that last act-less than
ten minutes long-which brings this story
20 a close.
Valentine. reformed, and bearing his
real name Of Randall. is forced 10 open
the door of the new vault of the bank. in
which is imprisoned the daughter of his
employer The stage is dark. save for
a light on the door OF the vault Jimmy
and his helper. Red Joclyn. work by the
light of matches, scratched at intervals
by the latter. In order 10 make his sense
Of touch the more acute. Valentine sand
papers his finger tips until they bleed,
and then. bit by bit. turn by turn, bolt
by bolt, he opens the lock, until finally
the big door swings free-and the child
is saved. Melodrama. you say? Well
perhaps. But melOdrama we'll conceived
and better acted, and, in addition 10 low
ing crook, the world loves a touch OF
mel0drama-well acted
or the actors there can be spoken moth
ing but praise, In the role of Jimmy
both in prison and out. II. b. Warner
was excellent His principal charm lay
In his entire naturalness, and hts scene
with Doyle the detective, when the lat
ter comes 10 arrest him In the third act.
vas splendidly carried through. Mr.
Warner. fully deserves all the praise
which has been given him in the past
! and which remains 10 be given in the
future
Associated with the star are a number
Of actors whose work sufficed 10 make
the evening one to be remembered with
pleasure for a long time 10 come. Among
them may be mentioned Frank Munroe,
as the detective; Edmund Elton and
Faner Ellsworth, as old pals OF Jimmys,
and Theodore Marston, Edward Bayes.
and Charles +. Graham. as the warden
and two inmates, respectively, OF Sing
Sing.
OF the feminine portion OF the cast first
honors belong TO Miss Elsie Leslie-none
other than Little Lord Fauntleroy"-
who takes the role OF the girl whose in
huence II is that accomplished Jimmy's
reformation. But individual names should
hardly be mentioned-for the entire cast
is excellent and splendidiy balanced.
II you enjoy being thrilled TO the core
not namby-pamby bit OF a little thrill
but the simOn-pure variety that starts
at the bottom OF your spine and works
its way upward with not the least hint
or hesitation for poor acting or any other
hindrance. you should treat yourself 10
an evening with Lee Randall. alias
Jimmy Valentine"