The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-11-04
THE Thief" DRAW
ING CARD
Attractive Plot and Fine
Support Given Miss
Roberts.

Next to the playwright in whose
brain originates a successful drama,
the producer deserves credit for the
production of really meriSorious the
atrical production. The leading man
ayers of the world read scores of
manuscripts every month, yet not
over one out of hundred of them
ever see the footlights. Of those
plays which are produced, not one in
a hundred approaches satisfaction to
the actors, while patrons receive the
average play with more or less indif-
ference.
In the world of drama a notable
exception to the mass of mediocre
plays is The Thief written by
Henri Bernstein. That May Roberts
was able to secure this masterpiece
and give Wenatchee her initial per-
! Torrance of its production is a source
of much congratulation on the part
of local playgoers, as was proved by
the fact that the entire capacity of
the theatre was exhausted early yes
| terday afternoon. Scores of disap-
pointed people were turn1 away from
the door last night, while the most
eager were glad to pay for standing
room.
1t is a beautiful story in which love
triumphs although deceived into mo-
mentary folly. The scene was laid in
! the London mansion of Raymond
! Gardner and the three acts are each
| set in as many different rooms. In
! the drawing room the story opens
with all members of cast upon the
stage. In the center sit Richard Will
/ LOBBY with his wife, Marie. They are
manifestly happy lovers who are not
yet grown weary of eleven months
of wedlock. Raymond Gardner and
! his wife are joining in the happy
circle though with less freedom. On
the stair case stands a Mr. Burton,
whose presence seems to be mysteri-
/ Gus. In the rear young man is
seated at table reading and shows
no interest in the conversation of
the rest He is the son of Raymond
Gardner, the owner of the mansion.
In the play it develops that young
Walter Gardner is in love with Mrs.
! WILDLY Miss Roberts,, which she
regards as very silly thing and tells
the boy that her heart is only for her
| husband (Mr Gillard). The young
fellow persists. Meanwhile. Raymond
Gardner tells the household that his
wife's boudoir has been robbed of
large sum of money which has been
| taken from time to time, and that
Mr.. Burton is a detective brought to
find the thief. The latter then appears
and under protest tells the identity
of the criminal, young Walter Gard
ner. The father is Frustrated.
The second act is laid in the bou-
doir of Mr.. and Mrs. WILDLY. They
hold the stage alone through a series
of tremendous climaxes during which
the husband learns by mad question
ings and raging suspicion that his
wife was the actual thief using young
Walter to shield her crime. At last
he becomes wild with the accusation
- H. Cot
wife She pleads her love AM gives
tba, as the reason for her staal..ss.
She wanted to keep her husbands
but feared that beautiful clothes and
furniture, ETC., were necessary to pre-
vent his indifference to her charms.
In tn last act the two couples again
meet in the drawing room where the
father has called his son and told
him he must go to South America
the same day to remain for two years.
In the agony of parting, the young
wife finally confesses before all that
Il am the thief" In the happy finale
Richard and Marie decide to go TO
South America instead of Walter.
The husband forgives and agrees to
forget when he learns that his wife
has erred while her every mistake
was made out of love for him.
The strong lines and powerful situ
atoms call for the highest order of
acting and stage management Daniel
Frohman allowed his company head
ed by Margaret Ellington, six weeks
for rehearsal. Miss Roberts and her
support were able to give only ten
days to this work of preparation. but
the performance they gave was re-
markably smooth, considering the
short time in which the manuscript
| has been in their hands.