Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-29
INTENSE HUMAN PLAY
THRILLS At BURBANK
Salvation NeIp Makes Powerful
Appeal; New Attractions at
Other Local Theaters
BY SHIRLEY OLYMPUS

Salvation Nelr' is a great play
one of the greatest. It's reputation
does not suffer in the least in the
hands of the Burbank company. One
might almost say that the intense hu-
manity of Sheldon's wonderful work
is made so real by the Burbank play
ers that Salvation Nell' will be re-
membered for many and many long
day, even after the present players
have been forgotten.
There is some element in Salvation
Nell' which makes it more effective
than nine-tenths of the sermons
preached from a pulpit. 1t is a SER
mon play, yet not preachment. 1t
carries its message but does not Of
fend nor even bore by sanctimonious-
ness. The tragedy of humanity CROP
ing in the dark and at last seeing the
light is Salvation NelPs" great les
son. 1t shows how love-not the pas
sionate insanity we call love, but the
noble feeling which springs from the
touch of the Infinite Being-remakes
men, taking from the brutal instincts
of elemental selfishness and giving
them, in place of it, the desire and the
ability to rise on their dead selves to
higher things.
AS an amusement 1 am inclined to
classify Salvation NelP' as a failure.
True, it interests to the point of en-
trallment, but the power of a play to
interest one to such a degree that one
forgets ones self, does not always
cause amusement. That power springs
from a different source-real merit.
Most any claptrap, If properly pre-
sented, will amuse. So If it is amuse-
ment you want stay away from the
Burbank. But if you want something
better, do not fail to see Salvation
Nell"
When a play possesses the quality
which grips ones throat and makes
ones eyes grow misty, not once but
many times, it is great play. / doubt
if there were many dry eyes in the
Burbank theater yesterday afternoon
while Marjorie Rambeau, as Saliva
ton Nell was preaching her little SER
mon which ends with a prayer which
goes straight to ones heart. 1 am not
ashamed to acknowledge the fact that
my eyes filled with tears and my body
shook from a suppressed sob when
Nell concluded her words.
Byron Beasley who. was welcomed
back to the Burbank yesterday in a
manner which left no doubt as to his
popularity, carried off the big honors
of the piece mainly because he has
had weeks and weeks in which to per-
feet himself in the role of Jim Platt.
Mr.. Beasleys portrayal of the surly,
besotted ruffian whose love is desire
and means mastery, was wonderfully
clever. Mr.. Beasley has done nothing
better in his career than Jim Platt,
save only Joe Brooks, the role he
played in paid in Full"
In the opening act Marjorie Ram
beau as Nell disappointed me just q
trifle. But she kept growing and grow
ing in her role until the final act she
rose to perfection. 1t is in those path
etic emotional scenes Miss Rambeau
shows her greatest ability. Had any
one other than she delivered the ser
mon | have mentioned, L am inclined
to believe my feelings would not have
been shown SO much.
Grace Travers made a most decided
hit as Myrtle Odell. Miss Travers has
hence she makes it humorous rather
than offensive.
Myrtle Vane as the Salvation army
worker, Lieut. Maggie O'Sullivan;
Ethel Won WaldroM as a girl of the
gutter; Louise Royce, as Mrs. Baxter;
David Landau as Major Williams of
the Salvation Army, Peter Lang as
barkeeper, Harmon MacGregor In u
small though cleverly- portrayed role,
as an aged saloon loafer; Percy Bron
son as the assistant bartender, Jack
Belgrave, Ollie Walters and others in
the large cast were excellent
Modest melodrama is "The Girl and
the Gambler" which opened for week
at the Grand opera house yesterday
afternoon to a good sized audience.
That is, it's extremely polite to follow
on the heels of 1.-THE Yankee Doodle
Detective" which was a twentieth CEN
tury melodrama, full of pistols, knives
and hurrahs.
"The Girl and the Gambler" contrary
to the name, is not laid in the far west