The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-26
"Oyer Night" at the Academy.

nounced for today.
"Over Night at the Academy.
From the moment that Caroline
Powers, or rather, Inez Buck, looks
over the audience from the setting
representing the deck of the steamer
Hendrick Hudon, and begins to de-
scribe the beautiful view, over
Night" begins to come into its own.
At this precise moment the audience
in the Academy last night began to
chuckle. Perhaps they. or Miss Buck.
were dimly conscious of the mood
Of the priest, just returned from his
vacation.
My dear people," said he, as I
gaze upon this sea of upturned faces
I'm reminded OF the words of the
poet: 'Ye crags and peaks I'm with
you once, again
Anyway, from that moment, Over
Night is a long drawn laugh that
gamuts from a gurgle to roar.
The situations are natural, the
characters are human even when
caricatured the most, and there Is
a plausihility TO the whole scheme
that gives IA reality to the most RI
diculous situations.
To start with there is "A strapping
strong-minded woman married to a
nice little man with lisp. There
is great huskev fellow. doomed to
the name of Percy Darling, who is
just married to a sweet young thing.
And at the start of the double honey
moon trip up the Hudson the strong
minded alternate pair get left behind,
leaving their poor helpless partners
On the boat. What with the purser,
eta ~ ,sta ba
endeavor to get back each to his or
her own. their adventures are many
and wonderful.
Tom Emory as the little husband
was simply great. The hotel clerk
had part that would make almost
any actor famous, and Robert Bing-
ham did the role full justice. Emile
Nelson was the steward to the life
we'll. for that matter that phrase
would describe the entire company
almost. AS for Gwendolyn Piers and
Ada Stirling. the two brides they
We're sufficiently convincing to wiz
the sympathy Of the audience for al
1t laughed.
"Over Night" Is capital entertain
ment and most excellently presented
Many were pleased to see the name
of e. l.. Duane in the cast. Mr.. Duane
goers. having staged the plays pro-
duced by the Giffen Stock Company
at the Academy. The faultless pro-
duction Of over Night" is due In
no small measure to Mr.. Duane.
Eugene Blair in 1.-THE Test
A sterling drama, almost "A grea,
play was presented at the Bijou yes
terday by Eugene Blair and he,
company. The play is called THE
Test and ii was written by Jules
Eckert Goodman. who is going to b.
heard from, il The Test is a fail
sample Of his ability. This play /.
SO far above the average that 1t really
surprised the Bijou patrons who saw
the two performances yesterday. Ant
thew enjoyed 1t. Small blame e
them. The Bijou Is to be congratu
lated that it has obtained for Its yule
tide attraction so excellent production
as The Text
The ability of Eugene Blair i.
known from coast to coast A more
capable. intelligent artist in emotion,
al roles is seldom seen in Richmond
In The Test she has abundant op
portunity and she scores every poin
with certainty OF touch that pro
claims the real player.
Her company is worthy OF the stal
and the play. Joseph Gillow mad,
the most Of his opportunity in the
third act and enjoyed q triumph. Vir,
GINA Irwin was good to look upor
and played her part well. Clyde F
McCabe contributed a clever. charac.
ter sketch
II was the first performance Of 9TH.
Test by the Blair company. but few
In the audience realized it, 20 smooth
was the work of the players.
Empire Theater Opening.
The new Empire theater was open
ed formally yesterday afternoon. Tn,
Empire stands In West Broad street
nearly opposite the Masonic Tempt,
and from an architectural point O,
view is a most admirable edifice Il
Thespis. 1t Is severely Greek in out
line. but the arched entrance ant
stucco work above the main doorway 1,
moro OF the Byzantine, according t.
an eminent expert in the ONCE O.
Henry Beck.
chance to, admire the classic line
OF the building yesterday afternoon
A crowd swarmed about the entrance
It overlooked to pile Of lumbe
banked eight feet high at the cur
| and Tapped the edges of the brio
piles that await the workmen VIII
are erecting another building east o
the Empire. Groups fringed the side
| walk on the opposite side OF the stree
and watched the crowd patientl,
| waiting for chance to get inside.
Going In" asked one Of another
| Walt till the crowd gets away,
was the reply.
The, pair took long walk and re
| there has been the greatest devotion
| ment in the utilization OF automo
biles. which produces Z strictly eco
| nomio gain over the slower method
| ~ tHo annet v,a~A Tn ma ,,>.-~ NJ, .