The Detroit times., 1911-02-14
INVENTORIES
TREATIES
Nv w. q. SHEPHERD.

n.
Rascals aren't such bad fellows
after all--that is, IL one judges by the
plays that are leading In New YORK
Just now Evidently theatergoers are
getting tired of good heroes; they
want bad ones. The modern hero
must be a bad man. When the play
hit of the year comes out we VIII
probably have a hero who chokes his
father kills his mother with an ak,
yIvisects the cat. burns down the OLD
homestead and then marries hero
inc who loves him because he Is so
forceful."
The Qualification OF rascals-that's
the idea.
In The Concert" the hero abducts
the wife OF friend, and is forgiven
and glorified
"Get.Rich-Quick Wailingford," In
the play by that name, and his fellow
hero. Blackie Daw, are both rascals,
who cheat a whole townful OF good
folk blind-and wind up by being
glorified, in true hero fashion.
"The Boss" I'm the new Edward
Sheldon, play by that name. Is a
double-dyed rascal After whole
lifetime OF Tascaiity in which he ruins
the lives OF hundreds. the daughter
of n man Ne has ruined falls in love
with him, years after he had forced
her into q loyeless marriage with
him In. the old days We used to hiss
the villain who made the daughter
marry him.. Now We make the daugh-
ter love him, just because he's such
forcefnI cnss. $500,
In "The Gamblers.' the hero Is a
rascal. Yet just as he is going to
jail, the. heroine, who has deserted
her husband, says to him, substantial
ly: IAN right. Go on to the stout
house. I'll wait for you. my hero!"
: In The Deep Purple" the whole
gang are .rascals, except for q few
foils. ,a@a .Er'
And there you have the present-day
tendency. 49, a.
Three cheers for the rascal hero!
, Wen be getting them now for a
while. because the managers find out
that the idea is novel,
The New theater again justifes It's
existence in producing The Piper.
only wish that every theater-goer'
In the United States might be able
to see this wonderful production. Ii
is q At companion piece for."The Blue
Bird" It's theme h that gold does
not bring happiness and that there are
other things In life than riches. The
piece was written by Josephine Pres
ton Peabody and was first produced
Mrs. Peabody was awarded the an.
nual Stratford prize Of $1,000 for
writing IL.
1t is a symbolic poem. based on the
legend OF the Pied Piper OF Hame-
lin" Mrs. Peabody's representation OF
the piper is that OF q care-free youth.
who, because the citizens OF Hamelin
will not pay him 1000 guilders for
leading away the rats from the town,
seeks revenge by leading away the
children, and hiding them in a cave.
After he has done this. he comes
before the wayside shrine OF THE
Lonely Man" The piper speaks aloud
to The Lonely Man." for he under
stands why there Is. sorrow In His
gaze and the crown Of thorns and the
wounds cause the piper 20 suffer also
The sorrow, the crown and the
wounds are for the greed Of the
world. Suddenly the piper. as he
gazes on The Lonely Man. telling
Hin OF the greed OF the folks OF
Hamelin, discovers that he himself Is
sinful because he is bitter against the
Hamelin folks. He decided 20 return
| the children.
This scene before the shrine, as
Edith Wynne Mathlson portrays IL, Is
1 full OF poetry and beauty.
Almost every grouping of the char.
acters; so artistlcally Is the piece
staged. is worthy OF being painted I'm
oils. The coloring Is superb. In fact.
scenically. the play might he likened
TO moving pictures, in oils. by one OF
the old masters.
| A fourth act has been added 10 The
Blue Bird and the play has been
! moved back to the New theater from
the Majestic. This play will not go
on tour until next autumn. It Is al
ready being hooked In many cities.
i
| Socialists Enter Election Contest.
/ Three SOcialist.Labor candidates for
city offices fled petitions with the city
clerk. Monday morning. and their
names viii 80 ON the ticket. They
are Frank y. Young, No. 1SI Eff.