Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-15
PLAYS IN RIVAL
BID FOR LOCAL V
Bought and Paid For Scores
s Big Hit at Shu-
E#Ns bert's.
AND OBSTINACY
THEMES STAGED HERE
Humor Guides Passion Tossed
Matrimonial Ship Into
! Safe Harbor.

Staged by the same company which
contributed so much towards its sue
cessful run of over a year at the
Playhouse. New York, George Broad.
fhurst's comedy-drama. Bought and
Paid For is the offering at the
shubert Theatre this week. The cast
Includes Charles Richman. Frank
Craven, Julia Dean and Marie Nord-
.Nstrom, who we're Identified with the
New York production.
The play itself is of unusual quail
fly, telling an everyday story through
everyday characters, and depicting
human nature truthfuily.
. The title OF the play would seem
ito imply a business transaction of
some sort, and the analogy is justi-
*s1ed by two of the characters, Robert
Stafford, a millionaire, and Virginia
Blaine. Stafford falls in love with
Virginia. who is a pretty telephone
girl.
Spent Life in Guest Of Money.
Stafford Is a young man who has
spent the greater portion of his life
in the quest of the almighty dollar,
and has had no time for sentiment
tally.
Having amessed a considerable for
tune and surrounded by all the lux
uries that money can buy, he real
lies that his home is incomplete
without a wife. He falls in love with
Miss Blaine and urges her to marry
him.
At first having no love for him and
frankly telling him so, she refuses,
but is finally persuaded by the idea
that she can learn to love him. In
making her decision she is influenced
to a considerable extent by the plight
of her sister, who is married to a
shiftless sort of fellow, who is earn
Ing $14 a week as a shipping clerk.
A Slave to Drink.
Stafford makes an ideal husband
except for one weakness. He is a
nlave to drink. When he is himself
a better provider and a more kind
hearted man never lived. When he
is under the influence of drink he is
a veritable Mr.. Hyde and given over
to passion. In one of these outbursts
Of passion Stafford is pictured in
the second aets gaas
Coming home from the club late
at night, after an evening of drunk
en- excess, he is repealed by his wife.
Furious at her attitude toward him
he bursts through the door of the
room into which she has fed, aunt
ing her with her early poverty and
telling her that she now has every
thing that money can buy; in other
words, that she is bought and paid
for"
The morning after Stafford is re-
pentant and apologies to his wife for
his actions of the previous night.
Not satisfied with this, she insists
that he give up drinking entirely or
else she will leave him.
Thinks He Is Indispensable.
The man of business affairs. on the
theory that he is indispensable to his
wife'ss life, gives e to the usual
masculine arguments n refuses.
They separate, she going to live
with her sister and her brother-in-
law Jimmy. who after her marriage
to Stafford had been given a posi-
ton at $3.50 a week. Although each
is pining for the other, Stafford In
his palatial Manhattan residence and
his wife in her little room in her sis
ter's house, both arc obstinate and
will not give in.
Finally they arc brought together
by the brother-in-law Jimmy, and
the promise which was sought and
refused is given voluntarily.
Hickman Ably Supported
In tho role of Robert Stafford
Charles Richman was all that could
be desired and was ably supported
by the entire company. Miss Dean
rs Stafford's wife was superb, es-
pecially in the third act where she
lays down the ultirnatum to her hus-
band, who has been accustomed to
having his least beck and call
.obeyed.
Frank Craven as Jimmy Gilley. the
graduate shipping clerk, furnished
the fun, assisted by Marie Nordstroin,
who played the part Of his wife.