The Washington herald., 1912-02-04

New York, Feb "a convulsingly
laughable satire. rip-roaring, rollicking
farce. an unusually picturesque as well as
touching story drama, and a tense, SOU!
gripping thriller. constitute the new offer
the past week.
The ccnvulsingly laughable satire is
"A Slice OF Life" by J. NJ Barrie, with
Ethel Barrymore, her brother John and
Hattie Williams causing the convulsions;
the rip-roartng, rollicking farce is of
fcer 656,' by Augustin MacHugh, star
ring George Nash, Vivian Martin, and
Wallace Eddinger; the picturesque and
touching story drama is The Trail of
the Lonesome Pine" built around the
novel of John Fox. tr., by Eugene Wal
ter, with Miss Charlotte Walker exc
cutting most sympathetic part: and
the tense, soul-gripping thriller Is Lydia
Gilmore" by Henry Arthur Jones, show
ing Miss Margaret Anglin in her first
really heavy" part.
Three OF the four premieres were on
Monday night, "A Slice OF Life" opening
at the Empire: Officer 6eS' appearing
al the Gayety. ard The Trail Of the
Lonesome Pine" starting at the New
Amsterdam. Lydia Gilmore" had been
scheduled TO oren at the Lyceum on
Tuesday. but the event was postponed
until Thursday.
The two funmakers-the satire and the
faTce-are exceptionally good, and. al
though the others are somewhat weak in
parts, they are on the whole appTeciably
above the average.
or the other productions which have
been with US for some time, Bought
and Paid For" seems to take first rank
just at present 1t is now on it's way to-
ward its two hundredth performance at
the Playhouse, having passed the I5o
g.
hcult to account for though, as there
is everything in the play TO recommend
II for a second visit. The audiences now,
according TO William A. Brady. are COM
posed almost entirely Of two and three
timers. The lesson conveyed by the plays
argument is a great one. and one not
soon to be forgotten by those husbands
who arc fond OF too much strong drink.
Bought and Paid For is destined for
great triumphs throughout the land when
the remarkable company finally hits"
the road.
The TaIker." ''Elevating a Husband"
and "A Butterfly on the Wheel" con-
tinue to march forward to further popu-
larity, while White Magic" David Gra-
ham Phillips dramatized novel, seems
after its second weeks run TO be losing
ground, and threatened with necessity for
doing the disappearing act The Mil
lion" is still packing the Herald Square
at the Knickerbocker.
"a Slice of Life"
But what is to become of the child -
Lifting her tear-washed face, she re-
piled softly. slowly. ''There-is-no-child."
and then they resolve to go out together
out into the light. At that, all the light
goes out the curtain comes down and
the advanced drama" is over-the sa-
tire of J. NJ. Barrie. which parades at
the Empire under the device, "a Slice of
Life"
The first speaker is Mr.. Hyphon-Brown,
known in his real self as John Barry
more. The second is his sister, the
charming Ethel, and that, particular ex-
change Of words is a good sample of
the kind OF fun dished UP in the guise
of a friendly SLAM" on the "mellor-
drammer'' OF the time.
Miss Hattie Williams has a delightful
little scene all TO herself just after the
curtain rises, when she Outlines the
plot in a speech TO china dog, dis
daining TO soIiloquize. The telephone
later accomphshes the same service as
the china dog. when both the Hyphon-
Browns take turns at telling their glees
and woes over the imaginary wire to a
mother and mother-in-law, who is never
seen by the audience.
The real action hinges on the fact that
each had lied 10 the other on the nup-
tial day, and each explodes q confession.
Il is his turn first
''All my life have been a moral manH'
At this she utters wild shrek of agony.
No, no! Then you lied to me-" Her
anguish Is terrible 10 behold. Sobs shake
her frame He is a moral mani
Then came her confession. Covering
at his feet she tells him all She has
not had past. She had been good even |
before she knew him. At the horror Of |
this revelation. they decide to part. Then |
the dialogue about the child.
Brother Barrymore and Miss Williams |
are through for the evening with the drop
OF the curtain on the brief and captivat- /
ing little satire. but Miss Barrymore Is /
just half started. Immediately the cur
tain rises again. TO show her in Cousin |
Kate" one Of her well-known successes. |
which hold the hearers as well now as
II did when first presented by her. In
this little three-act comedy. she is sup
ported by good cast, including Leslie
Faber, Mrs. Thomas Whiffen, Ernest /
Stallard. and Jane May.
The big. buriy policeman hasn't much
70 do with the stery Of "oficer 66s, -