El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-26
"a Night Out"

1t was comfortably warm in the Ell
Paso theater Christmas night: maybe
that had much to do with the enjoy
ment OF May Robson's performance Of
a Night OUT anyhow, it was en-
joyed, for the applause was spon-
taneous and continuous and the
laughter was hearty and as spontane-
Gus as the applause.
It was Miss Robson's second visit and
her reception was as hearty this time
as last. although many who saw her
a year ago and again this time, could
not help but be struck by the SINH
laTity of the characters and of her
work in both pieces and they regret
that they did not get chance to see
her in something different. Her work
IS so delightful in the two roles she
has enacted here-an old maid aunt
last year; a grandma this time-that
FL PasOans want to see her in some
thing different
Then, too, even at risk Of being
criticised for daring to criticise Miss
Robson or her play, there are lot Of
little faults, which, if remedied, would
improve the play. For instance, nobody
ever saw in real life two characters
such as Percy and his father repre-
sent in the show; they are overdOne
until they are caricatures instead Of
real people, like the other people Of
the cast. Then one cannot help but
insist that Miss Robson herself works
in a little-just a lttlc-buffOOnery
in certain places in her own part
particularly when she returns from
the night out with the boys; and
unnaturaIy kicks her feet to get
tangled, torn dress out of the way,
instead Of lifting it as she would do
in real life; and Paul, one Of the
grandsOns, gets decidedly too melo-
dramatic when defending his grand
raid; it is very unnatural and spells
the poise of things.
These are not sufficient to detract
seriously from the delightfulness OF
the play; or from the deliciOusness.
it might be said, of Miss RObSOn'S
acting in most OF the piece. but they
are small details that Mansfield or
Faversham or Mary Mannering would
not permit to creep into a piece Of
theirs People these DAYS want
things real; they want to see real
characters reflected upon the stage;
they want everything consistent. For
instance, the character Of Mrs. Haslem
edith Conrad was consistent from
the beginning, and she was natural;
just like a real person: everybody in
the audience has seen a Mrs Haslen
in real life. The two boys paul
Decker and Frank Harrington were
also quite natural in practically all
of their work: Decker was here last
year with Miss Robson and the audi
ence was glad to see him again with
her.
The show Is a genuine killer Of the
blues; the few little faults to be found
are largely OvershadOWed by the good
things, and Ell PasOans who saw Miss
Robson Christmas day congratulated
themselves on the pleasure of the few
hours they spent in the theater with
her Miss Robson is a talented woman;
she has done much good in making
the people Of America forget their
troubles; she teaches them a lesson
in her present play-that people are
only as old as they feel and that gray
hairs do not really mean age unless
you feel aged; that the gray haired
people can be as young and have as
much enjoyment out Of life as those
whose hair is not even spTinlSled with
the telltale sign of advancing years.
Miss Robson is always welcome
visitor to FL PasO, and FL Paso hopes
to see her in something different
some Of these days. It will go 10
see her. though. if she comes right back
in "a Night out" which is the story
Of a grandmother's secret trip with
her two grardsOnS to a New York
music hall and their unlucky partici-
patton in a police raid upon the place.
Any one watching Miss Robson step
into her dressing room would see 4
pretty, attractive looking woman with
finely moulded features set off by a
wealth Of Wavy hair Half an hour
later. when she energies. the behOlder
would see an aged. hOmely woman with
absolutely flat eXpressiOnless features
Unless one were warned beforehand. it
would seem the height Of absurdity
that Miss Robson could so completely
transform herself
Uncommon with most other character
actresses. Miss Robson contends that
transforming the face into unattractive
lines does not really injure the good
looks Of an actress.
Ct am not afraid of spelling my
garding her facial contOrtiOns. ''TO
change my features sets the blood cir
culatine and readily helps to keep
away wrinkles Another thing is that
like most actresses, 7 use cold cream
in great prOfusiOn and that helps TO
obliterate lines" "And don't You think
now. really, that Granmum is just as
pretty as I am2'