The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-14


plucked at dawn to lay on the ar
lists grave. but is not admitted and
disilusionized by him. In the orig-
nal he did open the door and they
went off secretly to live as man and
wife. Mr. Bclasco keeps this conclu-
sion for the end OF the play, when,
suppose. It's immortality is less
offensive 10 our delicate sensibilI-
ties because IL occurs after we have
gone home.
THE fundamentals OF the plot are
very similar to those of Arnold
Bennett's THE Great Adventure"
The only English play TO achieve any
marked success in London last sea-
son and reserved by Winthrop Ames
for the dedicatio Of his new theater
IN this city, named In honor of Edwin
Booth. However, there is practically
no reason 10 suspect the authors OF
Pour Vivre Heureux'' of plagiarism.
even though Arnold Benefits novel.
Buried Alive" on which he based
his play, had been published before
the French piece was produced. II,
indeed, "The Great Adventure itself
had not been acted in the English
provinces previously. The idea is far
from new. in "Heartsease," which
Charles Klein and J, /. c. Clarke
wrote for Henry Miller nearly twenty
years ago. we had a dead COM
poser listening to his own music at
Covent Garden premiere. And
there is an older French play, called
''L'Oncle Barbassou.' in which man
who has been "entered" as dead at
the registry office. takes advantage Of
the official mistake to escape taxes
and all such troubles, and gives him
self up to a care-free, happy life.
THB performance OF "The Temper
amental Journey" is excellent
To- III. .i
when Belasco Is the producer. In
the chief role, Leo Ditrichstein gives
a very fine performance. OF a school
admired by many. In my opinion.
however. acting so elaborated and de-
libe-ate. with the mechanism exposed
10 the most inexperienced eye. cannot
be ranked In the first class. Acting
OF the first ordor must conceal its
means. as with the finished work Of
Tuly Marshall ana David Wartield;
10 add that people who hold j. E.
Dodson and John Hare as their
standard cannot fall TO grow enthu-
siastic over his performances. AS the
frivolous. mean wife, Isabel Irving
could not be improved upon. and
Richie Ling makes the artists faith
full friend very iikeablc and appealing.
Another very fine performance is
that of the Italian girl by Josephine
Victor. success that, furthermore,
promises stIl more 10 follow. When
Miss Victor first came to New York,
about half a dozen years ago, her
extraordinary talents were imrnedl-
alely recognized. Many predicted q
Clara Morris of her generation. But
since then she has seemed in danger
of acquiring mannerisms. instead OF
learning control; and so. II Is real
pleasure 10 see her under the guild
auce Of the recognized master-teach-
er OF the period. Miss Victor's pres
cnL success is notable and her future
seems most roseate. Under Mr., Be-
lasco. the acting throughout Is so ex-
cellent that ono is justified In nam
Ing the full cast, which. besides the
qua rtette mentioned. includes Cora
Witherspoon. Alice Jones. Gertrude
MoriSni. Carree Clarke: Annette Ty-
lcr. Anna McNaughton. Dorothy I'll
Julian Little. Lee Millar, M. Daniel
Schatts, Edwin u. Wolfe, Earl w.
Grant. William Dixon and Henry
Bergman.
The ability to write uproarious-
Iy funny farces seems to run
in the Selwyn famlly-"run." by the
way. is a good word In speaking OF
Nearly Married" for It's pace is 40
fast and furious that once In while
IL seems In danger of tripping itself
However, II the network OF comph-
cations sometimes Is spun too con-
spicuously close, II never fails to un-
ravel itself into, very comic climaxes.
is Mrs. Edgar selwyn, wrote as laugh.
able a farce as one readily could
;lnd. and now, with Nearly Married.
her husband gets closer 70 her run
being shrewd. experienced man OF
the theater, he has secured cast,
headed by Bruce McRae. so accom-
pIished as 10 get the very most out
OF his play. The trouble all results
and Harry Lindsay (Janc Grey and
Bruce McRae) would not have
doubted their love for each other for
a moment, but for busybodies, chief
among them being the one,year
ley). Tho result Is. she has sued for
a divorce, Harry having engaged
professional correspondent Virginia
Pearson) to facilitate matters. The
known at any time. This Ia the silt
uatlon at the beginning OF the play.
In a public drawing room I'm q hotel
on Fifth avenue, TO which Betty mas
dinner. Quite by accident Harry
drops in at the same place. Not
many minutes 20 by before they re-
alze that they love each other as
other peoples dolngs. fIe proposes
and motor away with him on "A 'sec:
ond honeymoon" Betty is game; and
Off they go. No sooner have they
skipped than word comes that the
Judge has handed down his decision.
They are no longer man and wife,
HAVING hit on this complication.
IL Is easy TO see how aD adept
farce writer can keep II going for two
acts more OF mad pursuit md con-
fused situations. The couple nave
gone 10 n roadside inn on the Hudson,
where. In time string of agitated.
painting friends and relatives catch up
with them. In the complics tions are
an East Indian prince and his slangy
New York wife, proprietors of the
roadhouse; the parts being very
amusiugly played by Schuyler L.add
and Georgia Lawrence. And Ruth
Shcplcv and Mark Smith. AS promt-
nnnt meddlcrs. also whirl through this
latest gust OF genial merriment.
NKTE had reason TO expect an en-
w tertalnment considerably above
the average I'm where Ignorance Is
Bliss" The fact that - 1l2-- -sGi-