Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-18
"AROMANCE Of
THE UNDERWORLD

It does seem that even in as ambi-
tious a play as "a Romance of the
Underworld" players who have
gained the reputation held by the
Brownell- Stork Company-and espe-
cially those members of the company
whose parts are short-should better
memorize their lines. The play at the
Orpheum Theatre last night was well
staged and we'll carried to its climax
by the principals. but the performance
was marred by the necessity for an
amount of prompting that is inexcus-
able. even In a stock company.
Perhaps 1t was the added array of
talent, made necessary by the large
cast, that mothered the difficulty, but
difficulty there was and the audience
felt 1t.
The story of "a Romance of the
Underworld" is told in two court
room scenes, a prison setting and an
epiIogue staged to give the hero the
opportunity to propose to and be &C
copied by the heroine.
A contractor named O'Leary. rich
and dishonest, and in love with Doris
Elliot, causes all the trouble. This
part was played by Joseph Sweeney.
Doris Elliot Is Miss Brownell The
contractor, wishing to force Doris to
marry him, causes the arrest and con-
viction of her brother Dick q. Russell
Webster) on a charge of extortion.
All this has transplred before the play
opens and when the rrst curtain dis
closes a courtroom it is to be the
scene of Elliot's sentence.
Tom McDermott (Mr. StorD here
appears as a reporter who has just
been admitted to the bar. Miss FL
hot comes to court to hear her brother
sentenced. Tom finds that the emil
nent counsel she has employed to de-
fend her brother have deserted the
case. He steps into the breach ana
offers his services, which are accepted.
He also takes the case of an
Italian woman who has stabbed a
chauffeur, and his intercession wins
the woman's freedom. James X:
Ganey plays the part of the husband
of this woman, Podesta, an Italian
gang boss, and his character work
had the finish which goes with care
full study and ability His perform
ance was bright spot In the play.
Dago Annie, as portrayed by Miss
Esteile, and Slippery Jake" her man,
as played by Edgar Perry, formed one
of the features. Miss Estelle's slang
limped q little at times, but she made
herself fit the part, which Is difficult.
slippery Jake" was typical thief.
A particularly clever bit was that In
the second act, where Annie strives
to make Jake 'snitch on par to
save himself three years in prison,
and he lies to her because he knows
she will "squeal'' in her effort to help
him.
1t is in this act that MIR. Stork, as
Tom McDermott, plans the defense OF
young Elliott, for whom he has gained
a new trial.
Miss Brownell, as Doris, won the
sympathy of the audience as she COM
forted her brother in his cell and also
in the play-won the heart of Tom
McDermott, who strengthens his re-
solve to free Elliott.
The third act goes back to the same
| old court-r where the second tria
of Elliott Is on. 1t seems that some
! of the court routine might be cut out
| here to make the play less OF drag
The evidence of the former trial is
reviewed, and it looks bad for Dick
when Tom introduces an eleventh.
hour witness and proves that the
prosecution is all lie, much to the
chagrin of O'Leary and his tools, Dur
rell, a detective-a part well played
by Edmond Soraghan-and Assistant