The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-09
BILLIE BURKE AS
EMOTIONAL ACTRESS
t,x.EvER LITTLE WOMAN EQpAL TO
PART BUT BETTER
IN COMEDY,
SONG REVUE PLEASES
Gus EDWARDS AT IYMIC---0IHLs In
TEREs1TNa AT nIJoU As
nvnRrwfENE ELsE--Ar
THE COLONIAL.
SONG REVUE PLEASES

-
sat patiently but without enthusiasm /
through four acts OF new play, The
Land Of Promise" by w. Somerset
Vaughan.
The play was evidently built to order
for Miss. Burke, and doubtless II was
the purpose of her manager, Charles
Froham, to exploit her in 1t as an emo
tional actress. In which class or act
ing Miss Burke undoubtedly has de-
oided talent, yet IT is as a Coincidence
that one would prefer to see this dainty
little actress. One naturally rs re-
minded of her work in suzanne ana
THE Philosopher In an Apple orchafd
In which she appeared here two sea
sons ago, and can hardly reconchs
ones self to seeing her now In th.s
highly emotional play of pioneer ufe
on the Canadian plains so ABLY de-
ptcted In Mr.. Maugham's play.
The play. while billed as comedy
furnishes no such thing, except In the
character of Reginald Homby. a type
OF the English teunesse doree VINO
hates work as the devil hates hoiF
water, and only goes out tshaos
because he Is practically forced to, and
who when he gets there, moves heaven
and earth TO get back 10 England
This part Is most ably played by Mr.
Norman Tharp The opening scene ~
laid in Tunbrtdge Wells, England
where Sorah Marsh, played by MISS
Burke is discovered as the companion
OF an elderly old lady, who has leo hef
n dogs life, and has just died. ieaF-
ing comfortable fortune TO niece
and nephew. who hated her, ana whiie
having led Norah Marsh TO believe
that she would be remembered In the
uil, forgets TO do SO AT sugges-
tien from a friend. Norah goes to Can =
ada. where she has a brother. ana the
nnsuin1 of the second act shows heF
there as a sort OF maid OF all woFk
IN her brothers farm house. Cor :
dtailv hated by his wife and laughed
a. nv the farm hands for her failure
TO adapt herself to the usual prltni'se
made OF igfs they all 1sad--soaded Ia
- .i.a.s.eEai!aa-ahn insults her -Drothef
wife and rather than apologize 10 hef'
at her demand that she do SO b"tore
ALI the hired men, she accepts the pro
posai OF one OF them. Frank laSAof'
to marry him and go TO his farm "a
cook, clean, wash ana menu III VIII -.
nasttton he needs q woman. me heA'
TWO acts and her living In a two
yaom shack on quarter sectoh
owned by Taylor and doing the WORK
for which he needed her out WITH h0
love for either the work or issioF
who has made her do his bioaihs ns
brute force, telling her that might -
la
veionment OF a womans character uf
Az IN strafn of this strenuous life. Ii
,nfo,aea In these two acts In an M
,arrsttng way, and the final curtain
shovs Norah Marsh has learned u
love the rouEht Frank Taylor anu th'
Land Of Promise and she refuses sh'
opportunity to return TO England aN'
her old life. after receiving chee'
Ter ave hundred pounds as presen
af
whose companion she mao beeh @'t
elects to remain In Canada and live GU
her life there at the same time say
ing her husband from failure by IN
use OF the Ave hundred POUNDS ~
erop having been totally destroyed o
a noxioas weed.
Mas Burke Is fully equal 10 IN
emotional requirements ana gives
careful. painstaking illustration OF IN
rar, hut the comedy is wholly lack
| .nr ms far as she Is concerned. Lufhs
aer Hare pleasantly remembered
| the PHILOSOPHER IN the Apple orchar
two years ago. is cast TOR s'"a
mart an the brother Of Edward Mars'
Tie liz capable OF much better ~of
and /, is a pity his talents are waste
on such n part Lillian Kingsbury
raod n. the wife of Edward Marsh, an
ives the part of a hard woman WI
vas horn to toll and sees nothih
else =.
shelley Hull. as Frank Taylor, n
| hired man. who marries Moran sNs
| A splendid portrayal OF the roush' ai
| educated pioneer. later softened ps tf
| fnfuence OF refined woman TT
other characters are In capable hand
No elaborate stage settings al
shown. It is understood that the pla
In new. having opened less than I"
weeks ago. but IL seems douptiut
success can be assured IN New ior
towards which goal MISS burke
ao,nt haaaes. A. M. S.
At the Lyric.
while the number OF acts on III
x,aaLss T yric hill is one less than usii