The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-13
An Artist in "a delightful Play.


Toward the end OF week divided
between Billie Burke'a dull near prob
lem play and Mabel and Edith ITALIA
fcrro's trivial farce Rose Stahl comes
to breathe new life into the discour-
aged atmosphere OF the Academy or
Music with Maggie Pepper" and TO
prinS delight TO theatre goers by Civ
ing them again an opportunity TO see
an artist in L play worthy OF her.
AS James Forbes took slice o.
NE from the stage and dramatized II
In The Chorus Lady" so Charles Is lein
went INTO tne stock room and Offices
OF department. store for tho material
out OF which hc fashioned Maggie
rcpper. Both arc good plays
I'orbes's the better OF the two--but
neither would have lasted through
runs OF several years duration with
out Rose Stahl. In other wordu. wo
slail remember Rose Stahl as Patricia
brien and MS Maggie Pepper moro
Nividly than eithor Of the characters
or either Of tho plays.
Ana yet she Is enough OF an artist
20 SINK herself in each part. md they
differ considerably. Patricia was
quick and sharp and sharp OF tongue.
/ selt-asscrtive. more than n little
cheeky; Maggie has worked hard for
it'eeh years and She Is Quieter, moro
III earnest, more subdued. Miss Stahl
was Patricia TO the very life: now she
- eQua!Iv convincing In less vivid
| role' She pitches her performance I'm
a lower key. plays more deliberately
ana conveys the impression of a tired
woman. whose life Is devoid OF tho
picturesque. with tho utmost effective
ness.
While thcro arc serious moments
| r"ther tense scenes. ia tho play. II Is
hA
| nhy suggestion OF farce or of horse
play II is genuinely humorous. both
by iGason Of It's clever slangv. witty
lines and because OF excellent char
ac'er drawing. Maggie herself speaks
me language of the IMAM in the
street n forccful. amusing manner OF
expression. In which a phrase CONVEYS
a world OF meaning: one of her fr,cnds
IN the store might have stepped out
or the shoes of The Blue Mouse" md
Il JOINER who deals With tho nrrn for
which She works might have been
drawn by Montague Glass
Al the time the play opens. Maggie
Is bitterly disappointed in her hone
/ OF becoming one OF the buyers for the
/ hrn. The manager OF the store. who
Z is acting for the owner-a wild younr
| man who has been ripping around
Observation-Disclosures her But before
her absence papers" reach hor. she
l A''S 'oiu rome nome truths about the
cohduct OF the store to tho owner. iu-
horant of his Identity. He interfcrcs.
promotes her and under her guidance
he Is remarkably successful
People begin to talk about the two
( or them; she Is blackmailcd by n ruff
nan who has control over her younl,
niece; the owners iiancee grows UNI
pleasant and everything seems pretty
black.
/ But 1t Is all straightencd out. and
the final curtain falls upon happi-
ness for ovcry one IN the play. and
upon only one rcgret-that of the au-
diencc that 1t is ali over
The more important members OF Miss
/ Stahls supporting company are quite
satisfactory. The slangy little sales
! girl or Ruth Donnclly is very clever:
Johh = Robertsons performance In
/ the part OF the owner Is dignifcd and
manly; Adele Adams is capable ns the
store detective; Eleanor Blanchard Is
iair IN the unpleasant role Of the shop-
thief; James Darltin, the rui,ian. Is OK
cellently done by pcrcival T. Moore.
and Max Reynolds, as Jake RothschilS
Is simply immense.
Maggie Pepper" is not n great
play, but 1t is more than that--it is
amusing and entertaining In q thor
oughly clean manner, and Rose Stahrs
performance In the title role IS in
Itself n study.
There will DO two performances to-
day
Douglas Gordon