Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-01
Play At SHUBERT'S
MAKES GREAT HIT
Miss BrowneIl and Clifford
Stork Reap New Laurels in
"Elevating a Husband"

packed the Shubert Theatre to the
doors, both Saturday afternoon and
evening, Miss Mabel Brownell and
Clifford Stork opened a four weeks
engagement in Louis. Mann's old
starring vehicle, "Elevating a Hus-
band" and at the same time re-
ceived one of the greatest ovations
ever given a theatrical couple in this
city.
The reception accorded the popu-
lar pair of stock actors resembled
the noise of a political gathering
more than the plaudits of the adj
mirers of an actor and actress and
was all the more unusual in that it
was absolutely spontaneous and from
the hearts of the people that filled
the theatre. The performance was
interrupted for fully five minutes on
both entrances of Miss Brownell and
of Mr.. Storlx, while at the end of
the first act after an even dozen cur
tain calls both were forced to re-
spond with speeches.
There was a peculiar thing about
the reception accorded the pair in
that the applause greeting them
started before their actual appear
ance on the stage. This was made
possible by the fact that the lines
of the show call for an announce
ment that each of them are coming
before they made their actual en-
try. On each occasion as the an
nouncement was made applause
started that grew to a perfect salvo
of cheers as the smiling Miss
Brownell and the equally pleased Mr.
Stork came on the stage. Flower
enough to stock an ordinary green
house were presented to Mis-
Brownell at the end of the first &C
as she and Mr.. Stork tried in broke
words to tell the audience how niue.
pleased they were with the gree,
ings.
NJ. S. Schlesinger, who is direct
ing the four weeks engagement at
the Shubert, has surrounded Miss
Brownell and Mr.. Stork with more
than capable company, including one
old favorite who was with them in
previous engagements here, Edward
Van Sloan, who like the principals
was forced to interrupt the action
of the play to bow his acknowledg-
ments to his friends.
In "Elevating a Husband" the
Brownell-Stork Company selected an
ideal piece to introduce itself to the
public. With two splendid leading
roles for the principals the piece also
affords an opportunity for all the
other members to show what they
are capable of, and they did so right
royalty in their initial appearances.
"Eleyating a Husband is the story
of a woman who after her husband
has attained wealth seeks to have
him become refined and cultured
largely against his wishes, mainly
because he does not like the persons
L. -. e. 49, -
to furnish the necessary culture.
Finally the husband is ruined by the
very persons his wife has been seek
ing to elevate him through, and hus-
band and wife separate, only to come
together two years later when both
have got rid of the ideas that caused
their separation, the wife incidentally
having been successful in saving to
great extent the business of her
husband during his absence.
AS Lefty Lawton, who later be-
comes Mrs. Charles Sample, Miss
Brownell was seen at her very best,
as the role gives her plenty of OPP
portunity to display both the comedy
and dramatic roles in which she ex-
GELS. She wore some beautiful new
costumes which she obtained on her
recent trip to Paris, her gowns in the
second and third acts being particu-
1arly stunning. The third act gown
IS a symphony in colors, whatever
that may mean. Anyway it has
red skirt black overskirt that is
half waist and half skirt, and
another half waist that is of some
smoky, white-colored, lacy texture,
the whole thing making a startling
costume. But what's the use of mere
man trying to describe those
Partisan costumes of Miss Brownell?
You will have to see them your
selves, and anyway Ethel Rosemon
told you all about them the other day.
But just the same, mere mans tip
may be worth something, and here
it is. Go and see those gowns. They
are worth while.
Mr.. Stork played the role of Charles
Sample, who expands string of five
cent stores from three at the COM
mencement of the play to a couple of
hundred before the finish and in the
meantime wakes immensely rich on
the nickels. AS the hustling but IL
literate business man, Mr.. Stork made
distinct hit, especially in the scenes
where he ridicules the theory and
philosophy of the throng of "high-
brows" Mrs. Sample has surrounded
herself with. Mr. Stork's comedy was
always clean-cut and sparkling, while
in the moments in the play where he
was called on to bring dramatic work
to effect he was splendid.
In the supporting company Edward
Van Sloan as Professor TOPPER, the
German mathematician, displayed a
splendid dialect and some superb act
ing, especially as he tries to describe
the intricate prob involved in the
squaring of a circle George Neville.
q former member of the Columbia
Stock Company, played Frank For
syth, an author, in an acceptable
manner, and the same can be said of
William . Walsh, as Herbert Dun
can. the rung man befriended by
Sample who finally ruins him.
Miss Parks Warren won in
slant favo- with the audience by her
portrayal of Mrs. Kate Muhren, the
whimsical. big-hearted and altogether
lovable German boarding house
keeper. Her humor was contagious
and kept the audience in roars of
laughter. A distinctively clever bit
OF work was that done by Mrs. Hur-
Icy as Mrs. Sample. the old mother
of Charles Sample Mrs. Hurley, who
has o. stage career extending over
fifty years. simply played herself and
endeared herself to the Brownell-
Stort clientele right off the reel.
Others who helped make the open
ing performances huge successes were
Miss Florence Burroughs and Miss
Webster G. Dawson and Mon
tague Weston the latter in particular
making splendid impression by his
work as Professor Benson. the ner-
vous and grabbed old crank on mod
ern day theories and philosophy.
The MANAGEMENT of the Shubert
Theatre has made every ARRANGEMENT
for the comfort of patrons during the
Rrownell- Stork ENGAGEMENT, includ-
I've IN cnQniaI rra 4E