Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-06
MISS BROWNELL
AT THE SHUDERT
"0uo Vadis" at Newark, Thurs
ton at Orpheum, Thriller
at Proctor's.

OF the four plays to be presented
during the engagement of the Stork-
Brownell Company at the Shubert
Theatre under the management of
Mr.. NJ. S. Schlesinger, "Elevating a
Husband" has already delighted
crowded audiences, "Zira" will fill the
bill next week. and Love Watches"
is selected for the week of Septem-
Der 10.
''Zira" is a heavier play than "Ele-
waiting a Husband" indeed. II opens
with note OF tragedy, and maintains
its dramatic intensity throughout the
four acts. New York accorded it so
warm a welcome that the play ran
for a whole year there. Some time
ago Miss Margaret Anglin brought
"Zira" to Newark but the present oc-
casion Is the first on which 'Zira"
will be played In stock In this city.
There are three big parts, and an
especially fine character for Miss
Brownell, one that will enable her to
exercise all her varied histrionic tai
euts. The play opens in South Africa
toward the close Of the Boer War.
In this prologue Zira appears as a
nurse to the British army. She is a
somewhat pathetic figure, having been
previously wronged by an army Of
ficer who has since died. While Zira
Is wondering what is to become OF
her there arrives a young girl who is
about to Journey TO England to in
herit a fortune under dramatic cir
cumstances, as she has been brought
up in Cape Town and is unknown In
appearance to the noble family which
she is to join.
When the prospective heiress has
made this confidence bomb bursts
and she falls apparently dead. Slowly
there dawns upon Zira the tempta-
ton to take the place of the other
girl It is an easy way out, and one
that she can reconcile with her con-
science, since the rightful heir is dead.
The remainder Of the play continues
in England. Zira has been received
with open arms and her cup of bliss
is filed when a young minister whom
she has helped in his works OF mercy
falls in love with her. But just when
Zira's future is brightest she receives
a stunning blow. The other woman
did not die. She survived her in
iuries. and she comes to England to
confront Zira and to threaten the ex-
posure of the masquerade.
This is the scene that made "Zira"
famous. The contrast of character is
cleverly worked out, all the sympa-
thies going to Zira, who really Is
good girl and the unfortunate victim
of a chain of circumstances. In the
end Zira reaps the reward Of her nat
ural fitness. The young minister
learns the truth-learns that Zira was
ruined, learns that she is guilty OF
impersonation. Yet in spite of all he
remains faithful and ready to marry
the woman for what she Is, irrespec-
tive of what she has been.
Here is a part that might have been |
written for Miss Brownen. 1t Is full |
of emotional phases and rises to |
heights of great dramatic fervor. The |
countless admirers Of this gifted act
ress will have further opportunity for /
enthusiasm. Mr.. Stork, too. is splen-
didly served, and there is another ex-
cellent character in the rightful heir
ess. in which Miss Florence Bur-
roughs will repeat a former success.
All the other members of the Stork-
Brownell Company. including Ed
ward Van Sloan, William c. Walsh,
G.. Dawson Clarke, Russell Webster,
Miss Alice Parks Warren, Robert |
Lawrence and Mrs. J. R. Hurley, will |
cooperate In what should prove a
notable production.
The ambitious nature of Love
Watches the play which follows
~Zira,'' will be appreciated from the
fact that there are no fewer than
eighteen characters, of which the
principal role afforded Miss Billie
Burke her first big success. Visitors
to the Shubert Theatre are enjoying
some fine performances, and this GER
tainly is one of the very strongest
stock com panies seen in Newark.