The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-11-11
THE TYPK00N'
A novel PLAY
Presented at Metropolitan
by Walker Whiteside
and His Company

Menyhert Lcnsycl started The
Typhoon," in wnich Walker White
side was seen at the Metropolitan last
night, with Il big idea, hut he was
unable to cope with it. 1t is IL play
of enormous possibilities, SO treated
interesting.
The Typhoon' gives US an idea
pal that calls for the ilnmolation OF
self Tor Japan's sake. The play is
supposed To be an exposition Of the
yellow peril" but it is not. So long
AS h Japanese do nothing but as
simulate our manners, our customs,
our education, we have nothing to
orient.
The machinery Of the play crcaks.
Many OF the old mclodramatic tricks
are resortd To. and. i'll several in
stances, the author ovcrlooks oppor-
tunities to give us something vital.
Ihcrc is nothing particularly convinc.
ing in the strangling of lllona; Tokcr-
III is actuated by the same motives
that would lead the lowest criminal
to kill his paramour.
The entire second act is weak. The
character of Kobayashi, which should
have developed into a real Machie-
Feili, sinks IN the commonplace; the
whiskey-soak get artist, Lindcncr. is
conveniently yal1kcd into the action
to serve tho authors purpose: Illona
is s%transled: Tokcramo calls his
friends. and they agree that ono OF
their number must assume the guilt.
Here was all opportunity to show
something vital. How much more
effective would il have been had
Tokeraino realized that he had killed
the one thing in life for him, that,
without her. life was empty and his
work was as nothing. and cried out
would have been real conflict. tho
beginning of action that would have
developed into something powerful i'm
the third act. Tie picture is entirely
nelodramatic. There arc a few
scenes that are gripping, but not one
that carries conviction.
There is n excellent feature, how
ever. In lllona the author has paint
ed a picture Of a wanton that is
rivaled only by Arthur Schnitzler's
women.
The acting also lacks much. There
is not a good study of Il Japunesu
character i'll the entire company. The
Mr.. Whitesidc. has the o cen
ception. Is it not reasonable To sup
pose that tho japanese party. SD well
versed i'll the English language. would
have assilnilated much Of the dc.
nleanor OF the white man: On the
other hand. is il not reasonable t.,
suppose tina the japanese would have
retained much of their p~cculiarities
in speech. no matter how familiar the
English tongue was? AS MI. White
side and his company depict them.
they are nothing but creased painted
| CancassiaIS
After his fine performance in The
Melting Pot Mr.. Whiteside Is dis
appointing as Tokeramo. Much of
this may be due to the text, but, on
humaness Of the role. Ills Toker-
amo is but a: puppct,
Miss Florence Fisher, who succeed
cd Miss Florence Reed as Illona.
sounds the note. of se%nsuousness and
sensuality, but fails in many Of The
delicate shadinss of the role. Miss
Fisher showed real dramatic power.
however, in the last scene With Mr..
Fisher.
Hubert Milke gives an cxce,ien,
study of the German artist. Ernest
Lindner. and Miss Maudc Shaw dues
we'll as Tira IIempel. another music
hall artist.
Mr.. Whiteside's version of the play
differs largely from the original. In
the original there are four acts, bur
the third. which takes place in the
room of a Berlin investigating Judge,
is omitted. The fourth act. which
constitutes MIR. Wl1iteside's third act,
is changed considerably.
The stage embellishments are e
cellent. and worthy the hand of q
David Fic!asro.
--(sao Ransom