The Washington herald., 1914-11-08
! 'ReDiew of the Past Week
In NeW York TheaterS

from the street. perfect reproduction
Of a type familiar TO every one who
knows London life. she holds us by the
truth and simplicity OF speech and action,
to say nothing OF her own delightful per-
sonality. 1t Is a role which. to q less
Intelligent artist would hold out a con-
slant temptation 10 over-act, a tempta-
ton to which Elsie Ferguson never
yields for an instant, even in scenes
where there is ample opportunity for the
emotional display so dear to the hearts
OF most actresses
The womanliness Of this little street
drab is well countered by the manli-
ness of Mr.. Charles Cherry. who has
the opposite part. Played by an actor
with less physique, poise and sincerity OF
speech, Geoffry might have at moments
almost invited contempt The author has
made the character a very real combine
tion Of male strength and weakness In
which a less dignified artist might have
let the latter quality prevail to the de-
struction OF all sympathy. Fortunately
for the play, Mr.. Cherry Is exactly the
man for the part and yies with Elsie
Ferguson in making the story ring true
"Outcast" is not likely to please those
who insist that we shall not give place
In our literature or on the stage to GER
tain phases Of human life. But to those
who do not believe that by closing our
eyes to facts and faults We wipe them
out of existence. ''Outcast" as q play
and in its present Interpretation VIII be
found very fine and a very appealing
artistic accomplishment.
Decidedly British.
After considerable absence. Marie
Tempest comes back to the scene of for
mer triumphs which were not always in
so legitimate line as Mr. Henry Arthur
jones modish comedy, Mary Goes First q
Without so popular and piquant. a COM
edienne as Marie Tempest has become, 1t
Is to be feared that New York would
have little relish for a.play so thorough
ly British. 1t carries English politics,
national and local. as a very strong side
line. so strong. in fact. as to make many
of its lines and illusions practically Greek
to the average American. Even its COM
edy rests mostly on social distinctions
OF which We know nothing here. Bur
there is no escaping some of the fun with
even the slenderest story. And equally
we cannot escape the enjoyment Of Ma
rie Tempest in the complications she
creates, which enjoyment she insists al
ways successfully in making the audience
share with her. The company is from
London and very English. In fact, not
any but English actors could make this
picture of English life the least bit cred
ible. Fortunately for Marie Tempest, she
has a repertory Of other successes to
fall back on II New York doesn't un-
derstand Mary Goes First"
In Our own United States.
There's no doubt about the American
ism of The Battle Cry" Its scene is
Kentucky and its material drawn from
the feud fights of the Kentucky noun
a - ,,Ef
woman. agreeably impersonated by Grace
Elliston, who is bent on wipIng out the
feud spirit by bringing to bear on the
mountaineers the civilizing influence Of
education. Before she gets very far with
her school teaching, the feud spirit as
personified by Bad Anse Hayey gets the
ascendency over her culture. and We
have her at the final curtain yielding to
the domination OF the primal man with
very hazy prospects OF her own civilizing
intentions bearing any fruit except by
heredity.
Naturally 'The Battle Cry is a melo-
drama AS such It has guns galore, any
amount of fighting, and the whole et-
fect aided by a liberal use Of moving
pictures between the acts to carry ON
the intervening movement OF the story.
The cast is a large one. and the
sets show delightful vistas in the Ken
warfare are shown in much detail ana
presumably with fidelity, certainly with
thrills. Bad Anse Havey, the leader Of
one side, is personified by Mr.. William
Farnum, who in build and in viTile as
pect and voice has the requisite equip
ment for a leader of fighting men.
Mr. Augustus Thomas, although his
name does not appear on the bill, is
credited with a good share Of the drama
tization. He has been active lately in
the preparation of moving picture
dramas, and it is evident that II The
Battle Cry fails to score on the boards
it is all ready to be transferred to the
films II is more difficult than ever to
predict what the. eventual fate OF a play
IN public regard is going to be, but elab-
crate as is the staging Of this piece, It
seems TO be a little bit too much on OLD
familiar lines in story, characters and
treatment to make very deep dent in
popular esteem. II It is doubtful whether
there is room for it on the stage, IL
is even a greater problem where there
can be room for its many guns, its seen
cry and properties in the theatrical stor-
age houses already packed to their roofs
with similar material pertaining to tho
many plays that have already this sea-
son been called back from the road ana
sent from the local theaters to associate