New Britain herald., 1914-06-02
Reviews of Weeks
 Bills at TheaterS
Lyceum Company Begins Its Last Week
 With Southern Play

The Lyceum Stock company began
 it's last week of the season at the
 Lyceum last evening with the four
 act play. The Belle of Richmond"
 with Miss Marion Hutchins in the
 title role. As the name indicates the
 scenes of the play are laid in Vir-
 ginia's> capital. A reception is being
 given at the home of Judge Mason in
 honor of the debut of his daughter.
 Nellie, who has two admirers, Gerald
 Gordon and William Osmond, the
 former a lawyer and the latter
 cashier in her fathers bank in Rich
 mond. They are known to her as
 Jerry and Bill. The latter tells her that Jerry is going north to be, mar
 ried and to be gone a year on his honeymoon and she becomes so piqued that she agrees. to marry. Bill only to find him out later in the lie, that he has been a defaulter in the
 bank to the extent of several thous- ards of dollars and that a pal of his who has been employed as an expert accountant has accused Charles Lee, another clerk. in the bank, resulting in his arrest and the arrangement of the fathers of the young man ana Miss Mason after lifetime of friendship. Jerry is employed to de- fend the young man and it is to him that Silas Smart, New Yorker. tells how Osrn ond and Green, the bank ex- pert, are in reality two crooks and had been engaged in the same kind of a job before. Lee is acquitted
 Jerry gives Bill a sum of money to go away and begin life anew and as fatx foII la i9 crix en to understand that there is sooh to be wedding and that Jerry and Nellie are to be the principals.
 The play has the true southern at- mosphere, the lines are expressive and the sentiment is that of the chivalrous people which so well becomes the aristocracy of the. south. There could not be two characters more dissimilar than those of Jerry ana Bill, the former played by MT. Cross and the latter by MT. Sage. They had been friends but both fell in love with the same girl and that did what it often did before. MT. Cross was reserved in his love making but forcible in his work as the lawyer, making good drama tic com bination and being equal to- 1t every minute. Mir: Sage was more, animated in the beginning but as his true character was being discovered he did his best work, showing that. beneath the sur face there was some good in him. MT. aFuller played Judge Mason splendid1y, manifesting at all times the old southern pride and dignity. John Muilin was Colonel Lee, father of the bank clerk, much too serious role for him, Walter Schmidt played the clerk and MT. Birch the New Yorker who told the story to Jerry and told it well, too, emphasizing ev- cry point. He was at his best, how ever, in his scenes with Winifred Ma son who had a wig for every gown. MT. Locke was the colored servant a part calling for eXacting characteri- zation. It was his first time in such part and it seems as if 1t is in this line that his talent lies. He looked the old negro who had been a slave and who had lived with the Masons for a great many years and he pre- scented him with the halting step of age and the peculiar" hesitation in speech of the negro as he was raised on the plantation and who had been a servant at the big house. His work could not have been improved upon. John Todd, a new member of the cast, was the bank expert.
 New Britain people have not had much of an opportunity to see Miss Hutchins on the stage, she being in farce comedy last week, her first ap- pearance here. She is well fitted, however, for serious roles, having strong, clear voice, which she uses to perfection. and a very attractive stage presence. She gave pride, ten derness and little bit of anger to the part of Nellie and looked good enough to be in reality the belle Of Richmond. Mrs. Hubbard played her sister with plenty of good natured humor.. Miss De Voc was another ot the attractive Mason girls and Grace Barton played the judges sister. The piece was well staged and it is really one of the best bills of the season.