New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-21

4
MaNa NGreuk4. ....... Florence Reed
Julian ltolfc--.... ........ John Barrymore
Baron Stepau Andrew ........... John Mason
,3y courtesy of NJ. Charles friedman
. Count Nkoiai Rostov. Julian LEstrange
letrov Paviak ............ .Macov Harlan
/ Peter. Polish servant al Baron Andrews.
Michael Wllcns
Monsieur zoubatoa. ...... Emmett Corrigan
L Boslosky ..-...... ....... ...... r e. +. Evans
by Arthur Ill.
/ The first act Of The Yellow Ticket"
produced at the Etnee Theatre last
evening. introduced the audience TO new
and promising scenes They were IN am
apartment m the Hotel d'Europe. St
Petersburg. Mr. John Scaton, am English
man of some consequence. il would ap-
pear. was there with his daughter. who
was engaged TO the agreeable young
Count Nikola Ros tov. Then there was
+ Count Nikolai's sinister friend. Baron
/ Audrey, head OF the Secret Police
the "Okrana', Mr.. Julian Rolfe. an ell
gaginG young American newspaper CORE
spondent, and a charming and mysterious
girl. Marya Narenka, teaching Russian to
Miss Seaton but something more than
mere language teacher. everybody could
see
When It is further explained that Mr.
John Mason played the sinister chief Of
police, the graceful Mr. Julian LES
TRANCE, the young count; Mr.. John Barry
more. the American newspaper man,
Cheerfuly intent on finding out every
thing about this strange Russian world
and Miss Florence Reed. the mysterious
and Curously appealing young girl. il Is
not strange that the prospect was inter
esting Such a cast is not seen in the
theatre every day. And when the various
hints and dark suggestions suddenly took
shape. and a Russian secret police officer
played i'm capital fashion by Macy
Harlam-arrived 20 question poor Marya
Narenka. whom the young newspaper
man was already in love with and ready
TO defend the tingle and excitement Of
first class melodrama was in the air.
In the scene which followed the signih-
canoe Of The plays name was revealed.
yellow ticket" according 10 Mr.
Michael Morton, the author Of the play,
is the most potent passport in Russia. Its
owner can so and come almost as she
pleases She is in tie public service, 80
TO speak, as a public prostitute.
Marya Varenka, while still young girl,
Was living with her mother in their village
within the pale, when they received word
that her father was dying in St Peters
burg. She went TO the police to get permits
sion TO go 10 him, but it was refused. She
could only go provided she went as the
holder Of a yellow ticket She had been
brought up i'm so careful a way that she
did not know the meaning Of what she
vas asked 20 do until il was brutally eX-
planned to her but it was the only way
TO get 10 her father and she took it. She
saw him before he died and then began
q life Of subterfuge 10 conceal the fact
that she was the holder Of yellow ticket
She took the passport and letters Of rec
ommendation Of a girl acquaintance en-
ployed with her in the same house and
with them got the position in which She
is discovered at the beginning Of the
play. 1t was the only dishonest thing she
had ever done. She was stll the innocent
eiIl she had been in her native village
but the fact that she had the yellow
ticket made her lawful prey.
This is q situation into which. accord
ing to the author of the play,-the eXposi-
1
his response TO the curtain calls-many
young Jewish women, girls Of refinement
and virtue, are driven in Russia. MIR.
Morton is interested. he explained, not
merely in writing a play but in rightins
a wrong
Merely as play, were il not for the
unusually capable fashion in which il is
acted-especially by Miss Florence Reed
as the girl-the yellow Ticket" would
all but collapse with the first act The
second act is in the drawing room at
Baron Andrey's. The villainous police Of
6cer has lured Marya Narenka thither,
and the time honored motions are gone
through with-the locked doors. cham
pagne on the table, leering Bluebeard and
desperate virgin, but they are brought TO
a sudden end 10y a hatpn. Marya JaDs
il into the Barons chest and, though he
* a large man, with a stiff white spirit
and the pin is an ordinary hatpin, he
drops without a word. 1t was surely one
Of the most expeditions murders on
record Tie paper file episode In AT
Bav" was long drawn out in comparison
and a psper file is husky weapon com
pared 10 an ordinary hatpin. The murder
had been fairly obviously planted early
in the scene and was not unexpected but
the dropping OF the curtain was. The
scene had been very brief, and the lack
of any of the further difficulties when
il seemed likely the author would permit
his heroine 10 show her resource and
clcverness in conquorng made the scene
fat and tame in spite Of its violence.
II did give Miss Reed and Mr. Mason
/ chance to show how such scenes may be
acted. Miss Reeds playing was most eA-
/ ceUent throughout. and the Quiet manner
i'm which she did this scene, suggesting
instead OF drowning. the poor audience
with the terrors of her position, was as
rare AS il was forceful and gratifying.
In the last act. in which the author
ipdulred in some rather clumsy
preaching. the girl and the young Ameri-
J can were allowed to go free together on
! condition that they leave the country
after a rather improbable scene IN which
II WAS decided that any other course
would bring scandal on the Barons fami-
r., This act also gave the audience
olimuse in the part OF another police off
Ger OF another well known player, Mr..
Emmett Corrigan-there seemed 10 be no
| end 10 them. IL was due to them, in
I deed. 10 Miss Reed Mr. Mason, Mr.. Bar
rymore and the rest. that the evening
..I..sH