Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-25
FORSBERG PLAYERS SCORE
INSTANT HIT AT ORPHEUM
BY IRVING R. BACON.

No8aAh Oy SloIiIl. Iney nave won
popularity ''in a gallop." It is hard
to even imagine any better acting
than theirs last night In George
Broadhurst's delightful four-act
drama, Bought and Paid For" II
ito hold the mirror up to nature" Is
the criterion Of histrionic excellence
the Forsberg Players have attained
the acme of excellence I have no
means of comparing their perform
ance with that Of any other perform
ers, for last night was the first time
I ever saw this play; but aside from
the fact that, as that male Malaprop
Of dramatic literature, Shakespeare's
Dogberry, would say, Comparisons
are odorous," I am judging the merit
Of the performance by the touchstone
Of Its highest criterion-naturalnes
and can truthfully declare I believe
that any better" acting than that of
this new stock company could not be
as good, for 1t would amount to
"over-acting," and. consequently,
would fall short in the test of holding
the mirror up to nature"
The play bristles with morals" A
score of points suggest themselves.
The central idea, however. is this:
Virginia Blaine, a high-strung. self
respecting, -princnpled girl, is
asked by Robert Stafford, a self-made
millionaire, to become his wife She
Is working, for few dollars a week,
as telephone operator. Yet, as she
has not fully made up her mind
whether she can ever love her rich
suitor she requests time to answer.
Stafford Is not accustomed to brook
interference with his wishes He
takes 1t for granted that she ought
to say yes. and, so, a moment after
her request for time he proposes, in
the presence of her sister Fanny and
the latter's betrothed, a toast to ''Vir-
ginia. the future Mrs. stafford"
After marriage Mr.. Stafford who
is model husband in a thousand
ways, falls short of perfection in Just
one respect; he drinks to excess, and
Virginia, who has grown to love him
with heart and soul. Is unspeakably
unhappy because of the Jekyf and
Hyde-like Transformation between
Stafford sober and Stafford drunk
When her husband is Intoxicated she
loathes him. She refuses to allow
him to embrace and kiss her. He
becomes enraged and bids her obey
him, telling her he found her poor
and raised her to her present height
Il bought you and paid for you," he
roars, land what I buy and pay for
is mine, and I can do with 1t what
ever / want"
The following morning Stafford is
penitent. He implores virginia's for
giveness, but she reminds him that he
has acted similarly before and tells
him that unless he promises to give
UP drinking she must leave him.
Il will promise that I'll try" is the
most he consents to, and when Vir-
ginia tells him that she demands an
unconditional promise he refuses to
give 1t and allows her to go.
She returns to poverty and toll and
with her go her sister Fanny and
Jimmy" Gilley. who has become
Fanny's husband. Three months OF
agony ensue. Virginia is working in
dry goods store at 81 a week and
Jimmy" who had been working for
Mr.. Stafford at $50 a week. has
again become $1o shipping clerk.
Jimmy" and Fanny devise means
of bringing Virginia and Stafford to-
gether again. They have no such
nice regard for principle as either vir-
ginia or Stafford. Jimmy tells vir-
ginia expressly that II his principles
ever stood In the way of his comfort
II would kiss my principles good-by
and chuck them out of the window"
And, SO. he phones to Stafford that
| Virginia begs him to come and take
her home. Stafford is overjoyed. He
had threatened he would never 60 to
her until she called; and, on the other
| hand. Virginia had vowed that she
never would return to him until he
came to her and promised to give up
drink.
Al 49, c..e, =, -,
heri Oh, the joy of it, Virginia is
dissolved in happiness in the arms of
her husband.
so you have come to me without
my asking you," sobs the transported
young wife. IT always knew you
were great and good: but now re-
gard You greater and better than
ever
Stafford realizes that Jimmy has
imposed upon him: but he is glad at
the turn of affairs and bids Jimmy
never betray the secret. Fanny. how
ever, inadvertently sbetrays It by en-
tering with the exclamation, so.
Jimmy's idea has worked out well
after ALI"
Shattered is virginia's happiness.
But only for a moment Locking her
in his embrace. Stafford says:
You have conquered. What more
can you ask? You did not send for
me, yet am here, and I promise YOU
everything you ask And Stafford
returns to her finger the ring which
she had given back when she left
him. Inscribed within the band of
the ring are these words, which STAFF
ford reads as the final curtain de-
sends:
From Robert to Virginia, with
eternal love"
Here is the cast of characters: Rob-
ert Stafford. Charles Dingle; James
Gilley. Charles Schofield; Oku.
Japanese butler, Stuart Beebe: vir-
ginia Blaine. Miss Frances McHenry;
Fanny Blaine. Miss Helen Courtney;
Josephine. Virginia's maid, Miss Ruth
Bonnaire.
I beg each to accept my heartfelt
congratulations. have never seen
better acting than theirs.
II there is any fault to be found. 1t
Ia with part of the audience. In the
final scene, when Stafford and Vir-
ginia are reunited and tenderly en-
brace each other. the sublime pathos
of the moment moved many. perhaps
most, of the spectators to tears. To
some, however, the tenderness of the
scene seemed fraught with humor,
calling for laughter. There is abso-
iutely no excuse for such misplaced
merriment except on the ground of
imbecility. One who can laugh while
such a scene Is being enacted on a