Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-06

"Ths New Henrietta" With Five stars
Delights Large Audience.

"Ths New Henrietta" With Five Stars,
Delights Large Audisnoe.
A clever comedy with enough plot
to keep the interest up all the time,
ably acted by five of stagedom's hest
known stars as we'll as capable COM
pany-such was 1.-THE New Henrietta
as presented at the OdeOn "Wednesday
night to large and thoroughly de-
lighted audience. The production was
easily one Of the best seen at the local
playhouse this season, both as concern
construction and the acting of every one
in the company. The fact that the I'VE
principal characters were all celeori-
ties made it doubly worth seeing, ana
SO well was the play arranged that no
one Of the stars intruded on the others
territory. Each one had part that
fitted individually. and each one acted
that part SO that 1t stood out dis
tinctively.
The Henrietta" a mine, a dancer,
or a wronged woman, according TO
which character was talking about IT.
is revival Of play written some
thirty years ago for William H. Crane.
produced by him in 1887, rewritten now
with most Of the scenes and situations
changed and adapted to five stars. It
is good play, there Is no doubt about
that, for while the comedy is FREEDOM
inant, there is plenty OF plot and ex-
element and some really fine pas
sages.
William II. Crane the veteran actor,
as Nicholas Van Alstyne, the financier,
is undoubtedly the "star Of the stars"
His rendition Of the part leaves Moth
ing to be desired, and when one con-
siders that he Is 70, and still AS spry
as most men at 40, admiration for him
increases. He knows just when to look
over his glasses, just when to look ex-
asperated, and just when to become
serious. His comedy is real comedy.
and his serious lines are made effective
by excellent acting and facial express
sion.
How to mention each star separately
Is a question, for all can not be mem
toned at once, yet all were equally
good. Proceeding in the order Of re-
lationship on the stage, and too, in the
order Of good acting, comes Thomas
w. Ross. as BERTHE Van A1styne, the
seemingly adnine young dude who re-
garded 1t as great feat when he
dressed himself. His part was a hard
one, but when it was necessary for him
9AAASSAO
lines and action, he did 1t, and sue
ceeded. Mr.. Ross should apply as a
tailor's model, he looks SO we'll In all
sorts Of clothes. He also knows how
to act, for he brought out unobtru-
sively, yet distinctly, his good quail
tiles thru all his veneer Of foppishness
His part was perhaps one of the most
difficult in the play.
AS the sweet, trusting Agnes, who
loved "Bertie" and saw his good quail
tiles all the time, Mabel Taliaferr0
looked very sweet, and acted very well.
She did not have to do much except
look sweet and put her arms around
"Bertie," but she did that little just az
painstakingly and just as we'll as any
one. which marked her as a good ac-
tress. Had she overdone the part. it
would have spoiled the effect but she
knew just what to do and how 10 do
it, SO the audience noticed nothing re-
markable about her Characterization.
Maclyn Arbuckle was the Rev. MUIR
ray Hilton, q fashionable and somewhat
sporty clergyman, who smoked cigar
cts and played the stock exchange and
fell in love with the widow. He is fat
and, In being fat, makes q good deal
Of his comedy. His facial expressions
also aid him considerably. His part
is one which depends solely on the
Interpretation, for his lines are nothing
at all. That he secured as many laughs
as he did Is evidence that he knows
how to interpret his lines to the very
best advantage. His dismay In the
third act when he sees his fortune
slipping away. Is a real piece of comic
acting.
A rather large and very ornate par
sonage is Amelia Bingham, who plays
Mrs. Opdyke, the widow for whom
Van Alstyne and Rev. Mr.. Hilton sput-
ter and quarrel all the way thru the
play. She fits her part, and wears
beautiful clothes. She also knows how
to look as a bewitching widow should.
Her scene with Mr.. Crane in the third
act is her best opportunity. and she
does it well, even to the flop upon the
floor.
James J. Ryan, as the villain, who
tries to ruin his father in law. does
very well, putting the right touch Of
yellow into his character. and gets
himself thoroughly disliked. Another
most acceptable Interpretation among
the minor characters is Arthur s.
Hulps DR.. Wainwright. The other
members Of the company were all sat
isfactory.