The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-28

NgNG
Managers Write Their Own Crit
cism-Thief Play on New Lines.
Lou-Tellegen Makes Individual
Hit" Taking Chance" Is Risky.
Hippodrome Takes Drop-Good
Version of Alice in Wonderland. +"
Small Talk.
NeW York, March "A curious
thing happened in connection with the
first performance of Taking Chances"
the play in which Lou-Tellegen made
his second effort TO become an Ameri-
can star. The advertisements OF the
play printed in the morning papers
the day after its production contained
an appeal TO the public not TO regard
the unfavorable notices of the critics
which were likely to appear in the
same issue of the newspaper in which
the advertisement was printed.
Inasmuch as the advertising copy
had to be in the newspaper offices not
later than S o'clock OF the evening be-
fore and the curtain did not rise on
the show until something like S:45,
this seemed like a virtual confession
of failure on the part of the managers.
In fact, it was shrewd advertising
scheme, Intended to make the public
believe that the play, good or had as
It might prove TO be, was to be made
the victim of conspiracy of critics.
Any one who happens to know how
entirely criticism in the New York
dailies is controlled by theatrical ad-
vertising must have laughed at this
pretended attempt to forestall a thing
that doesn't exist. The notices of the
play that appeared in the same issue
ri The papers that printed the adver-
iIsement were lukewarm but they con-
ratned no evidence whatever of any
organized effort to damn the play.
Therefore there has been no excite
neut whatever and this novel method
"f directing attention to a new pro-
iuctton entirely failed of it's purpose.
The Lou-TeIIegcn Play.
The truth about Taking Chances" is
taat u is n very risque little comedy
which is not likely to interest Ameri-
"an audiences because they will not
understand its fine points that are
drawn from u llTe OF WnlCn we Know
nothing. Tho social importance in a
continental small town of the wife OF
government official is something we
know nothing about. The events of
"TahIu- Chances" are based on the
SOCIAL position and activity of the wife
Of the principal police officer of Nice.
lady who is of social importance
largely because her husband holds his
p"sIrion because he is an officer of
promotion TO an important post in
Paris. In America lie might be the
sheriff of his county or chief of po-
,:Cr in = small city. neither of which
POSITIONS would Civ" his wife any So
~iaI =tardin=
''hc heroine Of Taking Chances is
charming woman who leads in the so
'iHl gal"rics of the native society in
Nice. Her husband is commonplace
and busy with his official duties. To
on" Of her garden parties comes a
charging young man. of title. who at
once wins the regard of all her women
friends. largely because he is of A
different type from their matter-of-
fact provincial husbands There has
ho"U. tn" night before. the robbery of
a bank. The police husband can spare
only few minutes to his wife's party
ncfore he returns TO his office to pass
he nIEht investigating the crime. The
charming guest remains to the last .
Then when the lady of the house has
gone to her room and, in full sight of .
he audience prepared for bed, the
young man let's himself into her room.
tf course he is the thief and his
object so TO compromise the wife ,
nat the husband cannot act in his
"tiIcial capacity. What happens in the |
room between the susceptibility of the
provincial wife. with romantic tenden- |
ri,s. md the polished rascal whose i'm
morality IL confined to COveting his /
nc'"hhor's goods and not his wife, :
I...k"S very delightful comedy TO those !
"a h" understand it. The result is dis !
q 'uSed ia the final act when the thief /,
MOI only gets away with his booty |
>r"f-frr'. but also obtains from the /
I,ulic" husband n letter OF introduce !
ION :" the chief of police in the next !
'o"', where this accomplished rascal !
.nIruds TO work the same game
Whatever success Taking Chances" |
may achieve in New York Will be due |
[" the fact that the bedroom scene has |
Il holiness of detail, innocent in fact |
but extremely suggestive. which will |
appeal to a certain constituency In our 1
public and to the finished acting of
Mr.. LouTelleEen. He is a Hollander
who gained his professional training
in Paris, being for some time an aC-
tor of important parts in the company
OF Sarah Bernhard He has appeared
with her here and liked America TO
the point that he has learned English
wen enough 10 make himself perfectly
we'll understood. although speaking our
tongue with i decidedly foreign &C
cent He = unusually tail. slender.
graceful. and his acting technique is
Of A finish rarely seen among our own
actors This last quality stands out
in the present performance where his
support Is made up of company large
IN numbers. but OF ordinary quality
IN acting ability. His polish height
ems the effort of provincialism sup
posed TO be shown by the other char
actors In the opposite role of the po-
ice officers wife is Miss Ivy Troutman
who is entirely sufficient as the pro-
Vincial woman completely carried
away by the charm OF the polished
stranger.
Taking Chances." TO catch the
fancy of New York may need its I'M
usual advance advertising 10 carry II
over the dangerous age of a new play,
but IL is entirely possible that its
-iskiness and Mr.. Lou-Tellegen's act
ne may give II lasting vogue
IlippOdrome Goes Cheap.
1t was 4 tremendous job to keep the |
nig Hoppodrome up to the standard {
II the gorgeous and star ting prcduc- {
ions which from its opening seven Or !
light years ago have mads II a place S
mike any other amusement resort in {