The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-10-26
The Compelling
Story of
"A Fool
There Was''

Porter E,nerson Browne. who has
been hailed as The" American
jramatisJ. accomplished his greatest
success when be penued his daring
vrNS drama OF q weak man and an
INSCRIPTIONS Vampire-woman. "A
Epcl rherV Was OF which the
screen version has been made by Viii
CAI t'CN. aS = production extraordi-
u&ry relies Ssj through The Box Office
\.Cr&ctiou Company. This remark
able irS MA, in which Robert Hilliard
starred and achieved notable sue
cess. created y nationwide discus
SION At the time of its presentation
and had a record breaking run at the
Liberty Theatre. New York City.
Based upon Kip,ings poem and
Burne-JoneS famous painting. Mr..
Browne has succeeded in creating in
"A Fool There Was a work that. for
daring originality and sheer power
and moving qualities outdoes. in it's
own particular field of the drama.
any play of recent years. 1t is the
tale of weak-willed man and wo-
man of sinister beauty and vampire
heart.
The Fool" and His Wife" are
happily married and living in a style
commensurate with his large fortune
at country house at Larchmont.
The Fool" at the beginning of the
play. is virile, fine natured man.
fond OF his home, his wife and little
child and devoted to wholesome
sport. Then comes the meeting with
The VAMPIRE who is destined to
ultimately ruin and drive him to a
degraded death. THE Fool" at first
reslsts the wiles OF the sinuous,
strangely fascinating Vampire. But
she bides ner time, knowing by an
experience, mile-stoned by blasted
careers. that in due course she will
be able to bend her victim to her will.
The Fool" is an emissary on an
important foreign mission. On the
steamer over THE Vampire" in some
strikingly conceived scenes. manages
TO tighten her grip on his already
facilitating nature. BY the time
Italy is reached "The Man" is COM
pietely at her feet and ready to do
her bidding in everything. In her
arms he forgets his diplomatic duties.
his wife and his own career. The
Vampire has woven spell about him
that nothing short OF death can
break. Even his child ceases to exert
any good influences over him. With
curses and violence he repels all at
tempts TO bring him to his senses.
Ihe vampire shrugs and smiles as
She secs her work progressing
Drink and drugs still further sap
his viii till. at THE Vampires" be-
hest, he leaves his wife and child al
together Il is the beginning of the
tragic end of THE Fool" The rag
and bone and a hank of hair" to
whom he has made his prayer" TOYS
with him like a tigress with her prev.
smile from her sends him into the
seventh heaven. If she frowns he is
renzied with jealousy and weakly
violent. His fortune has slipped
away and only one friend remains to
MN, fine charactered man, who
tries in vain, time and time again, to
break the chains that bind "The
Nampire's' miserable victim. She
merely laughs at these attempts. She
knows too we'll the strength and
tenacitv of the web she has woven.
Ruined, broken I'm body and mind |
The Fool" at the last tries to break
away from the associations that have
wrecked and blasted his life. But it
is OF no use. At the end he tries to
crawl TO the side of his enslaver.
while she laughs cruelty at the spec J
tacle he presents. She sees nothing
but what is amusing in the pitiful
of manhood that begs her
to free him.
Kiss me, my FOOL she orders: