Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-20
ADJUSTMENTS
PERFORMANCE hrGURS WELL,
FOR COMPANIES gsII'

'a'loh OF The Gamblers" at the Acad :
envy oil Music last night. demonstrated
aShin The TACT that an opening per-
lorhance is an opening performance.
no matter how long it may DO DELAYED.
nor now much time mny have been
devoted to rehearsal 1t also offered n
rare example OF the ideal conduct or
STOCK company--a company In which
prevail that the gloriiication of tho In
! uiNidunl IL disrcgardcd in considering
'hc welfare of the whole.
Edward Arnold has been the leading
man OF tn" company ever since II was
orE"ni%ed Mt the Empire Theatre now
'nc "T"ho ne has given almost COM
pie'e satisfaction, and has established
a large and observation-disclosures follow
INK. III the methods OF most stock
companies were followed closely. there
| iore he would always. In the nature
o, Things. he provided with role
nhohndinH In sympathy, hcroism or ro-
nance. But the management % tho
company settled upon The Gamblcrs.'
as IN" play with which to bid "a tenn
porary farewell to Richmond, and therc
developed IA situation
The two principal parts for men are
ui"lhetrically opposed In quality: one
- the character Of a hard. cold. ruth
less prosecutor; the other is an un-
selfish, ltkablc young banker. whose
"ood traits so far outweigh his tech
meal criminnlity that the symnathv
or the audience Is always with him.
according TO the old rule Of playing
UP the leading man" Sir. Arnold
should have played the young banker
Il part which he is cmlncntly fitted to
handle. aud the role OF the prosecutor
should have been left To take care OF
itseii. lacking typical heavy" man.
as the company does
but-and here the admirable shirt
10. az
that auSurs well for the future OF the
organization. both in Savannah md
after its return herc-it was uuiclly
recognized that Mr.. Wuppcrman could
pay me hero. so 10 speak with ex-
celicnt effect and Mr. Arnold thsre
fore. gracefully stepped buck. tool; Inc
hchNE part. and proceeded to make IL
as h"Tsh. unpleasant and cruel "a Inv
IN his power. while Mr. Wupporman az
crtcd all his skill to win sympn,rv
FOR his part
WITH such evidence or the desire to
',! Ease 'he value OF the whole. II
DOESN'T matter particularly about mo
various slips and stumblcs OF tho in
oiNldna! members of the comDany las,
.''EHt. lhey were very apparently cy
l'emeiy nervous; there were many
tricky scenes. in which SO many char
"''cFs were engaged that the written
conversation was somewhat ar,cr No
words ana phrases chased and couyht
one another. But the main scenes mr.
f"'her the big scenes, were for Tho
NOS part acccptahly played and most
or inc points were made apparent
MT Arnold and Mr.. Wuppcrman have
"ireadN heen mentioned: the latter In
particular. with long and importont
part 70 master. gave very impressive
performance and, further, hclped sew
ctal or his associates more thpn once
MISS lirents lack OF varied facial cx
preston prevented her from giving
'uii 'aiue TO the emotional part of the
prosecutors wife. though she r.od II.
lines forcefully as we'll ms inteI,iyan,i,.
ier occasional stumbling may he nj
triDutcd 10 her nervousness since sb.
mas never faulted before during her
engagement here. Mr. Beanc bInseIf
stuck once, but atoned for II hy sciz-
ing inc moment that he always man
ages 10 find to grip the audience. Mr.
Wellington did perhaps the best work
OF ms entire season, and Mr. Leftwicb
gave another evidence Of his verso
tility.
After the second act. Mr.. Leftwich
announced tn" plans OF the COMPANY
as ALREADY printed in this column TO
n large extent. He and his assocIo,cs
expect to return TO Richmond and oncn
at the Academy Of Music on April II
win number OF thoroughly rehearscd
plays In their repertoire They are
even going to do II musical comedy
"florodora.' for which Mr.. Lcttwlch
stated that he had already engaged
George Mack and Marion Sunshine, of
RAYMOND iiitchcock's company
hut. after all. the thing OF principal
interest is that they are going to re-
turn. which is heightened in interest
by the manifestation Of their purpose
TO present whole performances. regard
less OF sympathy and hero parts.
Douglas Gordon