The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-17

Pals First" Genuinely Delightful
and Interesting Play.
Theatergoers of Richmond who
failed to see Tim Murphy at the Aca-
denny last night In Pals First miss
ed genuine dramatic treat and one
OF the best and most refreshing plays
seen here in many a day. Pals
First" though announced as comedy.
is that and more, for Its a crook play,
comedy. even meiodrama. with love
and pathos. intertwined. and to keep
an audience sitting way up on the
edge OF the orchestra chairs there Is a
mystery that isn't solved until the last
act. 1t possesses qualities which make
| for popularity in a class of. drama too
seldom seen on the American stage
nowadays, because it's clean and
wholesome. the lines are sparkling
and the company headed by Mr.. Muir
ply consists of artists fully capable
| TO act the roles entrusted to them.
I There is plenty Of contrast in char
acterization; melodramatic suspense,
ard a sensible mixture of sentiment
4 and comedy. While Lee Wilson Dodd
who wrote the play has adapted IL
| from Francis Perry Elliott's book, Pals
! First the playwright has not pre-
supposed a reading of the book. and
so has fashioned play definite in
scope and treatment. The plot reveals
the reasonableness of the crook the
DRY that pals in crookdom are one for
all and all for one forever and ever
To reveal the plot and tell the story
would spoil the pleasure of all those
! theatergoers who ought to see the
play this afternoon and tonight, and
| incidentally take up more space than
! the allotted amount Of this column, SO
the players must have the rest of our
remarks.
| Tim Murphy, as Dominic" one of
the pals, gave as faultless a perform
ance as we have ever seen on the Aca-
DENY stage, True artist that he is he
made every line count. compelling
| laughter and tears at will
| Contrasting with his part strongly
Glen White, as Danny" the otner
| pal, gave an easy. manly and straight
forward delineation of the supposed
| crook, masqueradng for purpose,
| Nicholas Roche was a suave and re-
sourceful. IL not clever villain, as the
cousin of Danny. ready TO secure his
home and fortune. Henry Keen, as a
Southern Judge was to the manner
born. and two very quaint and refresh
ing darky roles were splendidly por-
trayed by Carl Anderson and Amelia
Myers Reva Greenwood was a sweet
and youthful Alicia Dannys swe-~-
heart and Berenice Belknap garru-
lous spinster A strong character bit
as Squirrel" a tramp, was done by
Edwin Anderson. and the other roles
were capably cast. Tim Murphy de-
serves praise for bringing us such a
delightful comedy. and more than de-
serves two big houses today.
ALVIN NJ SMITH.
| 'Srhe Evolution Of Katinka..
Does your name, fair reader of
GLADYS or Dorothy or Emily or Maud
! or LILLIAN or Ethel or Bessie At your
| II you had been present. at your own
, christening would you have called
yourself what your mother decided TO
call your Have you been actually SO
| rebellious. more than one girl be-
| fore you has been, as to change your
| name from Minnie to Elizabeth or from
Mary to Helen TO satisfy your own
feelings as to the fitness Of things7
| Why. after all. shouldn't one name be
az good as another What Is there In
you that suggests that you should have
| been called Miriam instead Of Grace?
| To partially quote the philosopher
] wouldn't a rose smell as sweet under
some other name
Evidently, Otto Harbach and Arthur
Hammerstein thought as YOU think
Land so Elaine secarue Katirka, gs. =
It was the intention Of Mr. Harbaoh.
who wrote the musical play. 'Katinka,"
! which Mr.. Hammerste!n will present
here shortly. to name HIS heroine.
Elaine, and Elaine abe was during the
| whole process OF the composition The
name Elaine. with it's e1fne sound, and
I its suggestion of romance and old
| world chtvalry, tickled too the fancy
Of Mr.. Hammsrstein. and the two de-
cided to give the name OF the heroine
to the musical comedy. Accordingly,
Elaine" was announced In the dra-
! matte columns as a rth-corring pro-
duction by Mr.. Hsmmerstein, Mr. Har-
bach and Mr.. Rudolf Friml, the triurn-
virate who had already given the world
| the charming operetta. THE Firefy"
and the musical Jointly, High Jinks."
and the advant of the petite Elaine was
| eagerly awaited.
But when 1t came TO rehearsal Mr.
| Hanback, and Mr. Hammerstein discov-
cred that Elaine wouldn't do at all
| They had piquant little heroine, but
her name couldn't be Elaine any more
| than IL could be C1ymenstra For the
little heroine was Russian, surround
ed by Russians, and by everything that
| was Russian-Russian palaces. Russian
| furniture, Russian gayeties. Russian
music-and who ever heard of Rus
| sian girl named Elaine. or who could
| imagine any Russian priest at the
christening font failing to frown upon
a name that must sound 80 barbarous
| to ears accustomed to fairy cognomens
ending In Itch" and "skia"
And so Mr.. Harbach. not without
. sorrow In his heart determined to
| sacrifice poor little Elaine He pro-
cured a Russian dictionary OF proper
names. but shook his head mournfuily
at the combinations of consonants that
met his eyes. Finally. modestly hid
den away in the ks" he ran across
! ''Kattnka." He said the word aloud
and liked 1t. He said II again and be-
gan positively to love 1t. He said II
and kept on saying It, until after a
| while he was inspired TO write a lyric
about Il. and so "Katinka," sweet Ka-
tinka," which everyone who sees the
show will hold forever in his heart,
| was created,
'Katinka" consoled Mr.. Harhach for
the loss of Elaine" and Mr.. Hammer
stein also accepted her his star. And
just So Gladys. did the fair heroine
OF musical comedy go through the
transformation you have desired.