Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-13
PREMIER Performances
MEETS WARM APPLAUSE
Comedy among Those Present
Successfully Presented nj Acad-
cnIS OF Music.
WE'LL WRITTEN AND STAGED
Shelley Hull, in Role of Jimmie
Burke, Brings to Par; Well-ScH-
soEcd Experience an Dramatic
Stagc-tast Without Weak Spots.

The prcuicr performance Of the co,u-
cdy. "Amonr Those rrcscut." a produc-
ton OF Messrs klaw 4 Erlauccr and
George {. Tyler. aud the wori> OF Larry
Evans and Walter &. rcvviNal. Coiu-
ih"vS. Was given last uiSht at the
Academy "f Music uuirr :hc au.ricc::
Of The Richmond soldiers rohacc"
Fund.
The play attracted an audience small
in number. hut select III respect OF
those ATTENDING several ii'si-uiehi
parties arranged by prominent society
women were in Attendance. aui ,hr
main box on tn" rirh; q: IN" thrmtcr
WAS occupied " several DISTINGUISHED
officers from camp LcC, together with
their military guests 81 the French
army. The bon WAS decorated with
The American ANA Frcuch iiaes The
opening number mu*ira!iy Was The
Star-SpauGlcd Banner followed by
la Marscillasc." both played with the
audience standing.
The PLAY may he pronounced success
tul. for it held the close attention Of
the audience throughout its cn:i-. ac-
zion: the sallicS OF wit and The various
amusing situations presented met with
a ready response frum tho house. SIs-
tHincd lauGhtc" and repeated curtain
calls ai;"Stcd tho interest and syu-
ra;iy Of the aui cNrc with III" oucross-
.n< character % TN" story as we'll aS
ih"ir appreciation oC 'hc finished work
OF tho actors.
Briefly told rs may be Tho pln, of
the pl.? is about ~ follows: 'Thc
Dancer - tn" pScuduuIm "i a po!i'"
thief. who has committed numerous
society rcbbcricS. lie j. known
throughout the play rs Jimmie Burke
He is first introduced to The audience
as visitor ina fashionable mems ,lur.
presumably III New York city Per-
'iNal Glendcan!nc. a wealthy suhur-
han:ic. has written :. play for Rod
cross relief. and j. 10 present ii with
society friends i'm the various parts
After difficulty in securing a load
ine n'an. he Lands on Jimmie Burke
whom he has casually met Al a charity
pazaar in London. introduced by an
English titled lady. Win whom Burke
has inGratiated himself by purchasing
generously at the hazaa: Burke i.
shown in the second scene az he pawn.
Shpn OF tile Deacon" a receiver OF
stolen goods. Here tho foundation is
ANA Tor tho thief; of the iirant collar
"' diamonds. 10 he worn hy Molt.
Fran; in GilcnacnniuG's play detectives
''"!"ran I'D NarNcich visit tho pawn
Sh"p in search Of Jimmie. who cl.vorIv
dudes them by corcealins himself hc.
o'Nd false SGT % wall shelves
IN" second act "Dcns upon a rai,o,r
H'I OF AN hr' of ,;lcndenning's nav, rt
MS country home Iin,mic in tie rol,
81 TIA" leading man. is rrhear~inc a
seen" Win Molii" Hrant in IL" ac-
ton OF which Ne removes s'irrco,i,iou.-
" from her neck tho diamond collar.
later. and Z: the end or the r.hc.,r.
sal finding The cellar an imitation a.;
TN" return OF III" others Of the marry
n" gives an cXh:bi;ion If his skill.
.Ich"~nninE. aftcr the rehearsal, AVID
ati"r 'he others have left The room.
complains ina; lis play is not .:n,
tin: "n0ral publicity aud plans with
iI1n'" against the latter: irciiup-
ion for tho tlicf, az tho I:,..rl ga
.H"N"N 7" secure thc puh!ici,v I've do.
%I""~ ft'Sr letter j. rr-narod hv
'ilcn"enni'G. nlIriortilr to r,..,l MN,
OF an intention to remove tho diamonds
from his house The fonowiEg HIM,
~ o'clock. IL display! this letter
To Malone The local coustab!e. ;Dt
"oud" il on, TO Jitlmia's cv:dcn, alarm.
I" the New York police ana ncaspa-
NcrS.
touch Of romance has hcan intro.
which Limr.ic has with Moli!e R"aut.
wherein She tells him more of N"
"iHn"ndS and their arrival. and. a,
'''' sam" time. GonvcTS TO him tn,
'''i ih'i Sh" j" Interested in him hay
ing Just declined 10 accept tho at,cn.
'.'''S ~ vi" ron. M"itim" lIarcr:.v.S,
sND IntrrS's Jimmie with :; miniature
n}s" which ilarcr,yes ha., brou..h. 10
nor /" use in th" play. and Jimmie
taxes Il. In . Scarc deeply tournnG
continent She encourages Jim
ni" aS strongly as she may, and Tho
IMPRESSION is left that he might at
this time decd" - become an upr;-h,
member Of society. whcn the srcn.
'' Interrupted ny tho entrance OF Jim
1I'"'S rcpntod valet. who has previous
- appeared as IN assistant in ,he
'p"ac"n's" pawnshop.
IN pursuance of Giendcnnings plans
''iii"ran and MacNeich appear and
'hnp''nc" th"'r belief that The Dane ~
p ." 20 thr thief. tTulioran hrinSr
Nv" diamond collar wi,h him. agree
'nH ih"i IL hc placed in tho wali-safr
'ln further INC" o. C;l"ndenrinS's olansA
shortly h"fcr" Tho hour Sc, FOR tn.
robbery Malone and his men also APP
""Hf. ;tN! Jimmie. Win his valet. are
~h" " n I'm coats ana c:,0.. ready to com
n:it tr" troft ani leave 1t the an
N"'nt"n hour o. 1t Iar'srucd stage.
~" t""'' is accomplished aud VIXEN
iiEh' 90 restored Jimmie Is discovered
10 hArd'Hiis he two detectives hav.
80 i.'"n hpnr"h"rdcd MISTAKENLY h..
NI"'"r"'S mon. sileudcnuinc cypoScs
~" l"'t". "rd limui" t. released IIr
'Ni"H ON" cNriarationr retire. 10 3,
n"Sl'i'n '"ar th" door leading 10 'hr
hwt. Nhen Ia" detectives .rc re.
i"a+ 90 "ud "ronght ia, iir,mi" has dis.
.hl"H'"o on opening the miniature
r.ieH. which .i:iurii. has r.turncG to
Hl"Iii" = :a'S" 81 Of diamonds Is found
i'"'l"f III .iiruic'a gull; arises: I,ni-
Gran. however. in examining the level
case. 'inds tn" real diamond. in a sec
oH0 'om1a 'tm"n.. The curtain falls
WIN all ia :, state Of CONSERVATION and
Mcilie turning u the Hon. Mortimer
for consolation.
The play is we'll written and well
presented. and there arc no conspicu-
onsly weak spots in it. While TIC in :
'"rcst 10 closely held and the action
works up well 10 it's climax. there is
general feeling Of disappointment
cht Jimmie is, after all. "a real unrc-
generate thief. ana that he has not.
Welding 20 Mol!ie's influence, turned
his hhc'; upon She old l.fc. In this
respect tn" story leaves one unsa,is-
f"d, ana the denouencnt is quite UNI
cNu"cted pyschoioElcallv. study Of
Saving the Wheat
is fun When a feller