New Britain herald., 1917-03-06
News For 7heatergoers and Women Readers
DIFFICULT DRAMA
 IS WELL HANDLED
'Fine Feathers" Opens Weeks
 Run at RussWin LyCeum


 Drama, tracing the pitfalls set for the overly ambitious, was presented in a heavy but pleasing form by the Walter Naylor Players last evening at the Lyceum. ."F'ine Feathers" was written by Eugene Walters and was chosen by Mr. Naylor for this weeks vehicle because of the company's ada aptability to portray the characters depicted. A
 The offerinaaie play with moral and a great deal of heart interest and the plot is woven around events that might befall any one.
 Bob Reynolds (Smythe Wallace) is a poor and struggling chemist em-i ployed by construction company. He is continually kept In debt by his
 wife Virginia Perry) through her as- things in life John Brand tPhilip
 has amassed a fortune in the cement business by his interruptions and ne- farious dealings. visits them. He of ! fers Bob a proposition whereby he can, by passing upon a shipment of cement not up to the standard and which is to be used in the construc- ton of a dam. become wealthy. The offer is rejected. Preying upon Mrs. Reynolds ambitions Mir. Brand gets
 her to plead with Bob to reconsider. Against his better judgment and the
 advice of his best friend Jack Meade
 (Ralph Murphy), he accepts Brands
 offer that he may satisfy his wife's
 desires. Afterward. bothered by a
 guilty conscience, he tries to drown
 his sorrow by dissipating and dab
 bling in the stock market. He has
 the usual luck and in two years his fortune is depleted and he makes an
 overdraft, on his bank for $1O,000, The breaking of the dam. causing hundreds of deaths for which he Is
 indirectly, responsible is the last straw. The wife, now realizing the mistake she made, is willing to re- turn to the old life but too late, for the arm of the law, having discovered why the dam did not hold, is seeking Bob, who is driven to desperation and after saying to his wife, '"There is way out. for both you and me-" kills himself. It is then that she discovers that the Wages of Sin Is Deati."
 The leads this week are exception ally hard and require careful study and thorough knowledge of the lines. However, they are ably ham,: died by~Smythe Wallace and vir- ginia Perry. MT. Wallace has a pow erful and pleasing personality which is needed to depict the character which he portrays. Of Miss Perry too much can not be said. With her personal magnetism and emotional acting she has won her way into the hearts of New Britain theatergoers and her performance last evening was no exception to the rule.
 Philip Quin, who last week played a comedy part, is cast as John Brand
 He portrays a character. who in tho lust for gold throws aside all decent business principles. Although it is an exceedingly difficult role. MT. Quin adds new laurels to those already won. :.
 Ralph Murphy plays the role of reporter who forms friendship with Bob Reynolds and sticks by him through all his trials and tribulations and is in at the finish.
 Miss Margerie Dow is cast as Mrs. Collins, gossipy neighbor, who takes a highball occasionally to offset "that tired and run down feelin'." as she expresses it. She serves as a light to brighten up the gloom and with her mfrth dealing propensities tends to lessen the tense strain of the drama.
 AS Frieda. the Swedish maid, Miss Miner, the New Britain girl, made a decided hit and by displaying her ap- parent lack of intelligence in the sec ond act won much applause.
 The costumes and scenic access sories are charming and will be 8 delight to all of those who have the l pleasure of seeing them. MT. Naylor, 1 in staging this weeks production, has left no stone unturned to make 1t l a premier week and no detail has es- capped unnoticed. The expectations of l