The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-03
ACADEMY OPENS SEASON
WITH GALES OF MrRTH

Nothing But the Truth" demands a
criticism of nothing but the truth and
the truth about the play celebrating
Labor lay and to be present again this
evening ~is-ft's a scream. II a bigger
laugh. a laugh raised to the nth degree,
comes to the Academy OF Music this
season-well, the whole audience last
night is what poor Bob Bennett called
Mr.. R~alston-a liar. The laughs be-
gan soon after the curtain was raised
and before the suggestion of the cur
tain in the first act. the laughs grew
into a roar; the oar In the second act
was punctuated with squeais until mid
way in he third act the audience felt
its jaws to find IL the hinges were still
oiled and able to work until the end of
the final curtain.
Don't miss Nothing But the Truth"
1t Will do you good for weeks to come
and it's just the kind of play that is
needed now. You wouldn't know war
had ever clouded the horizon-outside
OF the play. War came IN the play all
right and while It must have been what
sherman DECLARED it for Bob--it had
a very different effect on the audience.
Funny how we can enjoy other peoples
discomfort sometimes--that's a truth
full statement.
Bob most cleveriy acted by J.
Henry Mckenna. a stockbroker and
Souh6 partner WIN men ola at the
game. thinks the truth can he abided
by. The old ones-E. NJ. Ralston tplay-
ed by VIII Chatterton) and Clarence
Van Queen Gideon Burton. with a
Younger echotng partner. Richard Don
nelly ttaken by Frank Backes) are
confident that the word won't believe
the truth and Bob mel ding the
money for his girl. bets he, for one,
can tel the truth for twenty-four
thnnrS Tho situations that arixa frn,,
the brave statements of the absolute
truth, form one of the cIeverest plots
and most rollicking comedies that
Richmond has had the good fortune
of hearing for many a day.
The biggest thing that can be said
about the play last night. aside from
the fact that it was all that was ad-
vertised. is that the east was flawlessly
picked That's a powerful statement
and one that isn't nothing but the
truth" with many companies that do
come through Richmond. but it is the
truth about the players who will APP
pear again this evening.
H., Henry Mckenna in the leading
role vas up to his. part irG every in
stance and under every circumstance
VIII Chatterton looked. talked. muchly
talked, and acted as though he had
been melted and poured in the mould.
Bishop Doran was extremely clever
and looked his rol~. Richard Dom
nelly, playing a more or less backing
t~he-others part. formed a good third
in the trio taking the bet. Gideon Bur
ton was a voice and an iniunitable
Voice-he was mostly voice and he
fitted in well in a play where every
minutes conversation e~ntangled the
plot.
The women in the cast were very
Well chosen. the best character part
falling to Frances Hall in the part of
Mabel Jackson of the Varsties. Should
not an opportunity to bring facial ex-
preston into play and she carried her
lines across with real force, yet she
didn't overdo a character which is more
often overdone. Wanda Laurence
as Sable Jackson, her partner on the
sta ge, was cast in the role Of second
fiddle, but even with her few Ines and
actions she kept we'll in harmony,
Gwendolyn Ralston was. good though
her part. which though in the lead Of