El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-22

NEW YORK. March z2.-Delightful
lNand pretty Marjorie Rambeau has
scored another triumph on Broadway.
and New York theatergoers are again
in a most pleasant mood
The Fortune Teller" now appear
ing at the Republic theater, IS the We
hicle with which Miss Rambeau has
trampled the seeptieism and ennui Of
the New York faded ones and ridden
right into their hearts.
The play is another Arthur Hopkins
production. and is, as usual. dis
tinguished BY a fine sense OF char
acterization. artistic taste and the IN
evitable Hopkins idea OF getting away
from the conventional.
Thanks 10 the foresight OF the
writer. Leighton Graves Osmuns but
recently graduated from the motion
picture field. Miss Ranbeau finds her
self in an emotional character role,
and It is needless to add that she acts
IL with great skill and effect
In the story OF mother love and re-
generation the woman IN the case
CAfiss Eambeau). separated from her
husband and infant son. leads an evil
a
travelling circus proprietor WINE
in this position she meets her son,
grown 70 manhood and reporter on
a newspaper, somewhat discouraged
with his lot IN life.
without revealing her Identity the
mother befriends her boy and helps
him along the road to Righteousness
and prosperity, and in 50 doing also
reforms herself The transformation
from had 10 good OF the mother IS one
OF the greatest pieces OF character
acting ever seen in New York. As
many OF the first nighters said;
she does not overdo II. but she
could not be improved upon
An Evil Circus Man.
But her evil genius. the circus pro-
prietor. turns up. quite naturally, az
the wrong time and plans 10 black
mail her should she stand unswerved
IN her determination 10 live the right
kind Of a life. The mother is ready 70
reap the rewards OF her good work
and reformation. but fOregoes the JOY
of telling her son who she Is, In or
der to protect his good name and hap
piness with the very nice young lady
he has chosen for his bride.
But the Inevitable fails to happen,
and the audience departs determined
to kill the circus proprietor the very
first time he Is encountered when off
the stage The mother thinks only OF
her boy. his happiness and success,
and In the end keeps her silence and
meets her fate stoically.
The dramatic success OF the play IS
prefaced by some very clever acting
in the first scene. in which Miss Ram
beau shares the honors with Miss
Grace Goodall The latter. as slangy
snake charmer. IS one Of the hits OF
the play. Her philosophy Is simply
great. but the words and phrases en-
ployed in expressing her opinions are
simply greater than great.
The ensuing scenes are full OF
pathos and suspense. scenes in which
Miss Rambeau rises to great dramatic
heights. Her acting IS powerful and
always artistic in its details. In fact.
one cannot help feeling deeply sym
pathetic for the woman who has lived
and worked so hard for the uplifting
Of her son, whom she acores, ana
whom she must avoid in the end
rather than blight his future and hap
piness.
Mr.. Hopkins. IN the staging OF the
play. shows much sympathy with the
authors ideas and fine understand
ing OF the types. In addition 10 Miss
GOodall there are r. l. Fernandez,
who. as the circus proprietor is eN-
ceuent; Hugh Dillman. who. as the
son that was worth while, is very et-
fective. and-well. the entire cast IS
truly characteristics OF another Hop
kins success
Miss Brady Defies Tradition.
There is and has been current for
many seasons in theatrical circles the
belief that no play. regardless OF its
intrinsic merit or the measure OF pop
ular appeal with which II might be
blessed. could achieve substantial and
lasting success in New York without
the support Of the hotel agencies
which deal extensively in theater
tickets. The recent agitation and sub
seQuent passage Of the ordinance de-
signed TO regulate speculation in the
alter tickets has focused public atten-
ton on the hotel agencies and the
important part they frequently play
in the success or failure Of a the
atrical property offered on the New
York stage
II has been said that it is specu-
lators who direct the destinies OF the
New York stage; who elect out OF
their superior intelligence and high
~ developed cosmopolitan culture
which plays are worthy OF their sup
port. and therefore the patronage OF
the playEoing public in this city
Their scouts travel the highways and
oyways. passing on plays that are be-
ing tried out on the road. and Il IS on
the reports OF these gentry OF the
hotel agencies that the question or
whether or not a play is worthy OF
metropolitan hearing is frequently de-
termined
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