The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-15
NEW MELODRAMA
WINS AUDIENCE
"Woman in Room 10" Has Ac-
ton, Swift and Ac-
cumulative.
ACTING IS EXCELLENT
Four Act Play by MARGIN and
Shipman Produced at
Booth.


A. II. Woods turns ever to melodrama
with the interest OF an old love which
Is divided only by his weakness for
piquant farce, and last night no gave
New York four act play with the
promising title OF The Woman In Room
Is" at the Booth Theatre. He had as
sembled the usual company Of we'll
known actors for the task, but moro
important were the names OF Max Mar
Gin and Samuel Shipman. who aas the
Joint authors Of the new play and have
won laurels in the same held in tho
past.
A prologue passed in the Texas homo
Of tho hero. Later scenes were a salon
In New York residence, two living
rooms and inevitably a court of Justice.
TO which all good mslodramas are sup
posed to lead. Here by a device 30
novel as to be known to no melodramas
of any kind before, the proceedings at
the trial as we'll as the emotions OF tho
persons interested in its event were
graphically shown TO the spectators.
Perhaps II was less surprising that the
husband. who had killed a seducer in
pursuit. was acquitted.
Frank Melodrama.
The authors had not been ashamed TO
u
interesting manner did the actors play
1t. Tho prologue showed a wife desert
ing her husband. whom she called brutal
because she loved another man. Tho
FIRST act found her the wife of this se:-
ond lover, and the object of his employ
er's pursuit.
The husband. suspicious OF his en-
ployer's extreme interest in his welfare
1t had prompted him to transfer his
auditor to Californ!a-set trap to
watch the man. 1t happened that the
detective was the man she had nrst de-
serted. He undertook the task con
amore The murder of the seducer by
the husband. who thought his wife and
not another woman was in tho room. and
tho clearing Of the relations OF the char
acters led TO tho final act.
Not only wero these scenes told in al
most every instance with genuine inter-
est but the actors played them in y way
to give the authors fiction its fullest
value. The action was swift and cuInu-
lative. Indeed, the last act was the most
engrossinS.
Successful Result.
The fact that the melodrama passed
in polite surroundings did not interfere
with the power of the SCIENCES to en-
thrall the audience, which listened 10 aus
progress with unremittlnS interest once
the authors had established the ground
work OF their story. Indeed. the COM
blned talents OF Messrs. MARGIN and
Shipman produced a most successful
specimen of tho melodrama OF tho kind
possible before audiences OF the day.
Lowell Sherman played the detective
husband. deserted In tho first act, In his
effective and !neradscab!y theatrical
manner. and Charles Waldron's affecting
naturalnoee as the second husband who
thought himself deceived, WAS q hne
contrast to the other players methods.
Janet Beecher acted the heroine with
naturalness and force. while Gall Kane
MS the woman who interviewed. was q
picture OF Celtic beauty who stood fear
lessly against a bright light with only .
thin chiffon gown TO protect her.
Miss Kane held on to a chinoh!ca coat
during every other scene In tho play. but
dropped It where It might have been Of
some real assistance 10 her. Fay Wal
lace and William De,ning played two
comedy roles brightly. De Witt Jen-
n!nEs was himself as a hectoring police
Inspector.