New-York tribune., 1920-02-08
How lnoffensive Reporter,
Who Can Say ST. Enjoyed
Visit to Italian Theater

disclosing simple stage set. Inspired
with an evident spirit of realism the
management had decided that since the
impression they wished to convey was
one of intense poverty they would have
nothing but an empty stage to repre-
sent an Italian village street.
1t was curious first act. The first
half of it was devoted to lengthy dis
pute between beggar woman and a
crippled fellow to whose back was sad
died a tool sharpening machine. In a
decidedly masculine voice the lady in
formed the meek man that he was "a
good-for-nothing" and Ounce. He ad-
mitted that her charges were not alto
gether untrue. Her unusual gesticula-
tions were continued until burly fel-
low clustered on the scene. He stroked
his mustache, walked over to the inof-
fensive tool sharpener and prodded him
with friendly shove and then, without
further ado, landed a right on the
weaker mans face. The audience hissed.
The act went on. Suddenly the
villain paused, said a few words
and then halted again. He struggled
once more, and then gave up. He
had forgotten his words and could not
hear the prompter. The audience
hurled suggestions. The stage man
ager uttered terrifying oaths. Finally
the villain caught the prompter's voice,
and with his aid continued to torment
the hero.
And so the play dragged on indef-
nitely. BY the end of the third act
the story had reached the part where
the prosecuted tool sharpener was plot
ting with the heroine to obtain her
escape from the slavery into which
his mother and brother, the beggar
woman and villain sought to EN-
mesh" her. The fourth act confirmed
the third.
The fifth act proved that the heroine
was virtuous' During this act the au-
villain had become suspicious Of the
hero's meekness and decided to kill
him. So that when, toward the end of
the act, he approached the hero stealth
lily (knife in hand, Of course), wary
members of the audience advised the
hero to watch out. The hero wisely
did, and thus the sixth act was saved.
All this time my seat neighbor had
been whispering to me and my invari-
able answer had been "si." He had
seemed content with these answers
and all had gone we'll. During this
particular intermission he became
dramatlc---l think he. was trying to
convince me that the league of ma
tions was not so bad after all, or per-
haps that the villain was terrible
fellow--and l (wisely, thought) ven
tured "si" in answer. He sat un in
his seat and glared at me ferociously.
Fortunately the orchestra decided at
this critical moment to play "Hearts
and Flowers"
But to Act vi. Her sister finds the
blind heroine. She weeps joyfully--
accompanied by some women in the au-
dience. The hero retires modest!y to
the background while the two sisters
converse. The villain enters the room
and renders an excellent imitation of
an outraged bull. His snorts are quite
genuine. But ia the hero "daunted"? i?
No. He fumbles for his stiletto and
charges. head lowered like an irritated
goat, toward the tormentor of his
sweetheart
By this time the audience is on it's
feet cheering the hero. The villain, too,
has a knife, and the duel is ON. It
continues. for several minutes, but the
audience becomes tired, begins to shout
Have donel" and the villain is. AS the
lovers clasp hands the stage manager Is
heard .murmuring blissfully "amore,
amore," and they live happily ever
after. Who says the days Of "thrillers"
are over! L. 4.