The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-17
REVIEW OF
 THE RIALTO

e1gn source scheduled for production in, New York this week is "The Pas sion Flower, by Jacinto Benavente, the noted Spanish pIayright. This play is to be done with Nance O'Neil act ing the chief role, and the event has interested the theatrical and literary worlds of not only America North and South, but the Continental dramatic centers as we'll The play is a power full drama of Spanish life, by far the most noted play from the pen of this unusual man. The Metropolitan pre- miere is sponsored by a new produc- ing firm, the Herndon Reductions, and it takes first place in current in- terest.
 It Salways a matter of interest when Leo Dietrichstein comes to town with new play. For the past two or three years he has shown little diff ference in the acting of the roles en- trusted to him, but this week, with The Purple Mask" he has a play which, possessing no novelty except an ability. to thrill, has none the less scored a distinct success. It be- longs to that class of plays of a. past generation when the hero did super human things with his rapier and hA oAii- LII L44O p1 SSSIiI 4llSediiCS l1e O15- cards the rapier, but his brain, that is another thing again. He does with 1t all manner of things to outwit his enemies and win the fair lady. It is melodrama, the common form of melodrama, but as a play with a. punch it has it, has them, rather, be- cause each act is replete with it. Brandon Tynan ranks second in the acting and Lily Cahi1l somewhere down at the bottom The situations, MT. Dedtrichstetn and MT. Tynan are the winners.
 Through the Ages" was another play produced that had a strong ap- peal It Is a religious drama, and has been written with rare intelli- gence and good taste, effectively. and appropriately staged and reverently acted. The scenes are laid in a small Swiss village, framed after the at- mosphere and locale of Oberammer- gau, indeed, 1t is the year of '"The Passion Play', and the chief charac- ter. sympathetically acted by Pedro de Cordoba, is a prototype of Anton Long, the most celebrated Christus of the Passion Play. This character also Is a wood carver in the little will lage, and he is finally chosen to play the Master. A'local magdalene comes and he takes her in which is miscon- strued by the populace who seek to drive her out and to humiliate her benefactor. In the second act a most reverent scene is enacted, the rehears. al for the great Passion Play. Here the best acting is done. Before and after is but the setting. The Metro polls seldom accepts unreservedly a regilious drama, but '"The Light of the World wins by its sheer sincerity. The acting distinction belongs to Pe- dro de Cordoba, Wallis Clark, Fuller Mellish and Clara Joel, although there were many we'll conceived and acted characters among the minor roles. The staging was most impress sive, and the incidental music appro- priate and of excellent quality. A special chorus added effectiveness tc the play, and a majestic figure was that of Madame Ruano Bogislav, the Gypsy folk-song singer who has beer heard in local recitals this year.
 For comedy relief New York turned to NO More Blondes," one of the A. H. Woods type of comedies which comes to us at regular periods to re.
 
 fest the days. Ernest Truex, one o1 the cleverest comedians we have or the local stage has the principal role and the comedy is easily one of the most amusing that has been seen thi. year. It is modelled after the French type which baffies description, ant even if it did not the description sounds trite and unprofitable wheI measured by the hiliarity of the event It Is sufficient to say that two mar rled men and two married wome1 get confused but not with their re spective husband or wife. Somt charming intimate clothing fs worn some highly amusing situations, ant a couple of unusually clever stag, creations are added to the ensemble Dallas We1ford as methodicall, blackmailing butler is one. But bet ter still, 1t is the sort of play tha has many bright lines that could b. Used to point a moral at the rellgiou c conventions, but which, none thu less, strike happily upon, the sens1 EiHties of a New YorA audience. ''The Man Who Came Back cam back this week with a former Broad way favorite, Paul Gordon, playin
 
 unusually talented and popular Broad way actor, and in the role now en trusted to him gives a performance which ranks Iigh.
 Mimi Agurlia has retired iron '"The Whirlwind,' the rather mysti flying and mixed nslodranla Witl which she made her focal appenranc as an English speaking actress. Tn play was pure piffle and the grea talents of this actress were totau wasted upon it. She is later to | a series of English revivals of til plays in which she has won rerow in every important theatre center i | the world. This will follow her ad vent as moving picture star.
 l Helen Flanders, the great soprano l was the outstanding musical event C the week. She appeared in son 1 recital at Carnegie Hall. her thir ' appearance here this season. Ri Van Winkle'' as an opera was anothe l highly interesting musical ever
 scheduled. The Chicago Opera Com