Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-22
THE MASQUERADER"
CLEVER TRICK" PLAY
Gripping Melodrama, SkiIlfulIy
Acted, Takes on impressive
ness Of PIausibility

Walnut The Mas0uerader," in n
gripping ataSe version drawn by John
Hunter Booth from the best seller" Q!
u decade ago by Katherine Cecil Thur
ston-a piece Of fiction as successful as
sensational--is hopefully entering upon
a third venture toward entertaining and
thrilling Philadelphia p'ayEoers. judged
by the enthusiastic reception given the
play the star, Guy Bates Post. and his
supporting players. the prospects are for
a sucCesssfui run. when the influenza.
like Cromwell closed the theatres, The
Masqucrader' had been given three
nights her9 the season before last Then
came return for a fll-in week. during
which the play was praised by those Who
saw IT, Since that time Mr.. Post has
taken Il on three croSs-coDtinent tours
and one trans-Pacifc tour 10 Australia
There Is no doubt that the audience
was entertained and thrilled with the
!ntr!cacies OF tho plot, gripped by tho
dovstailtng Of impossihilitieS Of plot into
plaus .oilittes oi situation and absorbed
by Mr.. Posts Elusive change OF per
invented by Mrs Thurston and adroitly
'urned 20 theatrical uses by Mr. Booth
The MasQuerader" Is palpahly n mcio-
drama, a form OF drama, that is. III
which accidental or providcntial inter
vention serves to eXtricate the charac-
ters from the enlargement of situations
that mesh them closely and control their
every movement But II is melodrama
that, once the initial. invented founda-
tons are aC Ccep,ed, takes on some OF the
substance and spirit of drama Also
hanks 70 skIilful acting and restraint
Of the playwright In demanding too
much OF credulity. II adjusts its inherent
mpossibilities into transient bc.levable-
ness for the course Of tn. proceedings on
a." stage II simply compels absorbed
interest and gTudging credence while the
action PAGES swiftly to the deNouement,
wrich Is held cleverly in suspense, The
audrr Ce FOR the time being fOrge.s the
tricks ard the shifting representations
I Of he central character and holds its
breath. waiting for whatever8 coming
next
Mr. Booth has transferred the outlines
! Cf the original move! 60 the stage with
Il selective faculty 80 excellent that the
gaps and siIetch.ness Of tho usual book
play" are avoided, and there Is a thcat-
more expansive and descriptive pages OF
-" novel The story Il Will be remem-
b'rcd, dealt with a British statesman
y the victim OF drugs aud alcohol. who al
n TIM o. crisis IL failing his country
, and his party. He meets N "A London
fog, on a day wheu T. has sigrally failed
in an important speech before Parlia-
nent, Il man who Is his literal double
Given a ,aSt chance by the party whir
10 redeem hi'rs' II and TO make history
20 drugs vanqusheS HIS good intention:
and his last opportunity. AIDED by his
trusted valet. hc manages 10 pass thc
& resp ms b!Ilty 90 hts ooubl", who. Il de.
vc'Ops l. really his Canadian cousin
cnIgTated % England 10 win fame as q
journalist and IN the lattcr's garre
R.nka INTO oblivion and eventually nerve
stricken death How the double restores
thr Statesman's reputation in Commons
hts frnl," and finely into his new spher'
of actor dcCciving the world of fashior
and politics, and finally 70 her alone
r"vea ing he secret, wins tho love o
the drug adi!C;s torsaken wife, max,
the impossible pot that somehow gain
p,uVsibiNty.
Mr PoSt acted supe-hly throughout
rc'h n Nis tense passages his drug'rld
den scenes and his brief moments o
'mrdy COMPARISONS have been mad
hrtw, ,en his role and the nCting Of Nj
Mansfc.d in "Dr Joky!l ard Mr. Hyde
IA they are hardly pertinent, since III
ThurstOn role Is one Of Two scparat
prrspuages and ~ animated by physlcd
. drives whereas Stevcnso eerte char
aCter ~ true case Of a dual persona!
.rv. preesnd by psychic urge
EIwyn Eaton as the body servant gay
q finely Drawn portrait Of loyalty Alic
John s"ntimrntaNzcd the neglected wif'
hut on ,hr whole was very acceptable
william II Sans and Reginald Caring
ton were excellent as the party whip an
IN" great partisan editor