Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-02-06
SANTA FEaDRAlN42LEAGUE ACHIEVES
TRIUMPH IN PRESENTING "GRUMPY";
EXHIBIT OF NEW DAVEY PAINTINGS
Clever Play Draws Large Houses; May Come to AIbu-
querque; New Exhibits in Santa Fe Art Circles and New
HonorS to Its Members; College Entrance Examination
Center TO Be Established in Santa Fe.

That p. J. O. Nordfeldt, great
rs an artist OF the modern school,
equally as great as an actor, was
practically the consensus of opinion
IF a distinguished and critical au-
Hence which attended the presen-
alton of Grumpy by the Drama
seague of the Santa Fe Woman'S
dub in the auditorium of the Mu-
eum on Thursday and Saturday
.venings. To Mr.. Nordfeldt fell
he Interpretation of the leading
and most exacting part OF the four
act comedy and he triumphed com
pletely. In fact he may be said
have re-created the part and
mbued it with a convincing vital
ty that carried the play from the
Use of the curtain to the drop in
he final act.
Grumpy is a comedy of char
acter with a plot that helps to hold
he attention, although with the
portrayal of the garrulous, sharp
ongued, keen old criminal lawyer
by Nordfeldt, no plot would have
leen necessary to put the play over,
overwhelming applause was his
rom the start, whether it came
rom Governor and Mrs Mechem
and other state and legislative
lights who were present, or from
he more critical artists and
writer's who turned out in full
'orce. Mr. Nordfeidt was simply
delicious in his makeup, his char
icteI,ization, his acting. The play
built around and for Grumpy !
by the authors, Horace Hodges and
Wigney Percyyal, Grumpy is the
detective who solves the mystery
Of the white camelia and the lest
diamond. Three OF the acts take
place in the library of his country
lome near London, where he lives
IN retirement with his grand i,
daughter, the charming and vi
vacious Virginia Bullivant. Vir-
zinia DULLES and worships the old !
man, who submits TO her whims
with graciousness which con-
|Rasts wildly with the peppery
mper displayed toward everyone
Use.
The play opens conventionally
NTH a scene in which DR. and Mrs, ,
MacLaren, played admirably by
oscar Marinoff and Miss Claribel
Fischer, take leave from their
hosts, Andrew Bullivant and his
granddaughter, incidentally dis
tcussing the villain of the play, Mr..
parvis, and Virginia's lover, Ernest
Heron, who is Bullivant's grand
nephew. Heron is supposed to be
lin South Africa, but arrives at the
|Bullivant home that evening, hav-
hing in his custody the diamond
around which the plot hinges. Jar
|vis is o house guest who has won
the MacLarens and Virginia with
his manners and stories of exploits.
lHe is accompanied by Keble, his
kalet, who is in love with Susan,
Eirginias maid. Heron arrives un-
announced and il met by Susan,
&Nhom he leases and attempts toI
is. Susan pins a white camelia
Herons coat lapel, after wind
around its stem a hair she pulls
)nl her own head. II is this
melia and this hair which play
important a part in the further
Hromplications and the unraveling
|bf the plot, in which the theft of
The diamond is finally fastened up
n Jarvis. Add to these charac-
&ers Bullivant's valet, his butler
md a footman, as well as a Jewish
ealer in diamonds, who is not ad-
erse to making a crooked deal
Hnd there are characters enough
and plot sufficient to evolve a
Rapidly moving play with breath
less situations and opportunities
for wit, humor and character de-
lineation
Hope Butler as Susan was inim-
table. She was coy, captivating
maid, who played with a dash and
artistry that won the house. Mrs.
w. d. Ewart as Virginia carried
the exacting part of the leading
woman with dignity and charm.
Her beauty and grace, of course,
were a great factor in theesuccess
of the play. Clinton 2. Anderson, |
in the unthankful part of the VII
lain, Jarvis, made the most of a |
difficult part and won much praise
from critics. DIR. Robert O. Brown |
as the lover Of Virginia and the |
man who had been entrusted with |
the diamond, was a hero who had |
the audience with him throughout.
There was admirable restraint in
the love scenes in which he figured |
and while, like every one else in |
the play, he was subordinate to