The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-04-22
.VOODOO PLAY PORTRAYS
NEGRO SUPERSTITION.

BY j. a. jackson, Of the Billboard
New York City, April--On April 18th
and I the spectacular drama Taboo"
was presented on rather pretentious
scale by mixed colored and white cast
at the Sam ii. Harris theatre, New
York. 1t is understood tht after lent
there will be still more special
matinees, and that probably the show
viii be accepted BY one of the big
producers for commercial offering
The supersttiOus Of the race and the
friedly intimacy between many plan
tation hands and their mastrs' families
oners IA fruitful field for dramatic pos
sibilities, that need in no manner offend
or embarrass the scnsiblities of either
race. In this play, that thing has al
most-but not quite been accomplished
Except for sense OF incompieteness
that leaves the spectator in doubt as
to his conclusions, the play is wildly
interesting.
In them It follows closely to O'Neils
Emperor Jones" made famous by Gill
pin, in that its striking characteristic
rs the human tendency to succumb To
fear and superstition. This time Ii is
a white person as well as a Negro who
capitula'es. Margaret Wyscherly, a
very excellent artist seems in this in
stance to have tackled a part that is
bit too heavy for her. At least she
does not make It 50 distinctive as have
btNi SpA+lt VI i4tl prev iDNN characters.
The suggested iynching iu the last
act leaves a nasty taste ia the mouth.
y few more lines, the recovery of the
woman from faint, on some other ex-
planatory act would send both races
away from the show in amoTe satisfied
frame of mind. The struggling doubts
created by this conclusion eradicates
much ones recollection of the wildly
unfolded story that has led up to the
finale.
Far more entertaining, vet equally
effective as the TomTom of the Gilpin
production, was the choral singing of
the Elkins Choral study club that was
an Important feature of the attraction.
This group OF singers with the Happy
Rome orchestra in the pit invested the
occasion with a Very definite atmos-
phere of the Negro. Tribal melodies,
field songs, spirituelles and jazz, each
in its time and place, either low and
suggestive or vigorous and telling
contributed to getting the story over
May 1t be said of the producers that
attention to contributory detail is one
most crediable feature of the presen-
tation.
The most pronounced individual
achieEementV = the, piece were the
parts played BY Alex. Rogers and Mari,
stuart The portrayal of their res
pective parts evidenced not only know
ledge of dramatic values: but close
observation of the tynes they played
of African dances was a revelation.
While the Players from the Colored
Players Giuld did not achieve the fin
ished work accomplished by Mr.. Roger.
and Miss Stuart, they nevertheless die
much better than one is warranted in
expecting of student body. Miss
Dora Cole Norman sister of the late
Bob Cole has reason to be proud of the
training reflected in the students who
filled most of the parts.
In Cd -
authors dealing in mixed interests thai
il adds to the marketability to have
the issues clear. In Taboo, there II
room for Improvement, but it markl
an. advance. 1t adds to the opportuni
ties of Colored artists and CONVEYS t,
the general mind one big punch. II
one bit it is clearly demonstrated tina
the folks who know Negroes are al
ways being kept in the dark as to tn,
actual accomplishment of the race
whether it he a Voodoo meeting or a.
in modern times, the development o
commercial successes among us.