Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-02

tkosc mystery ond thr,N p!Gps, "Th,
Chcrlatan, rih Fred TidCn.
AT A rather late date. Philadelphia
"A is beginning to get acquainted viii
the much discussed Eugene O'Neilt
who. for a long time. was merely 4
name here.
We managed TO Sct on n noddin1
bass two years ago when his Chris
played q brief engagement at the Broad
Street Theatre. Emmet Corrigan
played the role Of the old sailor who
continually cursed his implacaNlc
enemy. tho "Ole Davil sea-: Lynn
Fontanne. who. by the way. comes here
IN another week in Dudley" played
his daughter and Arthur Ashley. for
mer screen star and last year in ''ih"
Man Who Came Back" was the Matt
Burke.
But Chris didn't live long. Pco-
pie liked the salty flavor and the won
derful atmosphere OF mistral and sea-
weed aboard the barges. but they
didn't care much for the plot structure.
.Anno Christie" later. ate @ up It popped
E0itolos Hairy again, now under
Inan Soon the name of "Annc
Christie scored
IN unmistakable success. and Is due 20
reach Philadelphia later this fall.
Parenthetically. O'Neill did the most
unusual and herctical thing here Of
completely wreck!ng his heroine 5
character so that now, instead ot a
sweet and innocent miss, sh" is n
hardened and disillusioncd woman OF
the world.
However. to get back 70 PMladrl-
a., otDt \nil
ind that Beyond the Horizon. un-
doubtedly one of his finest efforts.
1ever reached here, and so It was let
for ''The Emperor Jones' that weird
accentuation of the Tom Tom : note on
q mans feelings. to again introduce its
author to US.
And now with the opening Of the
new season we find The Hairy Ape,
one of the more recent in point of pro-
duction of the O'Neill dramas. as the
Lyrics attraction. It's worthy of note
that this city happens to have the
chance to see the two most definitely
tantastical of the Provincetown drama.
lists efforts before the others.
Beyond the Horizon" The First
Man" THE Straw Diff rent and
Gamma Christie" are all of them un-
diluted realism. ''rhe Emperor Jones
Esnd ''.The Hairy Ape" are strange COM
binations Of stern reality and startling
unreality, though it must be confessed
that the latter play adheres more closely
10 normal and conventional dramatic
structure.
THE Hairy Ape" fortunately does
not depend SO largely on the atmosphere
supplied by actual stage settings as did
The Emperor Jones. which became
pIeposterous when the settings failed
to secure the illusion. The stokehold Of
the ocean liner, the parade Of society on
Fifth avenue. the I. W. w. hcadquar-
tefs-all of these scenes depend not SO
much on their outward form a on the
words that are spoken by the actors on
the stage at those particular times. 1t
remains to be seen just how well those
actors acquit themselves.
The role of the filthy stoker whose
ebscenities offend the sensitive ears Of
the girl who visits the hold is played
BY Louis Wolheim, already known to
aim fans for most admirable gar.
goylish' characterization in Orphans
Of the Storm and a sinister bit in
''Sherlock Holmes Wolheim Is n
''hnd" of Lionel Barrymore's. and is
q Cornell graduate and expert mathe.
matician. 1t is around him the whole
play centers-around his obsesson that
he doesn't belong" and his attempt to
:, wreak vengeance on the girl who called
him beast"
NIHAT few portions Of the human
w spine were left untouched by chils
and thrills during the long run of'The
Bat" are promised TO be visited and
thoroughly tingled By The Charlatan, :"
the Walnut's first Offering.
Perhaps, the main difference between
the two Is that this new Offering com
bines the magical with the mclodrama.
~, tic. Fred Tiden,
Nogsc CSes remembered as the
" ThTiHeT villain OF THE
ct Walnut Bad Man, who
was forced to die
twice every night, plays the role of the
Count Cagliostro, a 1922 edition Of the
Old French character. In the course
Of the play he is called upon 10 por.
form regular tricks of magic, as proof
OF which we find the Company> equip
ment to include a number Of rabbits
And, speaking of these results, the
most amazing fact Is 70 be noted--the
company In The Charlatan" here is
not only not advertised as the original
New York cast, but even admitted TO
b changed in some Instances. There
have been several minor changes among
VI
cast, and an entirely new batch of cot
tOntails now play their tiny, but i'm
portant, roles of implements of magic.
In fact. the rabbits of the Philadelphia
east are the grandchildren of tho origi-
nal New York bunnieS, and un-
doubtedly hold the record for early ap-
pearance on the stage as they were born
emily last week.
An interesting member of the cast
y William Podmore, who last played
here in Dear Brutus," as the ecrie
ana nimble Lob" who played havoc
With the other characters Of that Barrie
drama. 1t was vivid and unforget
tnble enactment of that Puckish elvin
pesson.
HE purpose Of the stage melo.
= deGmGt1c mystery play seems to be
4 oAaa0ln0; one might almost san il is
" oeasMing more metodramatic and Iess
l{1n0stestoss, but that isn't achoHy the
\ 49,. II 10 a fact, howerer, that hair.
\ dieine thrills (supplied by spooky
ubNds at Dirdors, shots in the darg
/. esd ohostly phtte dguresJ are more n,
stvk right no~ than those phose
el1Mtal hazard affairs nhich became
) mathematical problems IN guessino
ssspAo killed Cock Robin" Not fhat
psopIe are not killed as they used 10 be
B cd other people suspected Of killing
fAkna hat in r0rkfnU ouf m. ,n,s, 49,,