Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-03

common That's the difference between
Laura and the less fortunate" members
belonging to the set of rotten women
The only decent people in the whole play
are John Madison, a Western chap, who
makes a bargain with Laura that she
Ego straight" and some day he Would
come for her and make her his wife,
he promises to 'go straight" himself and
Jim Weston, an actor.
Laura returns from Denver to New
York and takes up her abode in fur
nished room of a cheap actors boarding
house. Laura without funds and with
out work, refuses to sacrifice to Keep
her promise to Ego straight.
She returns to Brockton on the former
terms. Rr0ckton demands that Laura
write a letter to Madison explaining that
she has gone back to Brockton as his
mistress. She writes the letter but never
mails it. She tells Brockton that she
mailed the letter She is so weak that
she Lies" to both men, In the big
scene Of the play, Madison comes to New
York to marry her. Then BrocktOn dis
covers that Laura never mailed the
letter.
Laura, only thinking of her own hap
piness. plans to marry Madison with the
lie on her lips She nearly succeeds but
key jangles In the door of her apart
ment and Brockton enters. Madison real
ICES that Laura has lied to him. He
wants to marry a woman who can be
good. Laura il too weak for him.
She tries the sob stuff, but he is a
real man" and when she threatens to
shoot herself if he leaves, he calmly calls
her colored maid into the room and asks
her to be a witness TO the affair and to
see that the suicide is voluntary.
Laura is so much of coward that she
can't pun the trigger.
Brockton having been ordered out of
the place and Madison leaving a few min
utes afterwards, Laura is left alone. She
wells for Annie, her maid, TO unpack her
trunks. pick out her prettiest gown and
hat because she was going CIT to make a
hit"
This is pretty sordid and rotten stuff.
1t is poor, mighty poor entertainment
from a play standpoint, but 1t is mag
nifciently acted by Miss Starr and her
company. It's a pity that much tai
ent is wasted on such cheap theatrical
stuff as this
Personally, I do not think for one
minute that Mr.. Walter has banded his
question honestly. We find Laura want
ing to step from the mistress class IN the
first act; in the second she makes
weak struggle to step out Of the class,
but she fails. In the third act she is
living in luxury, but at heart she is
only a harlot. In the fourth act. she is
so bad that she can't carry cut her only
clean idea-that Of self dos ruction.
Personally / do not care for Laura
Murdoch as a character but l do relish
the artistry and polished emotional work
Of Frances Starr Her work is truly
wonderful but the stage does not need
Laura Murdoch.
am giving you the cast in full:
John Madison .............Ro Robert Kelly
Willard Brockton ........J Joseph hl4gour
Laura Murdoch ............F Frances Starr
Eliie st. Clair.........L Laura Nelson Han
Annie Observation-Disclosures Marion Kerby
MIS-. W llllamE ..-.-..-.. eTis isoI
In the emotional third and fourth acts,
Miss Starr reveals her emotional artistry
in its most advantageous phases. Really
wonderful work but even the wonderful
acting Of Miss Starr never can make me
sympathize with Laura. Laura IS such
a liar for happiness. Joseph A1gour as