New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-10-16
WHITE CARGO
WELL RECEIVED
First Legitimate Drama in Years
Put Oh at Lyceum


a capacity house greeted the first
Legitimate" production given In this
city In several years last evening
when the Lyceum management In
augurated It's new policy OF present.
ing for the edihcation of New Brit
ain playgoers road companies play
ing New York successes. White
Cargo" play dealing with the men,
tai and moral decay of white men
forced TO live, with few Of their kind,
In Africa. had the honor ofbeing the
first OF n seasons program and the
production won considerable de-
served applause from an appreciatiye
audience.
While the company was obviously
not the group that was responsible
for the success OF the production in
the larger cities, there can he no
fault found with the enactment Of
he roles. II following productions
by other companies are as good as
was last nights presentation it is
safe to say that the Lyceum man
agement will quickly find its scheme
a success and New Britain will be-
come a city where first class COM
panies appear more regularly. 1t was
announced last night that the next
legitimate drama will be staged
about the last Of this month.
The action Of white Cargo" takes
place on the West Coast OF Africa
where the audience finds a doctor
(Jack 7. Leigh. a missionary O3ert
Wood. and two representatives OF
British interests. Witzel Cornelius
Roddy) and Ashley (Hoaper l..
Atchley) awaiting the arrival of the
man who Is TO take Ashley's place,
Langford Maxwell DriscolD. Ash
ley's eagerness to get home and Wit
zels cynical remarks concerning the
climate and the country give an idea
Of what the newcomer has to face.
Langford Is young and eager. re-
solved to beat the country at the
game in which many men had failed.
hut is quickly told by Witzel that he
will become slipshod and besottcd,
like the rest, and will probably even
tually take UP with a native woman
| for lack Of female companionship.
He resolves that he will not and the
following scenes show his degenera-
ton. He marrios "Tondelayn" truth
HalD after he is convinced that he
is fooling Witzel by SO doing Efforts
OF missionary, the doctor and Wit
zel TO dssuade him are unavailing.
Things go from bad to worse, the
damp rot" gets into his soul and
finally his wife, firing of him, tries
/ to poison him after being told tina t
the wedding bonds hold until death
Witzel catches her and makes her
drink her own poison, While Lang
ford, ill. goes back home"
Cornelius Roddy was particularly
effective in the scene following Lang
ford's statement Of his intention TO
marry. He extracted much dram
from his lines and delivered them in
a convincing manner. He received a
we'll earned burst of applause at the
curtain. As the bitter, disillusoned,
but good hearted denison OF Africa
for some years he was we'll cast.
Jack T. Leigh portrayed the doctor,
driven TO the desert through drink,
in very good manner, also getting
considerable applause. I.angford
played his part with finish and con-
siderable effectiveness. Ruth Hall.
the halfbreed woman, full of Sex
appeal, pictured the types she rep
resented gracefully and well. Other
parts were we'll taken.