San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-24
BIC HOUSE SEES
. PREMIER Of
/ 5. A. PLAY
.-.
Critic Sees Bright Future for
Thru the Years.
Starring Dexter.

municipal audltOrlum--itself scarcely
out of the birth throes night.
As an event, it was significant for
it was the first time any play,
destined for the ultimate consumption
OF Broadway customers, went through
its initial production in San Antonio.
1t was probably the largest audience
that ever witnessed dramatic pro.
duetion at least in America. Nearly
5000 saw the play. ,
As play, it hasa rough read to
travel before it finally reaches the
Mecca Of producers dreams.
Tremendously Handicapped BY an
auditorium twice too large for spoken
drama, half the audience never knew
what it was all about. Those that
did hear, enjoyed the play, although
there were times when the continuity
was confusing.
1t was an assembly of ideas, woven
into plot bit too loosely. with some
very clever acting-and some that was
disappointing.
Elliot Dexter, a cinema favorito
vas disappointing ON the stage, as
cinema fayorites are apt to be when
they go in for the spoken drama. He
failed to project himself, or the charac.
ter he was portrgying, across the
first ten rows of seats. To be charit-
able, he had the poise that comes with
years OF training. toward the close
OF the action, and he took the final
curtain well.
Sara Southern, co-starred with Mr..
Dexter, was clever and able. Her
tears were real and at the Same time
not lacking in appeal, which is at
once an accomplishment. Obviously Of
the late school Of dramatic training,
she promises TO do really wonderful
things with the part when it is
smoothed out for her.
HOUSE TOO LARGE.
Z Her first appearance, as a Gibson
type Of 1905, half venturesome, half
shy, WIS characteristic. As the wife
OF 1910, she was very genuine, al-
though not quite so convincing. Her
emotional passages were her best
and could not pass without attention. |
In these she showed great ability.
Mary louise WBlker, as the much.
divorced Charlotte Stevens. the most
human character of the authors |
Imagination, was splendid in the role,
exceptionally adapted to the cynical
ssllies of the woman Of poisc. Miss
Walker will travel all the way to
Brosdway with the prOduction--if il
survives the man-handling which is
due IL before it becomes a finished
drama.
ACOUSTICS POOR.
Herbert Quinn, in the role of Henry
Stevens, the double standard husband
Of popular mold, was sll that could
be expected.
Now let US be honest about the
play itself--if it had been produced in
n smaller house, it would have enjoyed
q far greater success. With the audi
torlum acoustics cut down by the
heavy curtains, that boxed in the vast
stage to something like reasonable
limits, and which still remained far
too large for speedy action, il was i'm
possible for the greater part Of the
audience to even tap the spirit Of the
play. Naturally, that is fatal, SO the
hearing was not fair.
The stage, in spite Of being boxed,
still was far larger than the average.
This cut down the action, and rctard-
ed the movement Of the scenes. Lines
were retarded as players did their
maratbOns toward the exits. 1t in
creased the action-time Of the play 50
per cent.
PLAYERS SHOUT.
The players themselves did not have
fair chance.
Compelled to abandon the action Of
the plot, they performed almost en-
tirely under the proscenium ar and
shouted at the top Of their lungs try.
ing 10 make themselves heard past the
first few rows. II is possible that can.
vass wings, in place Of the silk dra-
peries, would have eliminated this
acoustic fault and enabled the play
10 be hard.
But il is q tribute 10 the play
that those who were able to hear. from
beginning to end, were held by a plot
that lacked polish, and lines that were
sometimes clever, sometimes trite.
Presented on a stage bali the size
in a theater small enough for the au.
dience 10 hear; wits the actors read
ing their lines instead Of shouting,
and acting instead Of breathlcssly
running down 10 the foOtlights for
their lines and then racing for exits
many yards away-prcsented in this
way the play would be intensely inter.
esting and filled with dramatic values.
FAULTY CONTINUITY.
Every curtain was good, and there.
in lies the punch.
The continuity was faulty, there
we're a number Of tritc lines that can
and will be eliminated, but these are
common to all first performances.
The important thing is that the
framework is there, and if carefully
handled, Producers Gordon aud
Branch will have valuable property
by the time the play has survived its
first weeks on the road.
II the play rounds into shape quick
IT,, they intend to take il to the Paci-
file coast for the summer season, and
open in New York next fall. II they
decide their idea requires complete re-.
handling, they win disband the com
pany through the summer months, re-
write the play. and open in New York
this fall with what will amount 10 a
new productions built around the same
plot.
II would be interesting 10 witness
the play IN Austin tonight, where II
viii have chance 10 really show it,
worth on o stage Of reasonable size.
and in house where IL can be heard.