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Show ! AMUSEMENTS ! I i COLONIAL THEATER "Mother," tonight. Curtain. 8 15. Last half of week, beginning Thursday, January Janu-ary I. "Tho Chocolate Soldier." OFtPIIEL'M THEATER Advanced vaudeville. All week. Matinee dally, nt 2:13. Evening performance, perform-ance, SI3. GA 11 RICK THEATER Gnrrick players play-ers will present "Wlldllrc" all week. Matinees today, Thursday and Saturday, Sat-urday, at 2;15. Evening' performance, perform-ance, S.1G. EMPRESS THEATER Sullivan-Ccn-sidlne vaudeville. All week. Matinee Mati-nee daily at 'J::!0. Evening performances perform-ances nl 7:K0 and t;15. F.IU changes , Wednesday afternoon. "Mother," a four-act drama of home life In a large city by Jules Eckert Goodman, Good-man, opened at the Colonial hist night Instead of yesterday afternoon, as scheduled. sched-uled. Owing to delayed train service the presenting company did not reach the 1 city in time to open with the matinee. The Goodman drama Is a. remarkable play. It finds it strength in Its appealing ap-pealing theme, a mother's lovn for her children. "Mother." as the title of the play, suggests cheap stage sentimentality through an appeal to tho elementary emotions. emo-tions. It also calls to mind a wheezy, family melodcon. "Where Is My Wandering Wander-ing Boy Tonight.' and the ornate lettering letter-ing on n placard draped in chintz and imng In the "best room." which reads. "God Bless Our Home." F.ut "Mother ' is a strong human play. Tho mother In .Mother." Mrs. Katharine Wcthcrlll, is not the maudlin creation of a cheap playwright. She Is a brisk, matronly, little woman who executes her maternal duties with an understanding of the ptactlcal side of her position. She is the mother of six children, a. trusting woman, but not without certain weaknesses weak-nesses where her children are concerned. Her two eldest boys, by their selfishness selfish-ness nnd Inexperience, get not only them- selves into trouble, but nil the remaining members of tho family. The finale is touching In the extreme, as eaciv of the two wayward boys, each confessing his faults and misdeeds, Seeks solace and comfort In the mother's arms- Her struggles strug-gles to save the eldest boy from disgrace and his fear and disgust at the outcome of a forgery he hus committed, lead to a splendid scene. A family conference, in which the sisters sis-ters are urged to make certain sacrifices sacri-fices In order to save their brother from prison, is another strong- scene well acted. act-ed. The first act gives the story us Interesting In-teresting start. The second act finds Its strength in an Interview between the mother and a mercenary soubrotie who would elevate herself by marrying the second boy for the money sh; thinks he will inherit. The last net is short, pathetic pa-thetic and rings true. Tho tired mother, happy at having1 her hoys with her again. Is seen putting her two youngest bovs, twins to bod. after they luid Indulged "in a battle royal In the bath tub. The producers of "Mother" were for tunate in llndlng such an artist as Katie Putnam for the. title part for the western west-ern tour. Sho is well known locally, and has laid by a goodly store of that subtle and much-songht-for thing called "fame." She Is completely at ease in her technique. tech-nique. In he portrayal she shows the wear and tear of the detail and never-ceasing never-ceasing responsibility consequent on the raising of her children to maturity. Hut she retains her spirit under the burden of her cares. Her smile breaks through the gloom of her household like the sun through a rift In the clouds Through the part there runs a pathetic tenderness, tender-ness, though her sense of humor is keen and frequently yielded to. Will Wothcrcll. the eldest boy. Is acted act-ed with tine repressed emotion by Frederick Fred-erick Burt. Aradath. the older girl, the gentle, sweet, sacrificing sister. Is played with delicacy and refinement by Margut Marrlam, The other members of the cast are all capable, earnest players, who do credit to the author's clover character charac-ter drawings. Aside from "The Courtiers." tlje big act at the Orpheum this week is Tom .N'iiwn and coinpanv in a tabloid playlet callefi "When Pat Was King" A hardworking hard-working Hibernian cats of a lotus plant and his dream of reincarnation, when he became ruler of Ireland one thousand years ago. constitute; the framework of the clever little comedy. The reception accorded Miss Ida Adair, the now leading woman at, the Garrlck. at Sunday evening's performance of "Wildfire." must have proven to her the spirit with which Salt leakers, greet the plays and players they like. At the cod of "the third act Miss Adair received an ovation that lasted for five minutes and not until she hail graciously acknowledged acknowl-edged threr curtain calls would the audience au-dience allow the show to proceed. j For the last time today "Swat Mllll-gan." Mllll-gan." the peerless bitter of the Poison Oaks, will swat the sphere out over the right field fence In Salt Lake tonight. The present bill at the Empress has been the best patronized since the opening of that house. Of unusual Interest to Salt Lakers is the appearance of a. little local lo-cal girl. Miss Eflle Kimball, on the bill. .Mlf-s Kimball is known on the stage us Effle Laurence. The garden ifcno In "The Chocolat Soldier." which comes to tho Colonial for three nlzhts. beginning Thurfday next. Is aglow" with soft color and sunshine, a. i bateau with marble terraces leading down to the blue waste of the Danube. The Intoxicating Straus music is fur-nlhod fur-nlhod by the Whltnev Orern Comlqu orchestra! of twenty-five piece. |