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Show The Masquerader ! Wins Favor at Salt Lake THE opening ' performance last nlsht at the Salt Lake theater of the Guy Bates Post company in John Himier Booth's dramatization of "The Mas-querader," Mas-querader," by Katherine Cecil Thurston, exceeded In brilliant acting and all-around all-around excellent production the most optimistic expectations. The audience was unusually responsive and a feeling of sympathetic understanding between actors and auditors was established from the moment the voices and indistinct figures appeared through the mists of the mysterious mys-terious prologue. John Chilcote, member of parliament, a victim of the drug habit, is unable longer to conceal his condition from friends and political constituents. He conceives the idea of getting John Loder, a clever, bui Unrecognized, newspaper man to take his place, make the speech which is vital to his own reputation and of much importance im-portance in the hour of England's need. In this scheme he is ably abetted by his faithful manservant, Brock, who pleads his cause and persuades Loder. who is his replica in looks, to take his place. The situations which arise afford opportunity op-portunity for acting of a high order. Mr. Post, in the dual roie of John Chilcote and John Loder, reaches the heights of artistic characterization in roies which present some difficulties. His work was enthusiastically received lai night and, after repeated curtain calls following the second act, he responded with a short speech, in which he expressed appreciation apprecia-tion for himself and associates. Alice John, as Eve Chilcote. is realistic in her portrayal of the typical good woman pieading her cause. Ruby Gordon, as Robbins, does some good emotional work and her cockney accent is natural. Elwyn Eaton Is especially good in his passionate pleading scenes with his master, mas-ter, and his despair when he finds that Chilcote Is dead from an overdose of the drug is effective because of the simplicity of his art. Audrey Anderson, as the Lady Lillian Astrupr. mistress of the degraded Chilcote. the "lady of the golden dreams." is all that one expects in a lady siren ar.d is very attractive to the eye. The play will be continued tonight, Friday Fri-day and Saturday, with matinees today and Saturday. |