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Show players MARGARET AXGLIN CAME AMONG her Salt Lake friends last, night as a full-fledged star. And her friends were not disappointed. Cautious and critical through the first two acts, the audience warmed up and at the climax of the third net gave to Miss Anglln a spontaneous and enthusiastic tribute that called her before the curtain again juiel again. Her appearance at the Halt I-teke Theater last night wus in a. play on an old -theme. "Zlra" It Is called, and it deals with a modern Magdalen. It is from the pen of Uenrv Alliler and Stanley Munners. Its tirst presentation was given less than two weeks ago. Naturally, some of the rough edges remain to be smoothed, but, there is a vein of strength through the. play that will undoubtedly bring Kiioecss in the hanelt. of Miss Anglin and the capable company with which Manager Frank Perley has surrounded his star. The action is laid during and succeeding the Boer war in South Africa. Af-rica. Hester Trent, whose life has been marred by man's deception and woman's wors than weakness, becomes be-comes a, Red Cross nurse. She meets a former acquaintance. Ruth Wilding, just bereft of a father, who is going to England to seek the protection of an aunt. Lady Clavering. A chance shell . strikes Ruth Wilding, and Hester Trent, seized by impulse, takes the supposed dead woman's passports and takes Ruth Wilding's place in the English Eng-lish home. She takes up mission work In the London slums with her cousin, the Rev. Gordon Clavering. who, in admiration, calls her Zira. Then the real Ruth Wilding appears to claim her own. and doctors say her mind is diseased. The denoumcnts following afford opportunities for emotional acting; act-ing; of a high order, in which Miss Anglin rises to great heights, fulfilling the predictions of her friends. The confession of Hester Trent at the close of the third act is as affective a bit of acting as could be desired. It proves the salvation of the play and. with the revision which Author Manners, who is In attendance upon the performances, is making. "Zlra' 'should stand the . test of public approval. Mis Anglin has a supporting companv much above th average, including Fnrhk Worthing Worth-ing as the Rev. Gordon Clavering. Mrs. Thomas Whiffen as Lady Clavering, ' Kdward Emery as Capt. Arnold Syl-, Syl-, vester and Blanche Stoddard as Ruth v Wilding. A real ovation was given to Mrs. Whiffen. who Is most pelasantly remembered in Salt Iake. "Zira" will be given again tonight, after which Miss Anglin and company will go to "San Francisco for a long engagement. HARRY CORSON CLARKE WILL AP-pear AP-pear at the Grand theater tonight in "Why Smith Left Home." |