OCR Text |
Show DRAMATIC "SALVATION NELL." By T. G. With his theme, "the love that saves the world," Edward Sheldon .pictured a phase of New York life in his play "Salvation Nell" in a way that early stamped him as a master builder of the drama, and the wonder is that his later plays, "The Nigger" and "The Boss" do not show that he is Improving as he matures; but then, he is young yet and even if he never writes another play as great as "Salvation Nell" that alone will be enough by whir' to gauge his splendid ability. Set in the ve v midst of the brutalizing atmosphere at-mosphere which is always prevalent in certain quarters of the Metropolis, the contrast in the triumph of love is all the more striking in such environment. While there is no discounting its daring, while some of the language may not exactly be described de-scribed as subtle in mentioning the proverbial spade, it is full of virility and strength and if the realism makes one gasp, if it is reeking of the tenderloin and portrays to the letter the facile fa-cile ways of livelihood of those who exist therein, even the frank picture of the garrish night life there is a hundred per cent healthier than the nasty problem play. Possibly it would be as well for the young and unknowing to be spared the vivid scene in Sid McGovern's bar with its drunkenness, thuggery, its story of the raid next door, its brutality, its bullies and bats and maquereaux, but out of the maelstrom of vice comes a lesson noble and uplifting, up-lifting, though it may not appeal to those who usually think things are unpleasant unless the surroundings sur-roundings are of the drawing room variety. The Garrick Stock company is to be greatly congratulated on the production and - Mr. Ber nard is due especial commendation for the excellent excel-lent staging of the play. It was particularly pleasing to those who had not seen the Fiske production and even those who had were not disappointed dis-appointed with the work of the Garrick mummers at the Salt Lake theatre. In that statement there is no implied comparison between Mrs. Fiske and Miss Adair, or Holbrook Blinn and Thurston Hall; but it must be said that both Miss Adair and Mr. Hall have acquitted themselves remarkably well in their difficult roles, their finished performances in this play resulting from the fact that they have previously appeared in it and consequently were not called upon to master the roles in the usual time. Of the opportunities that abound In "Salvation Nell," Miss Adair takes quick advantage, and from the time she enters, her fortitude and self-abnegation self-abnegation are apparent. Then in the second ! and greatest act when Piatt returns, loveless and hurling Imprecations at the world, as Wilde would kV say, "knowing upon the day of the release that he was going from one prison to another," it is then that her expressions a' perfect keys to every emotion under which she is struggling, and this without apparent effort. Thurston Hall as Jim Piatt plays the part beautifully most of the time and portrays the evolution of one who coming from poverty and degredation battles, first for bread and then for booze, and "up the river" and back again until what is good in him for there is something good in everyone finally asserts itself. it-self. - The Myrtle O'Dell of Margaret Dills was a personal per-sonal triumph for that young lady, and by far the best piece of character work she has ever done during her career in this city. As the girl who hasn't any troubles money won't cure she pictured pic-tured the "sport" in a way that needed no retouching re-touching and did it unreservedly, without over-painting over-painting or over-acting or unduly coarsening the role. Her performance was simply splendid, and ff in saying that one is not unmindful of the artistry in Hope L lam's origination of the part. Thero are a dozen little touches of color in the play, carried to such perfection that it is regrettable that they all cannot bo mentioned; but from the imprecations of the low brows to the aweetost appeal ap-peal of Salvation Nell, aft coiabine to make it a great play by an author who knows and with a company which at popular stock prices now and then proves itself capable of city form. |