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Show I JTOA J jFVr5 Nighters H EMPRESS STOCK H When Bayard Veiller was pounding out copy H up in a Main street newspaper office at $25 a H week, and dreaming of the day when one of his H successes would be flashed in the electric lights H on Forty-Second street for month, after month, H he probably didn't figure that a. short time after 1 that a splendid stock company in a new 'theatre M across the road from the window where he was H wrestling with an Underwood, would be playing H his first success "Within the Law," right hero in H Salt Lake where he chased news and threw it H into the hopper in time for the afternoon mail H edition. Well, that's what has happened. H "Withlii the Law," the first play presented by H the William Ernest Wilkes stock company is go- H ing strong before big audiences who are seeing H a production well finished and splendidly acted m and who from the nature of the expressions M heard, arc anticipating a fine season of stock at H the upper .Main street house. It is not so very m long ago that Margaret IUington and her people m were seen here in the play, and an involuntary m comparison is natural. Suffice to say that the 1 present production suffers little by comparison B nnd in many instances the players are better. M To close students of the drama, the most notice- B able work at the Empress is that of Mr. Wilkes m ns Joe Carson, the forger. The understanding M and interpretation of the part is perfection it- H self, hut then we are getting a little ahead of our H Miss Nana Bryant as Mary Turner, the sales- H woman who has done her ''bit" after having been H railroaded for a crime she did not commit, has H made a stronger appeal to Salt Lakers who know H actresses, than any leading lady who has been H here in stock since Marjorie Ilambeau, and with M the series of plays which the management prom- m ises to produce immediately, this actress will have B ample opportunity to prove that first Impressions M are not amiss. There is feeling, fire, intensity, M humor, everything in her makeup that the pare M demands. And it is easy to anticipate what she H will do in "The Yellow Ticket." The characters H are so various in "Within the Law" and the lines M give everyone such an opportunity to make a hit H that it is difficult to exactly judge the abilities of M the others, but there wasn't one who didn't fill the M bill, with the possible exception of Dora Mae Howe, who as Amy Lynch, the confidence woman, fell a little short of the mark readied by famous predecessors. prede-cessors. However, such parts are probably not her forte, for she is said to be a capable actress. Clifford Thompson as the younger Gilder, made an InstantuneouB hit, the inspector BurKe of Guy Hitner was not overdone as is usually the case and Mr. McNulty's "English Eddy" was excellent considering the star performers before him. There is this beauty about the Ernest Wilkes stock companies, playing in three cities, two on the coast and one here: there will he constant changes in the personnel of the performers, those who are better in different parts than others Who may be on the ground being switched for a week or two at a time. Something new in stock and something which will undoubtedly mean a great deal x. theatregoers. This much is certain, there is a real stock company up at the Empress and it is to be hoped that Mr. William Ernest Wilkes and his people in their contemplated presentation pres-entation of America's best royalty plays will reap the artistic and financial success they so richly deserve. SALT LAKE THEATRE Next week the Salt Lake theatre will offer Owen Davis' success, "Sinners," which William A. Brady, Ltd., brings to town Monday night for an engagement of four nights and Wednesday matinee. "Sinners" has to its credit three hundred hun-dred and twenty-one performances at the Playhouse, Play-house, New York. A synopsis of "Sinners" is as follows: Mary Horton comes to New York from a small town to seek her fortune. Chance takes her to Hilda Newton, who hails from the same village. Among Hilda's associates is a young man, Bob Merrick, who has just turned from a life of money grubbing to one of pleasure. He falls in love with Mary. As Mary is about to take the wrong path, her sanctimonious lover from the old home town comes to take her back to her dying father. Mary's New York friends come on an unexpected visit and what happens afterward happens quickly. The insufferable lover, who had misjudged Mary from her associations, makes an attempt to "jug" everybody's happiness, but fails. Mrs. Horton will not hear a word against her daughter, and in the end, emerge triumphant virtue, vir-tue, repentence and love. "Sinners" is in four acts and is said to be neither dull nor preachy, but rather is aglow with buoyant and infectuous humor. William David, Walter Walker, George D. Mac- ' Quarrie, William Caryl, Harry E. Humphrey, Helen MacKellar, Gertrude Dallas (of the New York cast), and who is well remembered here in Salt Lake City as former leading lady at the Colonial theatre stock, Roselle Knott, Beatrice Noyes and Florence Beresford. UTAH STOCK ' The Misleading Lady," the quaint comedy of Charles Goddard and Paul Dickey which had some success in New York and which has never before been seen here, was the opening offering K m at the- Utah, our new community theatre, and J was presented by a company of players, most of whom evidence the 'fact that the Utah theatre is going to enjoy a successful season and its patrons pa-trons a scries of artistic treats. "The Misleading Lady" is a peculiar combination combin-ation of comedy with a well defined love story running through, and is so very different from most modern comedies, that the interest seldom slackens. As Helen Steele, the girl who is carried away to the cabin in the Adirondacks, Roxanne Lansing, gave an idea of what she can accomplish accom-plish in more Important roles. As it was, her comedy was delicious, she has youth and vivacity vivac-ity and a latent strength that needs only the occasion to bring it out. Tom Powers, as Jack Craigen created a very favorable impression, acting act-ing the part with a reserve and understanding that won him many admirers. A chaiacter comedy role, that of "Boney," played by Harry Hayden, is one of the drollest offerings seen here in a long long time, and Mr. Hayden assumed the difficulties of the part in a way that stamps him as an earnest, painstaking, painstak-ing, versitile actor. "Boney" is an escaped lunatic, luna-tic, harmless, however, his hallucination being that ho is Napoleon. There is not one touch in the i characterization that escapes him and his first I appearance here has truly been a triumphant one. With one or two unimportant exceptions, the other players rendered excellent support, and if in one or two instances improvements might have " been made, they may be forgotten in the general artistic work, the eye to detail in the staging and the embellishments of the house together with a musical program quite in keeping with the high ideals with which the venture has been launched. Art for art's sake is difficult Jn any man's country and especially so with so much commercial commer-cial competition, but the Utah players, Miss Bab-cock, Bab-cock, Mrs. Gunn, Mr. Cummings and all associated associat-ed with the furthering of the project should receive re-ceive complete encouragement. ' ORPHEUM William Morris, finished actor, not of the old school, but of that school which brought us so many high class performers and now is becoming old, in his own sketch "Mrs. Temple's Telegram," and a company eminently qualified to support him, with the exception of Eloise Murray who is a bit too intense, lias received a pleasant welcome wel-come from old friends here while headling the Orpheum bill which is as a whole, not so good as those of preceding weeks of tne season. That "Mrs Temple's Telegram" was not entirely en-tirely new to some of those who .have seen it during the week made it none the less pleasing1, and the excellent manner in which it is played raisers it about the average one act farce in . vaudeville. The "writer first saw Mr. Morris in ' Lost Paradise" so many years ago that we have -tried to forget the exact date, but the fine impression im-pression he made has never been erased, though often one wonders why, with an ability so appealing ap-pealing at that time, he has never 'been heralded as a great star. Mason, Wilbur and Jordon open the bill with a pantomino effect in which slapsticks play a prominent part, and then we have "4 Melodious chaps 4" presenting "something different in quartettes." They sure do, and how they ever broke the barrier and got on the big time must be a dark secret, unless it is because they were put on with the idea that the audience would twig how serious they take themselves. The solo singer of the four and the violinist are as big a scream as have ever been seen on the circuit, cir-cuit, and while in reminiscent mood, wouldn't it have been wonderful if they had appeared with the Cherry Sisters when they were in their prime? However, lots of people are setting uesd to domestic do-mestic camembert, owing to the difficulties of importation since the war. Their act finished with a rendition of "Old Black Joe," and we distinctly dis-tinctly felt a slight vibration of the nullding as he turned in his grave. The Orquesta Forreblanca in a series of selections se-lections are scoring tremendously though there 'is a prevalence of dreamy music rather than that with a dash In it in what they play. They are all excellent musicians and the drummer is a corker. Stewart Jackson and Dorothy Wahl have a skit called "Before the Theatre," in which is included in-cluded some excellent music, Mr. Jackson's playing play-ing and dancing being the principal feature. Miss Wahl Is deceptive when she first appears just as some athletes are in their store clothes, but there is considerable to Miss Wahl and she makes no bones about it, that is if modern corsets cor-sets are supposed to contain bones. The Jewel Trio brought an old Salt Lake favorite, fa-vorite, Harry Riechman, back to town some jump from the cabaret to the Orpheum circuit. He is a little cleverer than ever and has so much initiative ond personality that it is to be regretted he does not depend on it entirely, but resorts to some of the tricks that made Frank Tinney famous fa-mous and also uses a few of Harry Fox's inimitable in-imitable atunts. Riechman is a comer and is going go-ing to find a big place, but thei' is no occasion tor him to depend upon anythh , but his own H ability and certainly no reason for him carrying H a foil or two who cannot assist him in his work. H James Teddy is a remarkable jumper in the H eyes of those who appreciate athletic perfonn- H ances of the kind, and the Travel Weekly, which H rounds out the bill, is as beautiful and interest- H ing as ever. H The attractions at the Orpheum next week, H starting tomorrow afternoon, are headed by "The H Society Buds," a large musical comedy, featuring H Gladys Clark and Henry Bergman as the prin- H cipals. When last seen here, Clark and Bergman B were with "The Trained Nurses." Their pres- H ent vehicle is from the pens of Le Barron and H Bowers, who furnished all of the material for H that very well received hit of the last season H Orpheum musical comedies, "The Red Heads." B A feature of "The Society Buds" will be "The H Chained Anltle Glide" in which each "Bud" will H dance a diminutive Fox Trot with her ankles B fastened together by a short silver chain. H It is claimed by the Orpheum management H that a wealth of costume and design will be dis- H played in this musical production. H Foster Ball and Ford West will present their H character study, entitled "Since the Days of '01." H Mike Bernard and Sidney Phillips will be heard H in song and piano selections. H The Gaudsmidts, eccentric comedians, with B their French poodles, will stage a dog act; Mabel H Ford, who once shone with the Famous Four B Fords, but who is now in vaudeville by herself H will dance various steps from the buck and wing H to the classic; Master Frankie Murphy is a young B Californian who is a ballad singer and Claude H Rauf will be seen in his combination of agility fl and skill. H H PANTAGES Hj The return of "The Shadow Girl," which is W now playing its home coming engagement at Pan- 1 tages, is being received by packed houses at every performance attesting the fact that the composer of the sketch, Margaret Whitney, as well as the members of the cast are strong local favorites. "The Shadow Girl" has Just completed a very successful suc-cessful tour of the circuit and the only change in the cast has been, that of the role of Molly Dean, one of the leading parts formerly played by Wanda Lyon and in which Stella Watt now appears ap-pears to excellent advantage. She has made a great hit locally and has a voice, good looks, poise, verve and daBh. The chorus is more effective ef-fective than before having become seasoned with road work, and presents a very professional appearance. ap-pearance. Sam Mint and Clarence Wertz start things off with some eccentric comedy acrobatics and a brown bore billed as Brown breezes blithely by but bats below .50. There is nothing clever about his dancing which is pro'longed interminably and he is handicapped by an idea of comedy that is very messy. The Musical Gordon Highlanders play various instruments, some appealing and some uncanny, but they are canny Scots at that and give a very good performance. It would be just as well to put Clark and McCullough out in the alley on Tuesday morning when the ash man calls, and Kelly and VIolette billed as "Swells From the Pacific," prolong their act into monotony. monot-ony. Violette is a swell all right, she is immense. She would be wonderful in the leading role in a revival of "La Clgale," and Kelly would be better in some rag-time than in sentimental ballads. My gawd, feller! Eddie Fitzpatrick has to hear those twenty-one times. For the coming week, a special engagement of the Royal Italian Sextette is announced. These are stars of the late Lombard! Grand Opera company, com-pany, presenting gems from the greatest operas. An extra added attraction will be Edmund Hayes and company in "The Piano Movers" and also on the big bill will be Belle Oliver, "the queen of syncopation"; John P. Reed, the minstrel man; Marvel Movies, Dorsch and Russel, the musical B A -bite SmwSmmmmummmmmwmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmW H HBS BhhhhhhhhBI AhhV flHSmBBv vuHk fl Hm BBBbHHB MmW J UhHK- i "Jnr oaKi , '1 B i HH mmm.iL mmVCj K i$ -m sSKtkiik 1 BBBBbHBSB flMv Wr'W W 4 gMKy I CLARK AND BERGMAN APPEARING AT THE ORPHEUM WITH "THE SOCIETY BUDS" TOMORROW HI BBm' railroaders and Lady Alice's pets, the children's delight. "WE ARE SEVEN" "It is a farce taken right out of the air that people who read newspapers and magazines are at the moment breathing, written with clever-ness clever-ness and the breeziest humor, yet with warm, human feeling and complete good taste." This is what Arthur Ruhl of the New York Tribune said of "We Are Seven," tho play which the Utah Players will present all next week. "We Are Seven" was written by Eleanor Gates, whoso "Tho Poor Little Rich Girl," caused no end of talk among playgoers from New York to San Francisco. And if the critics and the advance notices are to be believed, she has achieved quite as big a success with "We Are Seven." She has daringly chosen eugenics as the theme, and though her play ds truly farcical, yet many of its lines contain some pungent truths driven !home in a delightfully -whimsical fashion. And no- T'j where does she violate good taste in any way. "We Are Seven" begins Monday night. "THE YELLOW TICKET" AT EMPRESS The Ernest Wilkes Stock company opens its second week at the Empress theatre Sunday night, September 19, presenting the notable dramatic dra-matic success, "The Yellow Ticket." It is full of intensely dramatic situations, and through the plot runs a romance of unusual appeal. It is in reality an expose dealing with a phase of the existing ex-isting social conditions in Russia. The Ernest Wilkes Stock company has been further strengthened by the addition of an actor judged capable of handling the leading male roles. He will make his debut before Salt Lake playgoers play-goers Sunday night in "The Yellow Ticket," and his name is J. Anthony Smyther. Mr. Smyther NANA BRYANT LEADING LADY WITH THE ERNEST WILKES ' ' JK COMPANY AT THE EMPRESS, WHO HAS MADE A GREAT b AS MARY TURNER IN " WITHIN THE LA W" THIS WEEK has had a long career as leading, having starred in road and stock productions. Ho is described as tall, dark and handsome. Also he is said to have a personality which has made him a great favorite elsewhere. Ho is fond of outdoor sports, is an expert golf player and a great hall fan. Among his successes were: John Riter in "The Lion and the Mouse" and a star part in Ziegfeld's "Soul Kiss." A FIVE REEL THRILLER ' . Reel 1 Telephone bell rings and voice at the. other end of the wire says: "Is this Miss Billlon- WINIFRED BURKE, SECOND WOMAN WITH THE UTAH PLAYERS SS3 3S5SSKS8838ffiSE5S88& bucks? Ah, my dear, are you alone?" r "Yes, Count, the last rfcceptlon guest has Just, gone. I was thinking of you." "Oh, if I were only with my heart's idol What rapture! I would " Reel 2 Telephone IjqII rings. Far-away voice asks: Is this the garage? Well, I'm ten miles out on the State Pike, and my engine's gone dead. Tell me what to do with her." "Well, if I were you, I would " Reel 3 Green Telephone Operator: 'Something tells me that I've mixed the connections for the last two parties. Guess I'd better switch 'em before be-fore they get a chance to kick. Here goes." Reel 4 'Well, Count, what would you do? I'm waiting" " Shove her over in a corner and let her sit there till some boob came along who could tow her in!" Reel 5 "Hurry up, Garage. What would you do?" " Drop on my knees throw one arm about her exquisite body, and, while raining kisses upon her, ask her to be my wife!" Town Topics. |