Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1915)
3 IF "A FULL HOUSE" BY UNRECOGNIZED AUTHOR FAILS, IT WILL NOT BE ANY FAULT OF CAST Farce Is Woven About Time-Worn Methods to Win Laughs, Even so Far as to Include Stumbling Theme Might HaTe Been Worked Out Differently With More Success What Charles Frohman's Stars Will Do, Now That He Is Dead, Is Problem. Z5fe Portland's Great Amusement Park $20,000 of Fun for a. Dime at V V TITE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, MAY 23, 1915, MSB fepfi ACS . -3 Yn7 1 - 'H'i -- r -V - V -$ ,.J ni 'aW Vv iJT - "'- ( V- i ISr: vf .,. .' i ,'.L' t,... I . rrrrr.-s.cws,; V3 J Jill x w--.v- - r Hw . - n Tzo rt. 1 ; .i t i . J a . , r W: ; ! ji M 1 1 Silk i cp, i i ! !! I r ; Xlfi ! !j illiffiplfe: " ' Jy:!!tl!i!i il!iipjH! Iplllll! ! !!Pili . i Unknown authors are having , ' V ,1 1 1 ' v ' , . . 1 J. . 1 M , 1 I ; .'io. .s v I'll - i III i II t 1 X Tl """""" "!v s V ' HY LLOVO K. bONERGAN. EW YORK, May 22. (Special.) Unknown authors are having their chance this Spring, perhaps because managers have found that the well-known writers uannot' be depended upon to till their houses. This lias been shown again In the case or "A Full House." written by Fred .lackson this maiden race for the royalty stakes) and produced at tlie Longacre Theater. 'o one can deny that the plav has an excellent name, for "A Full House" Is what every manager is hunting for. The offering-, however, is a rather loose ly written farce and embodies much comic material that has been the stand by of farce writers for many genera tions. The story starts out with a plot. A lawyer, who seeks to recover love let ters to a chorus girl, gets by mistake the handbag of a burglar containing a stolen ruby necklace. An experienced writer would have made the search for the jewels the clearly-defined theme of his three acts. Mr. Jackson falls to do this. Of course the police are called in. there Is necessarily the visit of the thief to recover his luggage, and the Inevitable quest for the gems hidden In the stockings of a servant girl searching for the reward for them. The second act. however, Is built up out of single episodes, some of which are often amusing enough to keep the spectators in constant laughter. .lust the same it was interesting to watch the piece as It progressed from one physical and acrobatic stunt to -another, and realize how the central Idea would have made excellent fun if it had been adhered to. But the author seemed content to have single Incidents follow others with which they were not connected. The characters tried every old device to produce laughter, includ ing stumbling Into one another and falling over each other's feet. It was a jiu-jitsu method throughout. The tempo was enough to make speech In comprehensible and the action was rapid rather than plausible. One of the women characters, shrieking In hysterics, was carried across the stage and up a flight of stairs by hair a dozen other performers, while a policeman supplied humor by saying that it was possible for the characters In an apart ment to' come in. but Impossible for' them to go out. The cast was much better than the vehicle. George Parsons is an expert player of farce, his air of naturalness and lack of exaggeration making him especially valuable in such plays. May Vokes. In her special line, is always amusing, and Herbert Corthell scored as a fat thief. Hugh Cameron pleased as the policeman, while excellent work was done by Elizabeth Nelson, Maud Gordon, Kdgar Norton and Jtalph Mor gan. If "A Full House" does not live up to its name it will be the fault of the author and not that of the actors. Now that Charles Frohman Is dead, what will become of the stars who have appeased under his management? The. public announcement Is that busi ness will continue Just the same, prob ably under the management of either Daniel Frohman or Alf. Hayman and John D. Williams. The stars will have to be consulted, however, as none of them is under contract, and many of them. It is known, have been anxious to retire before this, but remained In harness because of the pleadings of "C. F." It wa3 a peculiarly happy family, that of the Frohman stars. All of them had been developed under his manage ment . and they comprised a united family. The work was pleasant, the Mme. Jeanne Mo H IN Special Engagement After Triumphant Tour of Orpheum Circuit mmm mmmm By Nason and His Band 8 Boston i Troubadours Musical Hits bv a Host of Pretty Girls Prima Donna Punch and I Judy For the Kiddies " " - J -rV ijrr 1 ififii- remuneration sure and none of them ever thought of going elsewhere. It would not be surprising If at least three of the best-known took this oc casion to retire from the stage. It was only William Gillette's affection for Charles Frohman that induced him to return to the stage this Winter. John Drew, it Is an open secret, has been ready to return to private life for the last three years. It is increasingly difficult to tind plays for him. and he has never found any for himself. Dur ing the last season he has had two plays, and neither of them satisfied him. When all is said and done, it prob ably will rest with Miss Maud Adams as to the outcome of the Frohman sit uation. She Is by long odds the great est drawing card on the stage today, but she is weary of life behind the footlights. Probably she would never consider the matter of appearing for another manager, but she may agree to continue her career if the close asso ciates of "C. F." take up his work. On the other hand she may decide to retire outright. The three stars named above have plenty of money, and the financial re wards of the stage have little attrac tion for them. If sentiment wins they will be seen again next year: if it does not they will retire to private life. It safely can be said that under no contingency will they appear under any management than the Frohman ; estate. i Ethel Barrymore and Billie Burke are two other of the "senior stars," If they can be so classified. Misa Barry more may go on in vaudeville, where she has established herself as a favor ite. Miss Burke, who is the wife of Flo Ziegfield, if she makes a change, probably will be under the manage ment of her own husband. Otis Skinner and Ann Murdock were to have continued next season their run In "A Celebrated Case." What ef fect Mr. Frohman's death will have upon their plans is not known-. Hattie Williams is the sister of John D. Will lams, and her brother probably will continue to Oirect her. Blanche Bates and Marie Doro were to have played with William Gillette in "Diplomacy next season, visiting a number of cities not visited this year. The chances are that Mr. Gillette will not resume his starring tour, and this may affect the plans for the play. Other Frohman stars are Joseph Brian, Julia Sanderson and Joseph Cawthorne, who, in "The Girl From Utah," have made the most successful tour of any musical farce in this coun try. Since leaving New York business has averaged $18,000 a week, and It had been intended to keep the attrac tion, going for at least another year. The chances are that this will be done by the Frohman estate, while all other plans are problematical at the present time. Spain hy roal order has made the an nual celebration of arbor day obligatory, a part of the expense of tree planting to he borne by municipalities. Unequaled Vavidervillo Broadway at Aldar Portland's Only Home of Big-Time Vaudeville Week Beginning Monday Matinee, May 24 THE GREATEST MUSICAL ACT EVER PRESENTED CORA Y0UNGBL00D CORSON And Her 8 BEAUTIFUL GIRL INSTRUMENTALISTS 8 Charles Wayne & Co. In "Nursing a Husband" Holden & Harron The Dandy Entertainers Kennedy & Mack The Acrobats Without Peer The Mutual Weekly Latest Pictorial War News Special Added Attraction "OKLAHOMA BOB" ALBRIGHT The aiale Melba Boxes and lint Row Balcony Seats Reserved by Phone Mala 463, A KM. MAIL ORDERS NOW PAVLOWA THK DIVINITY Of TUG DANCE COMPANY OK SO BAKER THEATER-2 Nights Only wyVJDATPcyT EXTIRBI,Y DIFFBHEVT PROGHAMME AT K'A C W PEHFORiH A CK Prices Lower floor, first ten rows J2.50. next seven rows $2. Balcony, first three rows $2, next three rows J1.50, last six rows tl. Gallerv 75c. i0c. Box seats $3. JLoge seats 2.50. Make checks payable to Geo. L Baker, man ager, and enclose self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of tickets. New $20,000 Ride The Famous Mystic River Performances 2:30 and 8:30 Come and See the G reatest Entertainment Portland Has Ever Offered for 10 Cents Cars From First . and Alder Tents at 25th and Raleigh PORTLAND MON. ol MAY TUES. oe MAY 0 Reserved Seats at Owl Drug store Show Day r"!?- i wo owe i, SHOWS Mnited hi' despite this feet 25c Is the admission,' Including a ?eat BEATS FOR 10.000 PEOPLE Kaan il 1 Ya Want Tf SS mm M Kxtra. iO'' THE V fgrS CRIGfNAl BUFFALO Bflt rill rmtniUr arneat vivid, btaforti Uvloar plrtnrva, !( nnk, caatarani train attacks, senry tiarru, war , avnnln bands ( lnnx Indiana, nnrnn. ranch a;lrla nn mngern . A H K A A. WILD W B T, PERFORMANCES 2:15 ani 8:15 ft Doors Open Oca HcurLsrltor 2 ii Fourth and Stark Streets Portland's Only Combination Family Vaudeville and Photoplay Theater. THREE DAYS COMMENCING TODAY Another Big Bill of Vaudeville and Photoplays lOc Viaf ioc ACTS CoBttnaena Performance, A. M. t 1A I. M. Tuesday and Friday Nights Amateurs CanncnrlDf Tburaday, June S. An other apecial feature nia-hl. Hatch for It. It will be well -worth wait ins; for. V-