The Oregon daily journal., November 15, 1908, Page 41, Image 41

THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL', PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 15, 1908.
3
MAX . FIGMAN NOW ASPIRES
. : TO CREATE ORIGINAL
of a peninsula. Dr. Pill announces that
he, too. Is a great hunter of big game.
"Prove it," ask his companions. 1 don't
have to," he answers. ''I admit It," Then
"PAID IN FULL" A PLAY
. WRITTEN FOR CRITICS
.. , - . e
GEO. L. BAKES ,. v. ' ;
ocn.manaocr ,sv I, ii cs ir-""-ez
ROLES
he tells the story of the luring of the
wnirrenpoor rrom nis lair, which Is
f ? ,1
one
of the runniest yarns ever spun.
W fI H'i : 'W' f
sum UTi
Eutfen Walter Lateat Effort Britler Wi'tLf Problenw and Situa
tion That Jade4 Analyatf of th ' Drama' Dearly ' Lore to Di
cuar Comment oa Things Dramatic. . T ; , s
w
E ARE constrained to preface our highly literary essay this week
with a jew grateful words to Mr. Eugene Waiter. As it D e naa naa
the dilemma of the unfortunate critics m mind when ne startea out
to deliver himself of his message as a olavwrieht. he proceeded to
hand out to us those things which we most dearly love to discuss. He gave
us our most admired, or most detested as the case may be-situations. He
proceeded to propound those problems which we so delight to roll around
J i ST-..-' J i ... .L. 1- ... !:. - l t tn.m
unaer our tongue ana extract xne last pu ui iivvwi nui".
TYiA .wit .want tll hrtur if oral 'nmet1iinr that everv man ov woman
or head ql a family should know"? Very well,' here was bur chance. Did
we long to dilate.upon naturalness," and use the words "strong arid force
ful"? It was the opportunity of a season. It was iavoraoie ior -a regular
harvest of such expressions as "compelling," significant" "and gave us such
a lovely opening to quote the names of other playwrights we knew. In
short it was a most auspicious occasion for us at least. May Mr, Walter
come again and give us more such opportunities. One's vocabulary growa
stale on musical .comedies and vaudeville. ...
It may have been that Mr. Walter conceived the plan of propitiating us
in advance that taking lesson from his own newspaper experience' he knew
what would please us most. If he had he couldn't have done if better. He
was a critic once himself. Some years ago when he occupied that exalted
position on the rival publication, to the one that L was toiling for, the court
house reporter, the city hall reporter, the police reporter, the cub .reporter
and Walter used to retire to some convenient spot to hear the last-mentioned
gentleman discuss the drahmer. V,
These were inspiring occasions. The 'fact that his 'discourse invariably
adopted the course of eternally condemning his paper for . its policy towards
the theatres was as frankincense and myrrh to our own indignant feelings.
We all had our troubles; But we could merge them intd the flow of con
temptuous, scathing denunciation that flowed from his lips.- We all agreed
that he was a great man and would be appreciated some day, in aome other
clime. And he has. He has repaid us for our youthful but intense admira
tion. He has given us something to talk about in our Sunday article, May
his name be blessed. ,
,
His first proposition in "Paid in Full" and one that went home to
enough people in the audience to make it distinctly worth, while was the
problem of how to be happy though married on $18 a week. It's a problem
that is as important in Portland as in Harlem or. San Francisco or Chicago.
Kmhrvo Tn Rmk ar encountered everv dav. You miirht be astonished
to find just how many people do live on $18 a week, look reasonably pros
perous, work out their soul's salvation or damnation the chances are about
even either way and make scarcely a ripple on the surface of their neigh
borhood's social pond. When Joe, buttoned up. in his gingham apron.
cleared the dining room table, swept the crumbs and pusnea a sweeper over
the carpet his dilemma was common enough to provoke sympathetic laughs
from many men in the gallery, if not in the parquet.
Joe's feeling of rebellion against it all were natural and even encouraging.
Here was someone who was going to solve the $18 a week problem! Here
was a. man who might show us all a way to "keep up appearances" and at
the same time be getting ahead without penury or loss of self-respect. The
great increase in education, the fact that every other man and every third
woman nowadays is a college graduate, taken with, the corelative fact that
the college graduate is forced to earn a living that is quite apt to be no
better financially than that of his plodding forbears, puts us in an interesting
sociological dilemma.
Of course there the old-fashioned and homely truism that hard work
and application offer the only road to, preferment, but that has been tested
too often and found wanting, if not in truth, at least in spice. It has no
variety. And if we are to take Mr. Walter's word for it. Joe had worked
faithfully for his pittance, but had been forgotten when the time for other
increases came around. lie wasn't such a beast in the first place. His
sympathy was for his wife. Take for instance their little conversation
near the beginning of the play.
"It's all wrong," said Joe, "that you should be spoiling your hands with
those greasy pans. They weren't meant for such work. I wish we could
afford a hired girl."
.
And later on, when his rage against Williams, the head of the steamship
company and his employer.
, "Matter? Isn't it matter enough that I should do all this for a mean,
miserable livinr? I suffer and work and suffer, for that nasty, niggardly
salary, and this beast, this wild animal of a Williams keeping us all starving
yes, starving!
A "You know what I mean. Suppose there are three meals a day and a
place to sleep? Don't I deserve something a little better? Do you know
what I could do? I could steal thousands and no one would know it."
At least Joe isn't one of those sheepish docile clerks that recently raised
the wrath of G. B. Shaw to the point where he remarked:
"Of all the qualities of a man I find nothing so astonishing as his sheep
ishness, docility and cowardice. When these qualities are developed to their
utmost by civilization and poverty in the middle class, you get the clerk.
You cannot make an Arab a clerk; you cannot make a North American
Indian a clerk, but you can make an imperial Englishman a clerk quite
easily. I became a clerk myself in the genteel modification of this course
and 'should have been one still if I had not broken loose, in defiance of all
prudence, and become a professional man of genius a Resource not open
to every clerk." ,
Shaw admitted, however, that it was quite possible they didn't really
enjoy it, for one day he asked one of hiscolleagues, an ancient bookkeeper,
if his son was also a bookkeeper.
"He suddenly became vehement to the verge of positive fury," said
Shaw. '"I should never have supposed him either physically or morally
capable of it and declared that rather than see his son a clerk he would
have let him die in his cradle."
But to return to our promising speciment of the genus, Joe Brooks,
Promising he continued to be until the close of the first act. After that
one lost interest in him so completely, excepting as an object of detesta
tion, that he might better not have" lived. His problem became the hack
neyed one of the thief who is trying to conceal his thefts as lonor as he mav.
Theatrical audiences, long since gave up caring particularly about thieves
and their fate, excepting to speculate on how many thrills they may impart
before the final fall of the curtain. That is just what happened to "Paid in
Full." Whatever interest it possessed after that lay in its thrills, not in its
philosophy or its message.
Jc
And the thrills came in good order, though not quite as per schedule.
The Neolithic plan of having Emma Brooks go to the apartments of Williams
by night to offer herself as a sacrifice for her husband fairly made my teeth
ache. It was the same old stunt of Claudie in "Measure for Measure," send
ing Isabel to Angelo and being saved by Duke Vincentio; of Monna, Vanna,
wife of Guide Colonna, who visited the tent of the invading barbarian,
Prinzevalle, that she may save Pisa, of "Salammbo," of "Ingomar." The
comforting thing about it was the character of Captain Williams, which
was unique and striking. "Paid in Full" was entertaining to the end because
oMhe excellent qualities of suspense that it contained. The character
drawing of the Captain redeemed these acts from being ordinary.
Had the part of Joe been better acted, it would have meant -more to
Portland audiences. William L. GibSon accentuated his contemptible qual
ities, and made little of his good points. His was far from being an illum
inative interpretation. ,As you gain a perspective on the play as a whole,
this circumstanse is emphasized. Where he should have been merely surly,
he snarled. Where he might have shown consideration for his wife, from
the reading of the lines, he made a distinctly unpleasant impression of
selfishness.
There are occasional exceptions to the rule that benefit theatrical nr.
.formances are an outrageous imposition notVnly on the public, which-does
not have to go to them, but on the stage people who do have to take part
"through courtesy" of their .managers. The matinee to be given at the
Heilig next Thursday afternoon for Rose Eytinge seems to be one of these
exceptions. , For this is. an act of love undertaken by Mrs. Gleason on
behalf of, one of the women who did most to spread the fame of the art
of acting in America: - It is a suggestive commentary upon stage life in
general that the nafhe of Rose Eytinge should mean little to us of this
generation. It is not asking too rnuch, however, to remember that it held
much of pleasure for our fathers and mothers.
The opportunity to repay, in a very slight way, this debt of ours to Mrs
bytinge comes m the benefit matinee at the Heilig. The work is in capable
hand that insure our pleasure. The onus falls upon Mrs. Gleason and her
associates. All that is asked of us is to bear in mind the occasion and the
time, that Miss Eytinge s face may flush with happiness again vrfien we
greet her Thursday afternoon. i
Max Flgman, Who Is Starring in "The Substitute.'
Max Flgman, the most popular of all
John Cort's stars and one of the fa
vorite players of the west and Pacific
coast, has struck a winning gait with
a new ana original play called "The
Substitute," whish Is causing all kinds
of discussion In rtThTPuget sound coun
try now. The play Is by Beuiah M.
Dlx and Evelyn Grenleaf Sutherland,
who wrote the quaint New York suc
cess "The Road to yesterday." It 1h
along entirely original lines of comedy
and has serious moments that enthral
the listener becausfl of their truth to
nature, t. The appealing features of the
play are that they give Mr. Flgman a
chance to demonstrate his real worth as
an actor and also show to what prodi
gal liberality John Cort will go in point
of scenic producilon for his stars.
Max Flgman Is an ambitious and pro
gressive actor and an artist In everv
sense of the word. He knows the value
of detail In every dramatic situation and
has a wonderful sense of comedy. Every I
minute that he is on the stage he is
acting and not a point is lost. He Im
bues his character with an enthusiasm
that imparts itself at once to his au
dience. His first success as a star
was made In an already established New
York success.t "The Man on the Box."
but henceforth Mr. Flgman will not be
satisfied unless iie creates original
roles and he is lending every encourage
ment to the American dramatist. He
carefully reads every manuscript that
is sent to him and whether he can avail
nimseir or the play or not, he never
rails to return It with notations sug
gested by his long experience and
knowledge of stagecraft.
Although his name and abilities ,have
lately been associated with comedy, his
ambitions are to be something more
than a buffoon. He wants to be ap
preciated as an exponent of character,
types that hold the mirror faithfully up
to nature and prove that he can delin
eate feeling and. produce tears as well
as laughter, Versatility is the text
word "f his ambition.
the critics gave it considerable praise.
The nlav is soon to be brought to New
York for the final test, and if successful
will be retained on the boards for the
rest of the season.
Gertrude Qulnlan has made a favor
able vaudeville debut in Boston in a
sketch entitled "Zaia'a Hit," by Edith
Ellis Baker.
H. Brennan, the theatrical
George
manager.
Bill Truetell. a Story of
Life," which is soon to be published
has written a book entitled
Theatrical
Arnold Daly and his company of
"Vaudevilllans." made quite a hit In
the playlet bv Mark Twain, entitled
"Becoming an Editor,'' In a New York
theatre recently.
Frederick Paulding's play, "The
Great Question,." recently given its first
production at the Majestic theatre, jsew
York, proved a well written and clever
play, but too depressing and gloomy to
become popular.
I.ee Kohlmar, a young actor who has
Deen playing a German aiaiect role in
"A Girl at the Helm" this season, is to
appear next August In a new. play that
wni give nim an opportunity to snow
his talent in a quafnt German charac
ter. "The Revelation," the first in "the-y-cle."
written bv the Reverend Henry
Knott, rector of All Saints' Episcopal
church. Ravenswood. 111., will be pro-
guceu in Klgin ill., on November zi,
for the first time. Miss Mary Shaw
will play the leading female role.
"Mike" Ionlln the former captain
and heavy batter of the Giants, sup
ported by his wife. Miss Mabel Hite,
and company, is in vaudeville now. and
has made a great hit upon his first ap
pearance 'In Vincent Bryan's one-act
musical comedy skit, "Stealing Home."
Henry Miller, now playing In "The
Big Divide." and considered one of the
most popular matinee idols, has accept
ed for early production this season a
new modern comedy rrom the pen of
Mrs. Rida Johnson Young, author of
"Brown of Harvard." Rehearsals are
soon to begin.
The announcement that Henry Knott
has written a cycle of plays which would
deal with the (fundamentals of life has
attracted wide attention In the press
of America and England. Not only
have the daily papers given the matter
wide publicity, but dramatic Journals
and magazines have given the matter
much serious attention. "The Revela
tion' will be seen in Chicago shortly
after it is first produced at a press
performance. Later it will be seen on
a tour of the larger cities of the coun
try. "The Master Man" and "The Rein
carnation" will follow In the due
course of time, completing the cycle.
, Mary Shaw, who will head the east of
the Martin and Emery players, was one
of the first American actresses to intro
duce Ibsen in this country, and, her pi
oneer efforts In this field paved the wav
for the sucdess of many other actresses
who did not have the courage to educate
the public, as did Miss Shaw.
Oliver Herford. that brilliant fellow
who adapted the admirable version of
"The Devil" for Henry W. Savage, tells
a good story that concerns a certain
Thomas Thorp, who died, leaving his
fortune to a poor relative on condition
that a headstone with the name of the
said Thomas Thorp and a verse of poe
try be erected over the grave. Costing
so much a word to chisel letters on the
stone, the poor relative ordered that
the poetry should be brief. Upon his
refusal to approve on account of their
length the lfnes:
Here lies the corp
Of Thomas Thorn.
The following was finally ordered and
accepted:
Thorp's
Corpse.
One of the cleverest bits of humor in
the English language is Iewis Carroll's
"Hunting of the Snark." It created more
laughter than any composition written
in the last century. The best stories
of the same sort told In the present dec
ade are the hunting tales spun by Jo
seph Cawthorn, Billy B. Van and Harry
Kelly in the Klaw & Erlanger production
of "Little Nemo" at the New Amsterdam
theatre. New York. These' three come
dians play the respective roles of Dr.
Pill. Flip and the Dancing Missionary.
They are cast away on the Cannibal Is
lands. The Dancing Missionary tells
now ne captured a montimanlack. Flip,
not to be outdone, describes his capture
A Lecture on
Christian Science
ITnde'r the auspices of First and Sec
ond Church of Christ, Scientist, of Port
land, a lecture will be given by BUSS
KKAPP of Boston, Mass., member of
the Christian Science Board of Lecture
ship, Sunday, November 22. at 2 n. m..
at the KXUQ THEATRE. There wUl
be no reserved seats. Admission is
free. The publlo la invited.
THEATRICAL NOTES
' John Draw has announced his lnten
. tf on of returning to Shakespearean com
edy within tha next two year.
- ." . 1 " , - - '
A comedy called "Tha Marriage of
ths Btar, by Alexander Blsson, author
of 'The Masked Ball" and other plays
will soon be produced In thla country. -
Charlea JTohman fial accepted a-Jnew
play-by Clvd Fitch, - antltled VThe
ilappy Marriage," which will be , pro?
duced in New York with Dorla Keane."
and n London with Mary Moore in the
icauiiis; etl L.
I "Dante," play, by Mr. Helen Du
rant Rose, an American woman, was
successfully produced In Verona a short
timo ego by Ermete Novell!,, who a
peared . In the principal role. Special
music was written for the play by Mas
cagni. - Mary Mannertng 'opened'ngseaann a
few days ego in a new playby. Edwin
Tl'tonrWtttled "The Struggle." which
telle the story of a woman who en
deavors to blot out her past. Tre play
whteh contains many atronglv dramatic
scenes, ls said to be well written, and
PANTAGES THEATRE
BILL. CHANQES TOMORRQrV
ADVANCED VAUDEVILLESTARS OF ALL NATIONS
Will BHSnra TODAT rem, the Xros Mail Tea Brothers t Omhant, Dent
ft Co.; Fink's performing Kales; Wttttmaa Sisters and Boblasoa; Jean Wil
son, sad Animated Pictures.
WEEK COMMENCINO TOMORROW
MLLB. FREQOLIA
Lightning Character Change Artist, direct from the Folies d'Bergere, Paris,
to the Pantagea Circuit of Theatres, changing her costume and characters
forty-flve times 1ft eighteen minutes. ,
SPSCXAXi ADDED ATTBACTXOW
AUSTIN BROTHERS, Presenting tha American Beauties
Lillian Wright and De Renzo and
T the Gordon Boys La Due
" Unequaled Whirlwind Dancers. ' Comedy Revolving Pole Act.
McDonald & Campbell Jean Wilson
Character Singers and Dancers. illustrated ) Song, "t Love You" In
. T a Thousand Different Waye."
' r v The Blograph " . .
Presenting the Latest Animated PantageS Orchestra
- . Pictures. . ., - ,-.t-.: y Always a' Feature.
:rfcICS 16c.r?5e and box seats 50c Matinees le..bpxBK5ja(j50,
Grand Testimonial
Benefit
;
TO TSQB lUdiUBJIT AOTBZSS
ROSE
EYTINGE
Tendered by the Managers and Mem
bers of the Theatrical Profession in
Portland at the
HEILIG THEATRE
Thursday Matinte
November 19th
tt.-30r.BC
REFINED VAUDEVILLE
Volunteers from all Theatres.
Under Management of Min Crollus
Gleason. Stage Director, William
Dills.
Reserved seats, $1. For sale at
box office or at Filers, Sherman, Clay
& Co., Gill's, Powers & Estes or
Portland Hotel.
X . Some of the
mmoJ TliFATTDF
Incomparable Bake Stock Company.
HEILIG THEATRE
SSSK Nov. 25
(itiost before TXAVKsarmra)
THE
MAUD POWELL
TRIO
MAXTD POWELL Violin
HAT HtlXLE 'Cello
Aim fobs riaao
MAIZ, OSDE&S RECEIVED, BB
OZVirZKO TOMORROW (HOBDAY)
rrom Both Zn and Out of Town
Offloe Sale Opens
Bovember 30.
Regular Box
Saturday,
-PRICES
Entire lower floor.! 9a. 0O
Balcony, first rows 91.50
Balcony, last 10 rows $1.00
Entire gallery (no reserve).
7Bo
Address letters end make checks
payable to V. T. Fangle.
X Week Beginning Sunday Matinee, Ntvectber 15, 199$, Today
J First Stock Production ia This City of
ME, ivlAiN UW
TEE BOX
Grace Livingston Furniss' Dramatization of Harold McGrath'f Pop
ular Novel as Played by Max Figman. A Comedy of Today in Four
Acts. Full Strength of the Company. Stage Under Direction of
Donald Bowles.
MATINEE SATURDAY ' ' ,
This Is One of the Plays You Have Been Waiting For '
Evening Prices 25f, 35f, 50. j Matinees 15f 25
Next Week - - STRONGHEART
' nf
-:m , eh
20-0CWCMIT.S-2O ENDORSED BY THE
CEO.M.C0HAN WM.KEOUGH AiTtlE UNKNOWN
"HE ffOYAL CHORUS AND AMERICAN BEAUTY CIRL5
WITM AN ALL-3TAT? COMRflJslYOF 75
1-rfts..qr to P IT5 TMB B16.eyT OAffCAIN rVCTl
Nxt Attraction, "HIP, HIP, HOORAV
PATX.T HATnrBB (EXOBrT BTJBPAT A BP HOLD3ATI), 15o, 9o, BOO.
Pbonee Main 6. A 1020
Paying particular at
tention to the enter
lulnnient, cornf o r t
end convenience of
ladies end children.
THEATRE
U ? a.. U m
rvrmcny pitibmi urinn
ADVANCED VAUDEVILLE
Presenting- at all
times the beat of
European and Amer
ican Vaudeville attractions.
Week
Commencing Monday Matinee, Nov. 16
ORPHEUM SHOWS ARE ALWAYS SUPERIOR.
FELICE MORRIS ROGERS AND DEELEY
(Daughter of the late Felix Mor- Monologists and Singing Corae
rls) and Her Company dians.
"TKB OLD, OLP 8TOB.T."
CASTELLAINE& BROTHER -HAPPY JACK GARDNER
T ro,i-. r-n-- . . T Burnt Cork Monologlst and Sing-
In Their raring Cycling Act. In- , pomBai,.n
troduclne the Double Somersault ing omeliM-
In Mid Air,
PHANTASTIC PHANTOMS BI5?TT ANDr,SCf)TT
A Girlish Novelty In Black and The -Hello George Dancing Boy.
White. " T Z
Orpheum Motion Pictures
AUGUSTA GLOSE r
m pianoiogue. Orpheum Orchestra
FEBFOmiSAHCES BTBBT BTEHXNO, 8:13; 1EATZBEB BATXT, :15.
Bvenlng Prices 15c, 8 So. 50o, 75c Evening Prices 15o, 85c, SOo, TSe.
E
D1ILT MATTBEE (EXCEPT SITBPAY ABP XOZJBATS). ISO, tSe, BOo.
wi
THE STAR
Phones-
Main X
A-I-4Q6 S
Playing only the Stair - Havlin Eastern Road Attractions
Commencing Sunday Matinee, Nov. 15, 1908
LINCOLN J. CARTER'S
Leading Melodrama of the Day
COMPLETE SCENIC PRODUCTION
TOO PROUD TO BEG
:
t
mm
Vindcvllle de luxe
WEEK OF
Monday Matinee,
Nov7l6, 1S08
The Cream of Vaudeville
HEADED BY
The Sensation of Europe
Mme
KessWs
ti play with a rush, runs along with spirit and ends just right X
The FAMOUS REICHARDT CHILDREN I
MATINEES WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY v
Night Prices 15f,.25f, 35, 50. : Matinees-lSf , 25
-
0 I Next Wee!.. : - "We Are Kins"
fantoches
The Most Brilliant and Best
European Novelty Eyer Of
fered at the Grand, - ,
SPECIAL ADDED FEATURE.
four Musical
McLarens '
Versatile Vaudevillians
Grace Passmore
Manipulator of Coon Melodies.
The Great Romanoffs
A Thrilling Exhibition of Hu
man Intrepidity -
Dick
11 Barney
Comedians and Dancers The
Dimple Sisters.
" ir" 1 ,' " 1 ' ' 'I. .... -
; Joe Hardman .
"The Happy Htimorit"
Fred B
Singer of I'icu.ri! I
Uuvl
yru t
T.strj I t.
:
1
:
7