eatrical
Cross and Company, at the Majestic, Monday, Tuesday and\ Wednesday,
PRINCIPAL PART
HAS MANY PHASES
Thire Character of Robert Stafford in
:Bought and Paid For" is
tUnusually Complex
FRANK MILLS HEADS COMPANY.
The part of Robert Stafford, played
by Frank Mills, multi-millionaire and
manabout-town and the chief figure
in George Broadhurst's powerful
drama, "Bought and Paid For," which
will be presented at the Whitney
theatre, Tuesday, January 27, is one of
the most difficult masculine roles that
has been essayed in recent years.
In order to bring out all the phases
of the problem which he presents, Mr.
Broadhurst has been obliged to show
the character of the financier and
clubman in four distinct phases. The
play itself has four acts, and in each
act it is a different phase of Robert
Stafford's character that is depicted.
Generally in problem plays, the princi-
pal personage shows only one side of
his nature. But here the principal
part is, in reality, four parts-a Jekyll
and Hyde combination multiplied; in
fact, it is this great divergence in
character on the part of Robert Staf-
ford which makes the raison d'etre of
the play.
In the first act we have Robert Staf-
ford, the dignified business man, the
magnate, a power in the financial
world. Stafford was ot born to af-
fluence, however, but has worked his
way up from a poor boy of common
parentage. In this act, it is necessary,
for Mr. Frank Mills to show the ve-
neer of luxury on a somewhat coarse
interior; to portray the formal, force-
ful man of the world.
An entirely different Stafford is
shown in the second act. He has been
married two years, and the drink habit
has taken hold of him. Throughout
this act, he is under the influence of
liquor. But the role is not a humor-
ous one. Here Stafford is the beast,
the selfish, brutal husband. His worst
nature is uppermost. He isults and
scoffs at his brother-in-law; he de-
grades his wife by offensive advances.
Here he is the cad.
In the third act, the Robert Stafford
we meet is the nervous and irritable
man. Drunk the night before, he is
now suffering from the effects of his
debauch. He snarls at the servants.
He orders his wife to do things for
him. He declares himself the head of
the family. He starts and shivers at
strange noises. He reveals the domi-
neering commercial instinct in his na-
ture-a side of him heretofore only
suggested. Here it is necessary for
Mr. Mills to give a representation of
Stafford's rockbound principals, not
only as they are manifested in the
commercial world, but in his home
life. It is an imperious and uncom-
At the Whitney theatre on Wednesday, January 28, matinee and
id For.
Due Next Month.
money, Mr. George
ho richest man in
production of the
"Quo Vadis?" has
the adjective possi-
ss nd nhlic In
SENSATIONAL HI
COMING THIS WEEK
"Peg 0' My Heart" is Booked for Two
Performances at Whitney
January 2,.
FLORENCE MARTIN TO PLAY PEG.
"Peg 0' My Heart," a comedy of
youtl by Hartley Manners, which has
charmed New York audiences for over
a year at the Cort theatre, comes to
the Whitney theatre, Wednesday, Jan-
uary 28, matinee and night. Florence
Martin, a beautiful young actress, wilP
appear in the role of Pe, one of the
most fascinating dramatic creations
of modern times.
Peg comes out of America and falls
unannounced in the midst of a strict
English family of aristocratic ten-
dencies. She walks into the library
ed with an un-
.use. It is the
nt thus far in
t, and deserves
ritten about it.
Luction of "Quo
the attractions
re during the
with her shabby travelling bag in her
hand and a shabby dog under her
arm. "I was told to wait" is the only
"xplanation of her presence.
Later it appears that Peg is the
laughter of a runaway sister of the
family, who had married beneath her
station and gone to America. For a
sum of money, provided for in a will,
Mrs. Chichester consents to under-
take her niece's education, though she
;naintains that nothing except their
dank failure would have tempted her
to do such a thing.
Little Peg has had no advantages in
her life. Her Irish father, whom she
lescribes as the best man in the
world, gave her a quaint brogue and
ter wit-but little else except looks.
Therefore it is quite natural that the
,ontrast between the conventional
"hichesters and simple, unaffected
Peg should form the basis for the
:iumorous situations in the play. Peg
Falls in love with Sir Gerald, a young
xecutor of her uncle's will, whom
,he gets to know under the name of
Trry. She makes him take her to a
'ance which she is forbidden to at-
end, and afterwards stops her cousin
from running away with a married
nan, with whom she is infatuated
inally Peg rebels against the re-
traint to which she is subjected, and
s kept from going back to America
only by her love affair with Jerry
That this ends happily is unnecessary
o add.
'OMEDY CLUB PROMISES
TO GIVE FINISHED PLAY,
promising Stafford whom we find in
this act,
In the final act, still another stra-
tum of the man's nature comes to the
surface. He has been mellowed by
the separation from his wife. lie has
had a view of himself and seen his de.
fects. He has relaxed his relentless-
ness. He is genuinely generous with-
out having become sentimental. He
is more human here than in any other
part of the play-less the bully and
yet there is no diminution in his force-
fulness. It is necessary that his power
be felt as well as his tenderness. His
nature has merely broadened without,
lsing any of the stronger qualities.
It is no easy matter for an actor to
portray as complex a character a.-
this. It requires skill, intelligence and
a vast knowledge of human nature to
make' such a part true and convincing.
There are few actors today who could
have done it creditably. And Mr.
Mills is one of those.
"Bought and Paid For" affords many
of the most interesting character
drawings that ever have been seen on
the native stage, and as a play, its
success is well known throughout
America.
preted, never reaches matur
develops and grows constant:
snow ball must which is rolle
carpet of snow. When an auth(
his script to an actor, he pres<
with but a skeletoi upon whip
be hung the flesh and sine
draperies. And always the ar
feed and nourish his subjec
would any living thing. To
this feeding means an emaciat
acter of the stage, a mere pi
prop, something to hold up t
walls of the stage. It takb
than personality. Never does
tor let his character mature. I
it young and vigorous in his o)
and in the minds of his a
Nothing upon the stage can lip
away from its fellows. There
association, union. The actres
tor who ignores this point w:
reach the ideal in her or his
sion. There must be a bler
colors if we want to get result
blending of harmonies and na
individualities. There can be
without a creed, no love in tb
FLORENCE MAI
DISCUSSES
"A character of the stag
in a state of growth," a
Miss Florence Martin, of I
My Heart" company. A
character, if it is intellige
{
if there is only one person in it. There
must be two's and three's always, upon
the stage as well as anywhere else.
And inspiration must come through
association. A. glance or gesture from
another may bring out some phrase in
the character one is trying to por-
tray."
I
The presentation of Percy Mackaye'.
"The Scarecrow" by the Comedy Club
on -February 12, marks several inno-
ations in the policy of the club. In
the first place, "The Scarecrow" is
vritten by a contemporary author-
Mr. Mackeye is recognized as one of
.he leading dramatists of the day-
and is thoroughly modern in treat-
ment. It tells a thrilling story in a
virile, straight-forward manner, even
though its scenes are laid in - New
England at a time when witches were
3anged.
Contrary to rule, no professional
coach will be employed this year to
superintend the final rehearsals. Nor
will a professional make-up man be
needed, as a student member of the
club possesses unusual ability in that
direction. As a final innovation, Prof.
Albert Stanley, of the school of music,
is composing the incidental music,
which will be interpreted by a special
orchestra, under the direction of Earl
V. Moore.
After many weeks of faithful re-
hearsing, the members of the cast
have their parts well in hand, and the
result is such that comparisons are
impossible as well as odious. In
"The Scarecrow" is an ensemble that
would do credit to a professional pro-
duction.
A scene from "Peg O' My Heart," at the Whitney theatre, January 28,
Whitney,
27. 1
cy