Word: darney
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Thanks to Mr. Edward Darney and Mr. Houston Richards, the Boston Stock Company has succeeded this week in transforming a rather serious comedy-drama into a completely funny farce. "East is West," as it is written, is clever and naively numerous, but originally it had some serious, even tragic moments; except for the opening scene on the "love boat", where impecunious Chinese fathers sell their extra daughters to close-fisted connoisseurs of female charms, and several passages in which Miss Bushnell, as Ming Toy, is given free rein, the St. James version is entirely comic, though certainly no less entertaining...
Miss Bushnell alone seems to be fully aware of the dramatic possibilities of the play; as usual, her characterization is sincere and appealing. The rest of the players, except Mr. Darney have rather inconsequential parts, which they take well enough. Mr. Darney, of course, is the villain; supposedly he is a two-faced, smiling, Chinese-American, on one hand the suave owner of a chain of chop suey restaurants,--on the other the sinister tong leader, a religious fanatic and altogether a dangerous man to trifle with. His make-up is inescapably ridiculous, but it should merely emphasize his deadly...
...from Miss Theresa Kilburn, who played the child part, to Walter Gilbert, who did more than his usual good job, as "Shavings". Mark Kent and Harold Chase, as the inveterate rivals, Hunniwell and Babbitt, were especially delightful, and Ralph Remley was a most realistic Gabriel Bearse. For once, Edward Darney was excused from his customary role as villain,--probably because there wasn't any,--and enjoyed a comfortable romance with Miss Bushnell, while Houston Richards paired off as is his fortunate habit, with Miss Middleton. The only really difficult part was Walter Gilbert's: a character part is never easy...
...expected. Walter Gilbert, her husband is alternately the victim of the pity and derision of the others and on the whole manages to bear it well; and in fairness it must be said that the role of gullible husband is a thankless one. As Tarlow, the perfect lover, Mr. Darney is indisputably good, doing double service as the final agent of the forces of justice and as a never failing source of comic relief. Miss Roach his a hard task as the heartless thief of love and husbands and does it well; alternating with grace between the gracious lady...
...seems more at home and certainly more attractive, in her character parts than in straight roles. Walter Gilbert, the hero, is too thoroughly a matinee idol to carry much conviction or to gain much sympathy but he had to be entirely too perfect to seem altogether human. Edward Darney, as the cunning, scheming plotter had a different part, but quite a natural one, and he handled it well throughout...