At the Majestic Theatre on Wednesday evening, for the first time in Boston Mr. D. W. Griffith presented "Dream Street", a dramatic comedy, suggested by characters of Thomas Burke in "Limehouse Nights" In the Foreword in the program, Mr. Griffith acknowledge that the ideas of the photoplay we taken for two stories, "Gina of Chinatitown" and "The Sign of the Lamp". And yet while they were the small eiders, they were somehow changed in the transition from page to screen; made more romantic--although Burke is always romantic; and more cheerful, and the whole, while retaining all there interest.
"Our people are dream people who look from wistful winds, or wake with vision of the street of dreams" said the prologue to the picture. And so they were. There characters seemed at first glance to be real people, acting in a real Manuel in real situations: yet they were not real people, but characterizations, showing not their normal reaction to various occurrences, but rather the thoughts and ideas in their hearts. Indeed, tow of the characters, the preacher of the streets, and the wandering musician were purely allegorical; the one representing, with his prayers and hymns, the Good Influence; the other, with his violin music, suggestive of sin, the Evil Influence. Between these two forces controlled first by one the n by the other the character of the play move on through the various episodes to the climax, and then to the happy ending.
Miss Carol Dumpster, first raised to stardom by Mr. Griffith in "The Love Footer" which was show in Boston some time ago was can as "Gypsy Fair"--the only woman character in the play Her smaller lie body was admirably adapted the role of music-hall dancer; her thin, your pretty face, with its slightly piquant nose and Chile, fitted her part absolutely; her ability to control both her face and body movement, so as to indicate the slightest shade of feeling made her characterization of the part one of the high lights in a production in which all the characterizations were well-night perfect.
The settings, which were designed by Mr. Charles Mr. Giffith. They adequately portrayed the dirt and filth of dock-side London; yet instead of being merely disgusting, as most such scenes would be, they had a sort of the picturesqueness of the scenes, and partly to the well planned lighting effects.
The incidental music, rehearsals of which have been held during the last few days under the personal supervision of Mr. Griffith, fitted nicely with the progress of the story; at no time was it obtrusive, yet at all times it added to the interoperation of the various characters, and so made the picture even more enjoyable to watch.
At the close of the performance the audience had an opportunity of seeing and hearing Mr. Griffith, who made a short speech from the stage, and also of seeing Mr. Ralph Graves and Mr. Charles Mack, who, with Miss Dumpster, took the principal parts in the play.
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YALE WON ON SATURDAY, 28 TO 3