DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY

The first offering of the Professional Players, "Death Takes a Holiday" now playing at the Plymouth augers well for the success of this venture. Of course there is always the uncertainty of just how well Boston will support first rate drama, but the chances are that the plays presented in this repertoire will manage to produce profitable results. One thing is certain, any efforts to lead this city to a better appreciation of the drama is necessary, and the attempt now at hand should lead toward this happy but distant goal.

With "Uncle Vanya" at the Wilbur it is quite probable that "Death Takes a Holiday" will have some difficulty. Two plays of excellent calibre, at once in Boston, might expect to be a considerable drain on the better clientele, especially when one is such an exquisitely fine production as that of Chekov's comedy. However, even in such excellent company, "Death Takes a Holiday" should not be neglected. The acting of Philip Merivale is very well above the average, and the play itself in spite of a mediocre translation and none too exciting direction is interesting. The theme of the effect of death on certain representative characters, that are almost characteristics has tremendous possibilities. Signor Casella has very deftly created a group of persons who individually represent certain outstanding types and the ramifi- cations of this theme are very successfully exploited.

Death, in the person of the very able Mr. Merivale, passes before them all, the sensualist, the lover of power, the conventional parent, and finally what might be called, the etherialist, a creature who most obviously would not be to Mr. Babbitt's liking. All but the last are found wanting and she, fair lady, is taken as the bride of kindly Death.

There are many dramatic moments and in addition, several that are genuinely humorous. The general situation is adequately handled by the supporting members of the cast, although their efforts are not equal to those of the principles. Eleanor Stuart and Wallace Erskine come next to Mr. Merivale in effectiveness, while the remainder fail to make any particular impression. The play itself is ostensibly the chief virtue of this first and really auspicious presentation of the Professional Players