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The First Stone was also the first play by Walter Lewis Ferris. Numerous young men recall Mr. Ferris as headmaster of Roxbury School, Cheshire, Conn. At Cheshire and other educational centres Mr. Ferris has meditated and matured. His first play was written at 45. It is a careful, rather commonplace attempt. The spectator is led into a Cape Cod homestead, from which the brawny husband has been accustomed to absent himself for brief infidelities. When his wife at last departs on a similar errand he grows incredibly enraged. At last they discuss the matter carefully and reconvene for better or for worse. The play is the first U. S. work to be acted by Eva Le Gallienne and her hardy repertory troupe. Miss Le Gallienne's playing of the lead was often pale; while Egon Brecher, as the husband, overcompensated with his harsh pugnacity.
Best Plays in Manhattan
SERIOUS
COQUETTE—The true, tearstained story of a respectable girl who fell in love with a man they wouldn't let her marry (TIME, Nov. 21).
PORGY — Life on the underside of Charleston where the Negroes know about poverty (TIME, Oct. 24).
Other well regarded serious productions: ESCAPE; IRISH PLAYERS; Civic REPERTORY THEATRE; BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM.
SEMI-MELODRAMA
INTERFERENCE—Immaculate conception of how to swallow prussic acid in the best behaved British manner (TIME, Oct. 31).
THE TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN—In which the electric chair is placed and a stunning Follies girl is asked "Won't you sit down?" (TIME, Oct. 31).
BROADWAY—A battle of bootleggers breaks behind the scenes of a Manhattan midnight club (TIME, Sept. 27, 1926).
Other able melodramas: DRACULA, NIGHTSTICK.
FUNNY
THE ROYAL FAMILY—Showing a famed actor family in the spasms of home life (TIME, Jan 9).
THE DOCTOR'S DILEMMA—Elderly, active, arrogant advice on doctors by G. B. Shaw (TIME, Dec. 5).
BURLESQUE—A low comedian who married for love and got delirium tremens for lack of it (TIME, Sept. 12).
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW—The taming of the shrew (TIME, Nov. 7).
THE COMMAND TO LOVE—In which love and European diplomacy go hand in glove, or worse (TIME, Oct. 3).
Other laughing matters: THE SHANNONS OF BROADWAY, THE BABY CYCLONE, PARIS BOUND.
*Max Reinhardt's German season, The Swan, adaptations of many gay continental comedies.
*Old English, Escape, Gilbert & Sullivan repertory, etc., etc.