File:Montreal Gazette 1913.05.27 Deep Purple Review.jpg

English: "The public has seen a good many plays dealing with the underworld of New York, and the play of this variety that makes a hit, has to be not only cleverly built up, but also full of strong dialogue and well acted. 'The Deep Purple' by Paul Armstrong and Wilson Mizner, this week's attraction of the Orpheum Stock Company, possesses these qualifications and last night was greeted by a large house with every mark of approval. ¶ In a melodrama which deals with the wiles of crooks and the counterplots of the police, there is not infrequently some note of improbability or something incredibly clever which weakens the play. But in the case of the 'Deep Purple' there is nothing to make the audience incredulous, so well is the action of the play worked out, and so genuine is the rendering given. The only part that is difficult to account for is the name, and one is left wondering what the title can mean until almost the last moment, when it turns out that this is a complimentary reference to the quality of the blood that courses through the veins of William Lake, who fills a somewhat heroic and self-sacrificing role. ¶ A young and innocent girl, Doris Moore, is used as the tool of two deep-dyed villains, Leland and 'Pop' Clark, in their attempt to blackmail a mining engineer, Lake, whom they know to have made a large sum of money. Their intentions are, however, frustrated by the interference of Kate Fallon, their former pal, who in her desire to save the innocent one, warns Lake of his danger. There is a powerful scene in the second act in which Lake, knowing his would-be despoilers['] game, pretends to fall into their trap, in order to have the pleasure of holding them up. There is some clever work, too, in the third act, when Leland, finding that the girl who has been snatched from his clutches is alone in Lake's apartments, where she has been taken out of harm's way, tries to get her away and is nearly caught. ¶ Lovers of melodrama need not be disappointed either, for there is one shooting affair in the last act, when Laylock, whom Leland has given away to the police, as a man wanted in the west, takes his revenge. It is satisfactory to all the right-minded people, however, to find that Laylock, whose intentions of living a better life have been previously affirmed, is acquitted by his friends conveniently purjuring themselves and swearing that it is a case of suicide. ¶ Virtue is rewarded also, in the case of Kate Fallon, another reformed crook, whose previous misdeeds are overlooked by the police and who hand-in-hand with the fierce Westerner, makes off to Algeria. In the case of Lake it is likewise rewarded, for he wins the love of the innocent young lady just as the curtain falls. ¶ Miss Kemble was splendid as Kate Fallon, which she played with conviction. As Lake, Mr. Ainsworth Arnold was better than ever, his quiet natural manner lending itself admirably to the role. Particular merit attached to the performance of Miss Jean Marcet [=Anna Marcet Haldeman] as Doris Moore, the ingenue, while Mr. Charles Mackay was strong and determined as Laylock, the fearless man from the west. Mr. Richard Ogden was most convincing as Leland, and wa the complete villain. Another brand of crook was pictured by Mr. Samuel Reed, as Pop Clark, who made the most of the role of the plausible old scamp. ¶ A gold watch was presented to Mr. Percy Weldon, the occasion being the stage manager's 56th birthday." Montreal Gazette, vol. 142, no. 126 (27th May, 1913), p. 5, "An Underworld Play, The Deep Purple Well Constructed and Acted." File is a composite image; see source link for article in situ.