Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-09-14
ALABAMA
Messenger Opera House Friday
niQht-.Iust whati Is

The Play That is to be Presented at the
Messenger Opera House Friday
n~ight-Just WHAT it is.
That delightful ard most sue
cessful play alabama" written by
Augustus Thomas will be presented
at the Messenger Opera House
Friday evening September Is.
Alabama" is an idyll of the
bayon borders. 1t has the subtle
charm of poesy. It brings with it
the soft airs and the the dreamy
quietlde of the somnolent South.
1t appeals to the eye with a series
of pictures, breathing cbivalry and
sentiment, to the ear with the musie
cal dialect whose spell is potent,
and to the mind with a harmonious
blending of all these mellowing in.
huences. There is moreover a sig-
nificance IN the success of Gala
bana" which may neither be overs
looked nor misunderstood by those
who observe the stage with the
eyes of earnest well-wishers. Mr..
Thomas play is a bold step in the
direction of the ideal. Other au-
thors have kept to beaten paths,
Mr.. Thomas has thrown aside
tAeatricalism and all the clapstrap
that the term embraces and has
written a drama upon simple un~
conventional lines. He has DEM
onstrated that art need not be arts
fetal, that truth is not trumpery
and that love-the handspring of
life-is not even in these times
Invested of idyllic thought or sweet
soulqualits. Alabama" is a story
of the South. 1t is domestic in
character and is said to be so true
to nature that it seems as if the
author had carved out a slice O.
Alabama and set it on the staget
1t is a love story with some of the
incidents dating back to the war
Briefly told, the scheme OF Alas
bama" is:
Colonel Preston, an old planter.
is the father of Harry Preston, q
railroad protector, who comes te
the place under the name of Capt
Davenport. He chose the side o.
the North during the war, and sc
became estranged from his father
and is supposed to have been killed
, in battle. He returns to his o'e
| home to find that his wife, wht
; died in his early absence, had lef
him a daughter who is now Il
years of age. Carey Preston fal!
in love with Mr.. Armstrong,
$ Northerner and Capt. Davenport
t assistant.
I The grandfather, with the oil
war bitterness still ranking in hi
! breast, objects to the union of th
two young people on eectiona
f., grounds.
They plan to elcpe, but her
. Captain Davenport interteres an,
p prevents it. The old planter, how
4 ever, is made to believe that hi
little granddaughter has run ava.
with the young Northerner.
Upon this foundation MI
re Thomas has built up a play, tina
c is pronounced by critics to be til
is best American play yet written.
e The scene is laid in those part
of our country around which Their
is an atmosphere o.. poetry, and til
n scenery Of the play is said to har
monte with the spirit of tn
n theme. The company that vii
present Alabama" is a remark
n ably strong one and is headed b,
the famous actor Frank G. Bangs
who is we'll remembered al
e through the South for his wonder
full impersonation cf the "Silve
d King" 1t is said that Mr.. Bangs
y performance of Col. Preston if pos
sibie excels that of his portrayal O
the "Silver King" Other mem.
bers of the company are such well
known actors as, Clement Balm
bridge, who has played the part o
F Japt. Davenport for the past tw'
. seasons with remarkable success
William Calhoun, L P. Hicks-W
d ], Dean, W. j. Cummings. F. B
Is Galloway, E1w I'd Mas, Bell
Barron, Louise Ingersoll, Ethe
Irving and Gertrude McGill.