Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-11-16
BRATTLEBORO LOCAL,
QUO vADIs A CLASSIC.
A Noteworthy stage Production, Por.
trayIng the Thrilling ClImaxes and
Incidents OF the Famous Novel.

A Noteworthy stage Production, Por-
raying the Thrilling ClImsxes and
incidents OF the Famous Novel.
Quo Vadis is a classic, and the presenta-
ton by the Whitney & Knowles company
At the Auditorium last Friday evening will
rank for years in the list of noteworthy
stage productions In Brattleboro. II
was distinguished for the beauty of its
scenic effects, the exalted character of its
theme, and the number and the excellence
of the actors, who portrayed the thrilling
cmaxes and incidents familiar to thous-
ands who have read Henryk Sienkiewlczs
famous novel, from which Stainslaus
STANCE made the dramatizstion. The per-
Torrance is long, extending through six
acts and eight scenes, but the interest Is
undated, and the audience was unusually
demonstrative. The scenes depict the rich
ness with which the Romans surrounded
themselves, while in the characters is the
contrast of the debauched and cruel pagans
of Nero's court, and the noble but humble
Christians, who, for their faith, went un-
dnchingly to horrible tortures and death.
Fortunately the RIGHTEOUSNESS which of
necessity is a part of the book finds little
place in the Naturalization.
The scenes represent the peristyle In
Petroniuss house, the gardens of Aulus
Pautius, Nero's garden and palace, Pet
roniuss villa at Antium, the garden at
Lluus's house, from which the burning of
Rome is seen, a room in Nero's palace, the
interior of the Mamartine prison, and the
exterior of the circus with view of the
arena.
Harrison j. Wolfe impersonated Vini-
hoY I'll No. la
through his love for Lygia to humility and
Christianity, with rare dramatic force,
particularly in the third act, where he de-
scribes to Petronius and Eunice the world
of Nero and the world of the Christians,
in the fifth act in the prison when he
comes to the rescue of his beloved and de-
clares his own faith in Christianity, and in
the final act in which he makes an appeal
to the Roman populace. Lauren Rees, as
Petronus, the arbiter elegantiarum, was to
many the "noblest Roman of them all. :"
Mr. Rees had the commanding form, the
handsome features, the grace of manner
and of speech which close readers of the
novel associate with the character of Pc
tronius. He was perhaps at his best in the
scene where ne throws down the gauntlet
to Nero, and assails him with the most hit
ing sarcasms. Four other male characters
which deserve unstinted praise were Fred
A. Beane as Chic Chilonides, the bright
but despicable Greek; Royal ThaYer as
the debauched and cruel Nero, susceptible
to the batteries of the court sycophants;
Alfred Hollingsworth as the giant Ursus,
and Master Clifford McPhail as Little
Auus. Alice Chandler was Lygia who
was en- rapport with The audience from the
first. In the emotional parts she was par
ticularly strong, and her remarkable facial
expressions added much to her portrayal
Caroline Rohr threw great power into the
part of the impassioned and vindictive en-
press, Popp9A, and Vasti Hollis was a
very charming Eunice.
The company numbered about 80 men
and 10 women, and all of the minor parts
were satisfactory.
The audience was of good size, but not
as large as such an attraction deserved.