New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-10
THE DRAMA.
REMITTANCE OF MAUDE ADAMS.
1.-THE LITTLE nr1nrrcrrR


Miss Maude Adams who appeared last night at
the Criterion Theatre. as Babbie in THE Little
Minister cheerlly greeted by a great throng
of admirers, and her vvacous impersonation of
Mr. Barries fantastic. gypsy-like half-elfish
heroine was again observed with sympathy and
pleasure Miss Adams enjoys a popularity kindred
with that which was possessed about thirty years
ago by Miss Maggie Mitchen-and for much the
same reason, that her innocent artless girl-like
personality is attractive despite a nasal vocalisrp
and down East manner. and that she diffuses
a charm Of ingenious temperament Imagination.
passion, distinction, intellectual character brill
fancy and force not attributes of her indivdu-
atty, and consequently shown in her acting,
but her half-rueful aspect and her gentle ways
now demurely serious and now gleefuly buoyant,
invest her theatrical proceedings with auring
grace. so that to remember of her perform
ances is to think of odd, quaint, brisk little
creature unique in her way. essentially feminine,
prone to quickly variable moods, and spontaneously
apt in the expression of them. The character OF
Babbie much diluted from what 1t is in the original
novel Qor Mr.. Barrie has altered and enfeebed his
story, in the process of turning ii into play, IS
conformable. in many respects, to her tempera-
ment and her powers and it enables her to express,
with less engaging effect, impulse. pert
ness perversty caprice, discomfort. mischief long
ing, self-will, arch and tantalizng recklessness,
and in short all the manifold traits of wayward
sweetness and charmingly irrational contradiction
that make up the nature of an original, impetuOus
girl. To the emotional power of Babbie. as drawn
in the novel, it seems not likely that this actress
could give an adequate expression, but that ele-
ment has not been involved in the play
There are wonderfully fine things in Mr.. Barrie's
pages which are not even suggested in his drama
such, for example, the scene Of the gypsy mar
rage suddenly disclosed by a flash of lightning,
in the night and beneath the black horror of an
impending tempest the escape of Babbie from the
clutches of Rob Dow. at the moment when he Is
about to plunge her into the hidden well; and the
parting speech of the minister, from the brink OF
arf1ai nod tn
to his death These and many kindred beauties
of the novel would be impossible upon the stage
The book has been made to yield light domestic
drama. diversified with few touches of romantic
sentiment and made sprighJly with playful humor
The scene in which Babbie becomes assured of her
safety, upon incidentally ascertainng that her
Scotch marriage with the minister is valid, rises
into comedy-by of adroit crib from
Wikie Collins-and provides capital opportunity
for strong comedy actress. This browning coca
sion was not utilized by Miss Adams. whose puny
style here lapsed into mere frivolity and futter
1t is tru9 that while the shadows murmur, the
deeps are dumb-as the old familiar line has often
said,-but, in acting, the deeps have way or ex-
pressing themselves-when they happen to exist
The sum OF the matter is that Miss Adams and her
associates, exploiting neat but inadequate para
phrase of THE Little Minister, give pretty and
pleasing entertainment but that persons who wish
thoroughly to understand and enjoy Mr.. Barrie's
novel,--which is of the deepest sweetest, and
most significant creations Of fctions-must turn to
the book and not to the stage. Meanwhile the
stage abstract moving epitome or the novel con-
tains enough of story about love and its crosses
with the concomitants of character, incident, ad-
venture and suspense, to hold the eager attention
of an audience three hours; it is all pure and
sweet; and Miss Adams has successfully presented
It about seven hundred times. The piece would be
better for the curtailment of prOlxity at the
close. Excellent acting by w. II. Thompson as
Whamond, George Fawce1t Rob Dow. and Mrs.
Jones Mamie greatly augmented the effect Of
nature and truth