The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-20
AT THE THEATRES.



most Of the audience understood before ar
irving at the theatre, Barbara Frietchie
is not intended to be in any sense his
tovical play. The author has used the
name OF Barbara, and enc incident asso-
ciated with it, for the sake Of dramatic ef-
feet For the rest. the play is Simply
reDroduction OF characteristic Maryland
life during the civil war, and the COS
tunes incidents. and general atmosphere
are thoroughly in keeping with this idea
The series OF pictures which it presents
would be delightful even without the &C
ton which links them together
The action. however. is absolutely real-
istic, which is more than can be said OF
most war plays. The first scene, in VIII
the young men and maidens Of Frederick
are found enjoying a little mild Imitation
on a mOonlit porch is one Of the most eN-
auisite bits Of realism ever put On the
stage and when the comedy is tinged with
a deeper and more serious interest, on the
appearnnce of BarbaTa's lover, Captain
Trumbull. OF the Union Army, there is still
not the shadow of anything strained or I'M
real. In fact, it is all so very natural tnat
it gives the beholder the sensation Of bairg
himself seated on a doorstep and watching
the doings of his neighb5rs
Although the play has a tragic ending.
the atmosphere is less tragic than pathetic,
and its sadness is so iightensd with spon-
taneous and apparently casual BITS OF
humor that it is anything but gloomy in
its general effect. In the second act TINS
miueliug Of pathos and humoT is most pro-
noUnced for it is in this that Barbara and
her lover meet at the house OF the Hagers-
town minister with the intention OF b. ng
married Before the minister arrives,
...TT q. 5rfffff fn =
~ summoned to duty and subsequently,
Confederate sharpshooters are stationed in
the house Seeing one Of them take aim
at her lover, Barbara, in desperation.
shoots him. disabling his rifle arm. In the
following scene. which takes place in the
Frietchie house. the tragedy deepeEs. IS
Trumbull is brought to the housc, mortally
wounded, and Jack Negley. a crazy lover
Of Barbara's, attempts TO kill him, ana is
prevented by Barbara. This incident,
which might easily become melodramatic,
is, by the quiet and artistic work OF the
players made one Of the mcst telling ia
the piece. In the last act Trumbull d g,
and Barbara, while displaying the Union
flag from the portico Of her home. is shot
by her crazed lover, and Sc the scene eLd=.
Few Of the roles which Miss Mariowc has
played in the past have suited her powers
more thoroughly tnan this. The sugges
Jion Of the balcony scene in Romeo and
juliet" which makes enc Of the charI ing
elements of the first act. was happy re-
hinder Of her juliet: and while the char
acter Of Barbara is winsome and tender,
rather than strong. there are opportunities
for powerful emotional work here and
there, not one of Which is lost.
The company as a whole is good. NOrah
Lamison. as Barbara's bosom friend. played
her part smoothly and successfully as
usual. and Katharine Wilson made the
most OF the somewhat limited role of Sally
Negley. A decided acquisition to the com
rany is Alice Leigh whose abilities as a
character actress are well known, and who
plays Nanny Lu. the old negress. in a way
which is a restful delight TO the eye and
to the mind. Her impersonation is quiet,
realistic, and never by any chance over
wrought. J. H. Gilmour is a fairly salts
factory Captain Trumbull and did some
OF his best work in the trying third act.
Arnold DAILY. as Jack -Negley was also
a his best in the emotional crises, and
Lionel Adams was excellent as Arthur
Frietche Less acceptable was the work of
George Woodward as Barbara father. In
every Southern play il seems inevitable
that at least one or two actors should mar
the general harmony CT things and Mr..
Woodward is in this case unfortunate
enough TO be one Of them The character
Of this fine old Southern gentleman should
be one OF the strongest in the piece, but in
Mr. WoodWards hands il is anything but
convincing c. F. Gibney in the less diff
cult part OF Colonel Negley. is open to the
same criticism. While very good in the
serio- comic first act, he does not rise TO the
demands Of TIE character in the later
scenes. Dodeon Mitchell and Becton Rad
ford played the two Yankee soldiers eN-
ceedingly we'll. and the minor parts were
acccpiably filed.
In staging play OF this sort too much
attention cannot be given TO the details OF
scenery and costume, and few Of these
minutiae have been overlooked One is
tempted to wonder whether in Sc. young
Southern gentlemen wore their hats while
talking 10 ladies. and If these hats were
suspiciously modern looking straw sailors.
but that is a small affair The scenery as
a whole Is an artistic masterpiece. and
nothing prettier has recently been seen on
the stage. It may be said in conclusion
that there was very nearly enough playing
OF Dixie" TO satisfy even a Washington
audience and that the house was packed
to the doors The audience paid the play
the unusual compliment Of remaining
seated. apparently spellbound By the beauty
and Dajhos Of the closing act, until the
curtain was fairly down.