The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-01
AT THE THEATRES.
The columbia-Marie burroughs.

cne instance, these offerings have proved
to possess but little dramatic merit and
| have not deserved much serious consider
alton. Still another play, made over from
work of fiction, was presented at the
Columbia Theatre last night by Marie Bur
roughs, and was accorded a reception that
| should put to rest any doubts in the mind
Of the star as to the merits of her vehicle,
The Battle of the Strong"
The dramatization has been made By
Willis Steel and E. E Rose, the latter the
champion literary stage hack of the day
The major portion OF the work in the
version of the Gilbert Parker story must
| have been done by Mr. STEEL, or else Mr..
! Rose exercised extraordinary care in his
labors, for ii is distinctly superior to the
average Rose dramatization. In fact THE
| Battle Of the Strong" may be said, in all
| verify, to possess a great deal more real
merit than any play that has been con-
strueted from novel and presented in this
| city during the present year. 1t has many
I strong points, and affords Miss Burroughs
| good chance to display her undeniable
| abilities as an interpreter of roles requir-
ing strength and power. Her portrayal of
Guido Landresse is vivid and accurate She
! rises to her greatest heights, perhaps in
| the second act, where she gives vent to
intense anguish and despair at the sudden
| death Of her grandfather. De Mauprat who
expires believing in her guilt. The au-
dience last night took most kindly to Miss
| Burroughs and THE Battle Cf the Strong -
and the play Is undoubtedly in for de-
servedly prosperous engagement.
The locale of THE Battle of the Strong
is the Isle OF Jersey; the time is just a,
| the beginning of the French Revolution
at the end of the eighteenth century
| Guida has secretly been married to Philir
dAVranche. who Immediately after the
| ceremony leaves for France. ahjuring his
newly-made wife to keep the knowledge
OF their union from everyone. Philip. in
france. marries the daughter of a French
+ nobleman. While at her Jersey home much
/ trouble befalls Guida The discovery that
she is soon to become a mother results
IN the death of her grandfather and causes
the geGd people of the village to ehun
her. STILL she believes in and trusts
Philip, looking daily for his return. After
the birth of her child the only comfort
she has is given by Detricand, who. Of
course, supplies the very necessary love
interest. Philip returns from France, IS
an admiral and visiting the hut of Guida.
decidedly stormy scene ensues. An at
tempt to take away Guida's boy is baked
by Detricand, who in the last act fights
: uuei Win AhlLHitS5 GhlIlp. VINO QaIty
meets his death at the hand of Dormy
Jamais, half-witted follower of-Detri-
cand. The curtain falls on a happy scene.
with Guida and the constant Detricaad
declaring their love for each other.
In making the stage version TIE adspters
have failed to take advantage OF the char
acter of Ranulph Deagarde the faithful
and honest admirer of Guida, who. in :he
Parker story, assumes a very important
,,Ia =; H.
tiTely obfuscated II the play may be said
10 have one fault It is a lack of the he
morous element. although If several roles
were in different hands this deficiency
might not exist, as several actors to whom
are entrusted parts that contain much ma
terial that should produce laughs fall TO
take full advantage of the playwright
lines. The action of the piece is cumula-
tive, and, If anything, the fourth act is
the strongest. The second and third drops
of the curtain last night were signalized
By outhursts Of genuinely hearty applause.
and Miss Burroughs and the members of
her company wg-c compelled TO ackaowl-
edge the plaudits before the curtain.
Judged by his excellent work there can
be no truth in the stories that recently
came from the West regarding Maurice
Barrymore's impaired health. His De-
tricand is splendidly conceived and
portrayed ana the players entire
work is marked with all of his
old time vim and dash and a more
impetuous. careless. and brave friend
of the lovable, innocent Guida would be
hard to imagine. Another member of the
large and excellent caste whose efforts
are so good as to assume unlocked for pro-
portions is Jennie Reifarth as Aimabie.
the good woman whose kindness makes
her most delightful parsonage. Hol-
brook Blinn, an actor of excellent methods,
is sufficiently villainous 10 win Kisses
from the upper portions of the house The
Dormy Jamais of Frederick Perry is one
OF the ablest characters OF the entire per-
formance and from an Insignificant bit
in his hands 1t is made to stand out in
bold prominence as a remarkably clever
drawing. Other praiseworthy members of
the company include Roland Gibson and
Charles Lane. both members of last sum
mer's Columbia Theatre stock company;
Frank G. Henderson, Blanche Alexander,
and Elizabeth Woodson.
There will be a special New Year mat
inee Of THE Battle Of the Strong in adj
dition to the usual Thursday and Satur-
day matinees. Persons who desire TO see
the best specimen of the dramatized novel
that has come to Washington this year
will visit the Columbia during Miss Bur
roughs' engagement.