Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-01
ADJUSTMENTS.

ADJUSTMENTS.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-"The Battle of
the Strong" as seen at the Columbia The
ater last night, is one of the most fascinat-
ing bits of romantic drama offered in many
seasons. From the somewhat stilted verb
iage in which Gilbert Parker has told his
story the playwrights have culled incidents
and woven them together into play which
compels close attention from the orchestra
chairs as well as applause from the gal
| lery. The sole purpose Of the production Is
to command and retain the auditors inter-
est. There are no problems to be solved,
no pessimistic protests against the fnev1-
table to be sounded. 1t Is simply the story
of a deceived and deserted woman, an am
| bilious and INSCRIPTIONS man and q reck-
less young fighter, who Is, by the love Of a
| lady, transformed from drunken swash-
buckler to beau ideal Of chivalry. Marie
Burroughs was the deceived and deserted
| woman; Holbrook Blinn was the ambitious
and INSCRIPTIONS man, and Maurice Barry
more was the beau ideal Of chivalry. Every
| thrill-producing trick Of the melodrama is
used, from red lights and slow music to the
temperance of the long-lost marriage
proofs just in the nick Of time. But these
elements are not allowed to obtrude them
selves unduly. The interest centers in the
characters and their trials and herosms
and retributions. And at the close Of the
third act the audience rewarded the virtu-
Gus lady with salvo of applause, hailed
her protector with vociferous approval and
greeted the villain with the Kisses which
his perfidy so abundantly deserved.
Yet. 1t was not an over-demonstrative
audience. There were many occasions
when a pause in the delivery Of speech
would have opened the way for enthus-
iastic demonstration; but the players held
closely to the authors purposes and did
not encourage the audience to break the
continuity of scene even by its own ap-
plause The first and second acts pro-
coed with deiberauon. Making the ac-
quaintance Of the characters in romantic
drama is always laborious enterprise;
but their achievements later in the even
ing made them well worth the knowing.
Miss Burroughs is a beautiful woman,
who makes up for what she may lack in
natural emotion by intimate technical
which represent Guida, the abandoned
mother, with her child, were replete with
womanly dignity. Holbrook Blinn played
the villain in a manner which relieved the
type Of some of its conventionality. He
conveyed in a highly intelligent manner
the impression that d'Avranche's villainy
was caused by his incapacity for self-sac-
rifice rather than by innate cruelty. 1t
was human and plausible Interpretation
of a role which might easily have be-
come wooden and conventional.
And 1t worth a days journey to see
Maurice Barrymore as the hero. Those who
have seen Barrymore only in society parts
have been compelled to judge him at his
worst An evening coat and high collar
letters to his genius. Last night he
| left them far behind and in tattered gar
ments, drenched with mimic gore, he strobe
his way without hiEdrance into feminine af-
lection and masculine approval. The ext
gencies of the role make it his bounden
duty to strut and sWagger-but the Bar
rymore strut and swagger differ from the
ordinary effort at stage heroics as vastly
as the courtly minuet differs from the per-
! form of nd dam taavn &c
doubtful if Mr.. Barrymore has even had
a part which reveals him to greater advan-
tage. The cast Is rich in opportunities for
character work. These minor opportunities
are not accepted for their full value except
in one instance, that of the idiot, Dormy
Jamais, played by Frederick Perry. more
repulslve picture could scarcely be drawn
yet it compelled admiration by the sincere
and consistent art with which 1t Is por-
trayed.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-James
X. Hackett and Bertha Galland. assisted
by company of conspicuous merit realize
in 1.-The Pride of Jennico'' the fulness OF
that type Of romantic drama foreborn by
drama In four acts, by Abby Sage Richard
son and Grace Livingston Furniss. founded
on the chief incident in Agnes and Egerton
Castles novel of the same name.
The scene of action Is In and about one
Of those mythical principalities which OF
late years novelsts have been creating and
| d
cesses of history are duly labeled and their
actions noted: but the Prince Of Anes-
thesia or the Princess Won TolloI may mar
shall armies or marry below their respective
stations, and unless one reads the book
or sees the play he will be none the wiser
Lack of chronological exactness and geo.
graphical location also allows the charac-
tiers involved to wear the most picturesque
and gorgeous costumes with prOpriety, and
permits of stage settings whose accuracy
no man, globe trotter though he be. could
hn yy,oJi &c
is all as 1t should be, and 1.-The Pride OF
Jennico' is correspondngly delightful. Its
, people live in an atmosphere colored with
! | romance and surcharged with nerve-tin.
, Cling sensations. Love and loyalty jostle
? Villainy and vainglory, and in the end g
true heart and trusty sword win the
princess and send an intriguing villain ane
assassin over a rocky eminence to a damn
and much deserved death.
, The audience which filled the Nationa
= last night showed high appreciation of the
beauty and symmetry of the production
Mr.. Hackett was repeatedly called before
: the curtain and finally compelled to stan(
and deliver at the imperative demand fol
q speech, although he was quite out O.
breath, as he admitted, from a vigorou!
encounter single handed with trio of ruff
fans. Mr.. Hackett, who Is one OF thu
best swordsmen on the stage age, mas a mn
Is ever ready to defend fair name and lazy
and he fights to win.. The role Of Basi
Jennico is a happy vehicle for the display
| OF MS aDlllty dS tLe IOHitHliC ASi Gin
: that he fulflls every expectation and de
r sire in that regard is not to be controversies
p except by a stale and jaundiced eye II
high boots and flowing cloak, ruf1ed an
d snowy shirt front of cascaded lace. caugh
r a, the throat with jeweled brooch, he i
e an imposing and statuesque figure. Witna
: his thorough manliness and sincere method
v compel attention and interest. AS the 70
: mantle lover he is the delight and sigh
impelling desire of the feminine heart. an
the despair of the average young mai
LII 1ort rfrl IN hn YnIo
J. and who realizes that he could no more at
e tain to Mr. Hackett's loverly heights thai
e he could aspire to his ease of action o
= his six-feet-and-over of physical altitude
And he fears that his best girl holds
9 kindred belief Miss Galland's Princes
d Ottalie was delightful and thoroughly ar
tistic There is feeling of hidde
n 1 strength in her methods, or rather he
- Inatnralnesa which atigtlrs rand Advance