The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-08
ADJUSTMENTS
Mary Elizabeth Forbes in "Barbara
FrIetchie" at the Metropolitan.

Clyde Fitch's drama of Barbara
Frietchie," the Frederick girl, was pre-
scented at the Metropolitan theater last
evening for one performance only before
an audience Of the kind commonly desig-
mated as s"sman but enthusiastic 1t is
a 5matter for regret, that the engagement
could not have been extended. Bar
bara Frietchie' is we'll worth seeing. ,~
Fitch is our foremost living dranat1st
and,l while this play is not his greatest
work, it yet possesses that charm OF In
cident and delicacy of touch which have
inag ination and the warp of his fancy
he has woven a fine dramatic texture,
pleasing in design and nicely embroidered;
a fabric lily calculated, perhaps, to with
stand hard wear, but of admirable soft?
ness. 49, .'... -
Fitch is master Of dialogue. To the
smartness of Pinero and the brilliancy Of
Bernard Shaw he unites the tenderness
of a woman. His epigrams glisten.
They do not sparkle. Their luster is of
the dewdrop; not Of the diamond And
vet he does not sacrifice dramatic effect
to sentimentality. What daintier state
ment of a great political truth could be
devised than Barbara's explanation of
civil war conditions: I'm 1878 the North
and South were betrothed. This war is
only a lovers quarrel. In 1876 they will
be together again. 49,.
Our dramatist is also a daedal artificer
in the matter of situation. A man Of pro-
nouneed originality and extensive in
genuity, he does not belong to that
pestiferous tribe of playwrights who mar
book in the making Of play, and
substitute scissors for pen and ink.
A painter Of no mean ability, Clyde
Fitch, illustrates his own plays as F.
Hopkinson Smith does his books. His
stage stories are Illuminated with stage
IL.
does not require the services of a profess
siona1 producer" who is, at the best,
merely a craftsman and not an artist, for
in himself he joins the two professions in
one -. -.~f@' ri, ..,1-' = -
The presentation of Barbara
Frietchie," given at the Metropolitan 1ast
night was admirable in many respects.
Mary Elizabeth Forbes, young woman OF
charming personality, invests the name
part with a tenderness and delicious CO.
| quetry that makes her work most de-
lightful. OF winsome appearance, Miss
Forbes is also an, actress of no mean
ability. Barring tendency to protract
too long her more intense scenes. her
work in the melodramatic passages is
worthy Of high praise. Not the least of
her gifts is q wonderful sympathetic voice,
effective alike in the soft drawn Of the
| southland and in the brisker passages,
| where Barbara, swayed by emotion, casts
Wilfred l.. Rogers gives a manly and
distinctly likable impersonation of Cap
tain Trumbull; and Bessie Stewart
Bacon Is good as Sue Royce. The other
roles, for the most part, are we'll played
The climax Of the second act was ruined
| last night by incompetent stage manage
| ment, but atonement was made at the
| last, where Stonewall Jackson's troops
march across the stage, and where Bar
! bara is shot as she faunts the stars and
stripes from her balcony.
E j. S. Lawrence.
Foyer Chat.
''Mr. Jolly of Joliet opened weeks
engagement at the Bijou yesterday t.
large and well pleased houses. At the
| Lyceum the Ferris bill was the popular
| old melodrama, "Hazel Kirke." Ouis
Skinner opens his brief engagement il
| ''Lazarrc" at the Metropolitan tonight
The productions will be reviewed in this
column tomorrow.
! Otis Skinner will play an engagement
Of three nights and Wednesday matinee
at the Metropolitan beginning tonight il
..Lazarre,' the new play which he ant
1 Aubrey Boucicault have made from Marx
sCatherwoods romance Its theme. tina
of the mystery of lost Bourbon prince
| is entirely worthy Of Mr.. SINNERS ability
as a playwright and actor of ronlanti,
roles. Associated with Mr.. Skinner is
competent company of players. includin,
/ Nannette Ccmstock, Maud Durbin, Waite
1 Allen and Joseph Weaver.
4 The Metropolitan offers as its attraction
for the last half of the week 1.-THE Storks.
an operate fantasy that from all account
is one of the most emphatic hits seen il
/ the west for years. The book was writ
i ten by Richard earle and Guy r. Steel,
and the music composed by Frederi