Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-10
DELICATE. AS. "A ROSE
WAS PRINCESS ANGELA.
Mf,. Hnswell. Delighted Audience at
Academy Last Night In
Royal Family.

Delicate as a roses petal. delicious a s
its odor bubbling as mountain spring
In its humor soft as mother KISS IN
its pathos. was the character OF Angela
as nortrayed by Miss Haswell in "a
Royal Family" at the Academy of Music
last night.
Although the fame of Captain Mar
shall's play had preceded 1t. the pleasure
Of seeing it depicted upon Richmono
stage was reserved for Miss Hasweli and
her really clever company OF associate
players.
Anticipation was keyed up 10 its high
est pitch as to what the play that helped
to establish Annie Russrlfs reputation
was like and how the author had treat
ed 1t in theme, dialogue. and situation
in the deft touch OF musician Cap
ain Marshall has treated IT, Such al
rtiste who plays sweet melodies upon
he strings of the human heart. who IN
lerstood all the tender sensibllities and
vthmic nassions that dominate in the
human mind.
With finesse rarely displayed in the
modern drama he has made the character
of Angela, although a princess by birth.
surrounded by all the environments Of
royalty, with it's ermined traditions,
sweet, ingenious girl, whose predom-
mating passion was love. and whose heart
beat in unison with every instinct that
pertained to it.
Although reared in stately ancestral
halls, Angela vas a child of the woods
the mountain and the stream. With all
the enthusiasm born of youth she loved
nature wherein she encountered it.
Notwithstanding the etiquette Of courts
and rulers, her girlish instinct told her
that love was after all the one uncrown-
ed monarch that ruled the world, whether
it was found in the vine-cad cottage Of
the peasant or in the gilded walls Of a
palace. Naturally, her heart rebelled
when her monarchical parents wouli
have linked her young life with that OF
a man she had never seen much, less
loved. Unconsciously, however, by
clever ruse Of a cardinal, this self-same
princess was brought into daily con-
tact with the man against whom she
.lad rebelled SO strenuously, and uncon-
sciousiy love for him crept into her heart
The prince who had wooed and won her
incognito did not disclose his real identity
until the last moment when the little
princess, who had sacrificed, as she
thought, the love Of her heart for that OF
her country, and was willing to marry
cen against her wishes. that the people
ruled by her father should dwell in peace
and unity. When she discovered that hel
worst fears were grOundiesS and that
the man she really loved was after all
to be her husband. the denouement can
better be nf~.''red in the imagination than
told in words. kEs
This va, -. theme of "a Royal Fam
lily this was the character Miss Has.
well was caned upon to portray.
MISS HASWELL NOT CONVINCING.
While she did not entirely realize the
part, she was pretty and winsome. and
despite her information of voice, which was
at times monotonous, she left a pleasing
impression upon her audience. She is
however, not convincing. There is littl:
too much of the milk ana water about
Miss HaswelIs work to ever allow her
to become great actress; but her charm
ing personality will aid her to bridge over
great many artistic faults. That we'll
known actor, Boyd Putnam, appeared to
advantage in the part of Louis w. King
of Arcadia, and materially aided Miss
Haswell in many trying situations of the
play. Due praise should be given to
Frank Roberts as the Cardinal, Walter
Crosby as Father Anselm, his secretary,
and Miss Maud Granger an erstwhlle star
and actress of the old school, who ap
peared as Queen Ferdinand the mother
of Louis. The other members Of the "a
we're adequate in their roles. The play
was appropriately staged and the cos
tunes We're in keeping with the period.
Taken altogether, "A Royal Family is
one of the cleanest, dainuest plays ye
seen upon the local stage, and it is to
be regretted that there are not more like
it to-day in the realm of dramatic COM
edy.
Miss Adelaide Thurston is one of tho
few young stars who can boast of three
successes in succession. All well-informed
tneatre-goers know of Miss Thurston's
remarkable career for two seasons as
Lady Babbie in THE Little Minister.
She was the only actress who starred in
that play contemporareoUs with Miss
Maude Adams. Miss Thurston's next
triumph was in Sweet Clover but the
heavy emotional qualities of tnat play
were not SO congenial to her as the jovial
roles in which she had been Identified
On this account the authors Of Sweet
Glover" wrote "At Cozy Corners" to bet
ter fit the petite stars bright personality.
The new play is to be seen at the Acad-
envy of Music Saturday matinee and eve
ming, October 18th.
The date for appearance here of that
inirnitable pigmy OIL the footlights"
Frank Daniels is not far off, and as it
approaches interest in the engagement III
creases. He is to present his new opera
tic success Miss Simplicity" at the
Academy on Monday and Tuesday nights
next week.