The Washington times., 1902-10-21
Scores a Hit in Miss Ford's
Production of "a Gentle
man of France" Pleasing
Audience at the National.

Audience at the National
At one time it seemed almost GER
tainty that the dramatizer of popular
novels would overlook Stanley Wey-
mans stirring tale, "a Gentleman o.
France" but when an enterprising firm
of theatrical managers brought Kyrle
Bellew over to this country from the
gold fields of Australia, where, according
to common repute. he was engaged in
the pursuit of fortune with uncommon
get vehicle suitable for his talents
as romantic actor.
! AS every other romance Of latter-day
fiction had been seized upon, and the
thrilling stories of personal encounter
as recorded in the scintillating pages of
the Congressional Record" were not
deemed worthy to be transferred to tho
stage. Miss Harriet Ford. one of the
Liebler & Co.'S staff of professional
dramatizers was given a copy of Mr.
Weyman's romance and told to do her
best-or worst-with it.
And the play, as presented by Mr..
Bellew and first class company at the
National Theater last night, was the re-
suit.
Not Strong Play.
Miss Fords work cannot honestly be
called a good romantic play. The
story is we'll told, and while in the main
| it has little in common with the book,
it must be confessed that as dramatized
decidedly better than many that have
come to this city.
The authoress has remodeled both De
Marsac and Mile. de la Wire, and has
made no effort to follow their numerous
adventures. but has simply tried TO keep
the two chief characters we'll to the
front during the recital of the story
and to indicate the triumph of their
love and Henry of Navarro. in his politi-
cal endeavors.
The main interest in the piece cen-
tiers around Mile. de la Vire her alb
duction. her rescue by Marsac. her re-
capture and final release, and told in
half dozen or SO highly melodramatic
scenes that fairly bristle with thrills.
A Terrific Stage Fight.
There is one scene. fight at the top
of a staircase, that no doubt has made |
course Marsac is the hero of the bat |
tie of swords and he is urged on TO |
his best efforts by the beautiful heroine. |
1t is none of your COMMONPLACE stage
fights with the "one-two three up"
'.one-two down" business about 1t, but |
veritable conflict of blades, and by the
time Marsac is through slaughtering his
enemies he has made away with seven
of them, one of whom INDUCES in a L
spectacular fall down the entire flight |.
of stairs, to the great delight of that |;
part of the audience that cares for aero
batic histrionism. 1t is truly a fine bit
of stagecraft, is this fight put up by I
Marsac, and every time he lifts his L
trusty Toledo he gains five yards on his
opponents. with only a handicap of the
first down to worry him.
Last night the National audience adj
judged this fight the greatest thing in
the performance, If the amount of ap- L
plause that followed the struggle may I
be taken as an evidence of the appre- {
citation of nhe assemblage. Mr. Bellew t
was compelled to bow his acknowledge u
ments, his sword in one hand, while the {
fair heroine. who was the cause o. the {
awful carnage, gripped the other. 5
Mr.. Bellows Personal Triumph. 6 {
The chief part is unworthy the dra- a
matte genius of Mr.. Bellew But being r
burdened with the role, he makes the !
best of very bad matter. and brings
10 the representation all the technical
skill, the grace, the admirable elocution.
and free, sweeping gestures, the simula-
ion of daring and bravery, and the
necessary to make Mar
sac an interesting sort of hero And
hen toward the end of the play, when
he love story commences in earnest. Mr.
3ellew proceeds to prove that as a
stage wooer he is absolutely without -,
peer. in this country. at least. even
When he is overloaded with prolix dec
arations of love. bombastic and decii- y
dly unreal.
Eleanor Robson, last seen in Wash
ngton as Constance, in Browning's In t
Balcony" plays Mile. de la Wire with -
much charm and spirit and dignity.
here is nothing very real about "a
Gentleman of France''-even Mr.. Bel
ews contribution is acting. acting.
ouriours acting-but Miss Robson pro-
ides some delightful moments when one
eally forgets that ii is all unreal, only h
lake believe. She reads her lines with
luch elocutionary care, and with mark
d effect. and some of her love pas
ages with Mr.. Bellew are capitally
one.
"A Gentleman of France" does not
i've exceptional opportunities to anyone hi
scept Mr.. Bellew and Miss Robson. but :.
scar Eagle and Herbert Fortier are "
specially good In their respective parts. "
da Dryer plays Fanchette most ac- +,
aptably. and in the first act a young
ctress. Florence Lester, displays I'm
istakable genius In the part of tn
age. These bits are generally more ,f eli
joke than anything else In romantic III
lays of the "A Gentleman of France" -
der, hut Miss Lester brings an en- as
lusiasm and intelligence TO the small ie'
lrt. and really makes it assume unex. mi
,cted prominence. The other parts La
e well played
The Columbia-"Arizona."