Evening star., 1902-03-04
ADJUSTMENTS.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-

NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-
The lilies ere her pretty thoughts.
Her shoulders are the May.
Her smiles are all forget t-me-nots,
The roses that do line it are
Her fancies walking round
sTsstIy %Sish mv smsl5lps IsdTs ,sSenesf soWnes
It Is in the above bit Of valentine verse
that her lover describes the heroine of
Quality Street" Who but j. NJ. Barrie
could have invested a series of totally 1r-
responsible metaphors with SO much charm?
Who but Maud Adams could realize
character so etherially drawn?
The role of phoebe Of the Ringlets' Is
the last that would be expected as a sue
Cessor to the majestic sadness OF ~ A1g-
ion.'' The story Of little lassfe, bred to
the idea that spinsterhood is the loftiest
ambition to which feminine refinement can
aspire. and whose heart strings are wrench
ed almost beyond healing because man
has kissed her before he actually proposed
marriage would seem but a fragile theme to
offer after contemplating the blasted fortunes
of Napoeonic progeny. There is grateful re-
min1scence in the portrayal OF the role II
takes the theatereoer back to the dainty
tricks Of personality in which Miss Adams
first won the affections of play-goers, and
which it would be a pity for her to per.
manently discard even for the sake OF
wearing the laurelS of the tragic muse.
The humor of Quality Street is In Bar
RES characteristic vein. 1t is quiet but
unalloyed. Mr.. Barrie is not a satlrist III
the accepted meaning of the word. he mas
no grudges against society to settle ana
no theories to exploit. There are no en-
venomed points philanthropically intended
to vaccinate against folly. His people are
amusing, but not ludicrous; they awaken
too much sympathy to permit a sneer and
no one who laughs at their peculiarities
can candidly say that he might not have
displayed the same foibles and pre1udlces
had he been bred under similar circum-
stances. That is the humanity of it: the
quality which makes the homely details OF
everyday existence as fascinating as the
clank Of spurs and the flash Of rapiers.
There are conceits which none but Barrie
would have hit upon: for instance that or
the loyal youngster who as Miss Phoebe's
devoted pupil begs her to cane him In
manner that will do justice to her reputa-
a sir knight to chastise any boy who hints
that her tender-heartednesS overcomes her
efficiency in chastisement. There are cpl
grams, too, worthy of the most worldly
wit in their brilliancy, but tempered by the
gentle influence Of the surroundings. When
reproved for her flirtations Phoebe declares
with cynicism worthy Of the most harden
ed habitue of Vanity Fair that men prefer a
to go round" says she, mo sensible wo-
man would ever get a husband.
1t is a very gallant comedy, in that the
ladies have most of the opportunities. There
are some delightfully."- drawn characters. The
heroisms Of self-denial are through the
Ninsome personalities of the interpreters
made as strongly appealing as are the
heroisms Of achievement in dramas OF more
rugged interest. The contrasts of sentiment
anG comedy are strong and sometimes the
transition is more abrupt than might have
been wished. For the delicate play Of feel
ing in the piece Is of far more value
than the fun, and ludicrOus episode as the
eliminating incident Of an act must be
more or less resented as an ant-clinlaX.
Quality Street seeks no dizzy heights
1t is placid and pastoral Its production
10 &c
Adams brilliant and busy career.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-Somber and
gray as the moorland under the Scotch mist
is the general theme Of THE Bonnie Brier
Bush" yet relieved from monotony by a
dash Of humor as the heather flower varie-
gates the hillside. 1t is an idyll of Scotch
life, created by James Macarthur from
the stories Of Ian MacLaren. The Drum
tochty folk" and the quaint people ''in the
glen were familiar to many In the audi
ence last night, no doubt, who recalled the
charming stories of MacLaren. The char
acters were recognized, but they were made
to do things and say things their creator
had never set out for them in his original
manuscript. The playwright has availed
himself freely of his license. Well that he
did. Else there would be excuse for
dramatizing the story of Flora Campbell.
For three acts like the clouds that lower
Ger Ben LOmond, the pail Of sorrow, TRACE
dy, bgotry and intolerance hung the
two leading characters in the play. Then
the mists rolled away, the sun of joy and
repentance came out, glorifying the scene.
and wedding bells were heard In the dis
t6nCe.
The play teaches deep lesson in showing
how the OVer-righteOuS man. arrogant in
his assumption of spiritual superiority and
totally missing the spirit Of the religion he
follows may err and pervert rectitude to
oppression. The awakening to the mistake,
the realization of the injustice which had
been wrought in the name of the right,
n
character portrayal.
1t would do the play grave wrong how
ever to give the impression that it is all
Of one piece of holden gray. On the con-
trary, it is in part a delightful comedy, the
humor delicate and charming. The comedy
in reality prepOnderates over the pathOs,
though the intensity and tragicness of the
latter may seem at times to outweigh.
There are some tears in "The Bonnie Brer
Bush. but there are more smiles. Perhaps
in life the tears seem to make the deeper
impression and leave their traces.
On the leading character in the play, J.
II. Stoddart, only the highest praise can be
bestowed for his work. Excellence was ex-
pected of him, of course. Here is a man who
has been good actor all his life. He has
maintained a level, although high level. Of
superior performances. Now 1t comes to him
in his old age to rise above the plane on
which he had held honorable position and
to take his place in the rank to which he
is entitled He was accorded hearty well
come last night to his well-earned position
by his old friends in Washington who have
known and admired him many years.
Nature has evidently been molding Mr..
Stoddart all these years for the role Of
Lachlan Campbell, the stern Highland
father the intolerant and bigoted church.
man. whose God was a God of wrath, and
to whom the roar of the flames of hellfre
was always audible; with a heart so ten
der that he would spend a night on the
mOuntainsde searching for a strayed lamb,
yet turn his own eve lamb, his wee BARN,
out of doors for fancied misdeed. Mr..
StOddart's Interpretation Of the character
is masterful, tense. impassioned. 1t was
tribute to his art that he wrung real tears
from the large and fashionable audience
last night.
The company is well balanced. By far
the most important member Of It, after Mr..
Stoddart, in the work performed Is Reuben
Fax, who in the play is Archibald McKit-
trick, known at "POstey." q mail carrier.
The playwright was good to him. but his
own comedy supplemented the lines and
exceeded the material furnished him. Other
members of the company could be COM
mended for the evenness and excellence of
their performance, not excepting two lit
tie children who are childlike without be-
ing childish. The play is beautifully staged.
THE EMPIRE THEATER.-Resemblin
but little it's predecessor. the Bijou, Wash