The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-05-13
NATHAN HALE"
spleSdid Play Admirably Acted to
Poor House,
Poor House.
I'm Saturdays Daily Gazette.

tdlu It's reputation OF Delng the pores
"show" town on the line of the North
ern Pacific. The audience that turne
out last night to witness the proluc
ton of Nathan Hale" with Howard
Kyle in the title role could not very
well have been smaller without con
filming those present to the employe.
of the opera house. The few wht
were there, however, had the salts
faction of witnessing one of the mos,
meritorious performances ever at
tempted in the house. The play it
self is of that class that appeals tc
the artistic as well as the emotiona'
temperament of an audience. and
while dealing with a subjec. that be
cause of it's very nature is mournfu]
and the story it tells is one of the
most pathetic related in history, vel
the genius of the playwright has
lighted it with a delicate and exuui.
site touch of humor that relieves it
of the sombreness to De expected in
View VI us tragic GQQ1nS. L
The story of Nathan Hale is familiar
to all, but as told by Clyde Fitch and
interpreted by Howard Kyle it be
comes even more sbsorbingly inter
esting and is given a reality and
n~aturalness that causes the audience
to forget that it is witnessing a mimic
production, generously embellished by
the liberal touch Of the playwright's
license. Mr.. Kyle becomes the pat
riotic school teacher and not once
during the progress of the four acts
does ne forget his s%tagecraft for a
moment and permit his audience to
realize that it is only acting it sees
AS the gentle teacher, with his quaint,
spontaneous humor, striving to fill
with knowledge the youthful minds
OF those entrusted - him while his
own is filled with love of winsome,
dainty Alice. Adams he captivates the
auditors and makes them all the more
regret the sad fate they know is in
store for him.
While nothing but praise can be
given Mr.. Kyle in every part Of the
play, he is, perhaps, at his best in the
second and last acts. The scene he
tween himself and Alice Adams miss
Florence Smyth) when he returns to
the house of Colorel lsnowlton and
meets his sweetheart affords an ex-
cellent opportunity for some delicious
comedy and not q line or word is
permitted to escape without being
made the most of. In the final act
when the curiain rises and shows
the interior Of the tent in which
Nathan Hale is spending his last night
on earth the dram ,tist lays the ground
for situations that cali for very strong
acting and thor, ,ugn understanding
and mastery of almost all the emo
lions of the human mind. A less ca
pable and painstaking actor than Mr..
Kyle would overdo and spoil the ef-
feet, especially in the last scene, when
Alice Adams comes to him for her
last leave-taking. This is the strong
est scene in the entire play and calls
for the greatest exhibition of artistic
conception and thorough knowledge of
acting. Only two words are spoken
during the meeting between the two
lovers, yet the scene is one that can
never be forgotten by those who have
witnessed it. The height of genuine
art is attained in it.
AS between the claims of Mr., KYLE
and Miss Smyth on the favors Of the
audience it would be hard to distin-
guish which was the stronger. The
character of Alice Adams is only Sec
ond to that of Nathan Hale and calls
for as much skill and fnesse in it's
portrayal as does the leading role. 1t
is hard to conceive it in better hands
or a more finished performance than
given by Miss Smyth. Her changes
from grave to gay, from youthful joy
n reveling in the wealth of a
maiden's first love intensified, by the
knowledge that that love is returned,
and then to the heartbroken woman
with speeches. woe and misery bid
biding an eternal farewell to the man
n loves, we're so true to nature and
so marked by the true artiste's con-
ception that it may be said her act
ing was perfection.
The remainder of the caste was I'M
usually good and the play in every re-
spect merited the high praise it has
received wherever presented.
TO BE allotted.