The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-18
This Was as Much q Part Of ths
Success as Was the Creation.
BEAUTIFUL STAGE SETTINGS
Not Detail Was Overlooked and the
Audience Was Appreciative Of the
Work of the Artists-The Whole
Cast Was Good, bu. Miss
Robson Received Great
est Applause.

II wonderful audacaity. clever writing
fire acting and remarkable scenery 90
Tor anything in assuring the fortunes OF
a play, then Audrey the Ford-Bodding-
ton dramatization of Mary Johnstons
| book of the same name should have a
remarkable run.
1t may not be probable; it may at times
offend a carefully educated taste. and 1t
may leave the playgoer unsatistied. but
during it's progress it will rivet his atten-
ton and cause his pulse to beat with
feyerish haste. Accept the entourage that
Harriet Ford and E. T. Boddington offer.
and then it must be acknowledged that
Audrey, is a marvelously attractive play
uneven. perhaps, but brilliant In Its
daring originality of treatment, smartly
written and likely to be discussed In every
circle.
Last night, upon it's first presentatton
it was received at the Academy with great
enthusiasm, and at one period-the tnIrd
act-roused the audience to pitch q
excitement rarely witnessed In play
house. And what an audience it was!
Every seat was taken and every avalt-
able foot of standing room was occup1ed.
1t was not only large, but interesting
including as it cid many people VINO ns-
,lre in fashionable life. prominent literary
men and women. and people Of note IN
the professional and business world.
The audience was in holiday mood. and
the critical spirit was never manifested
by it except once, early in the perform
ance; when the current of events upon
the stage was interrupted by round OF
vigorous applause bestowed spontaneous
~ upon Eleanor Robson
at no other time in the evening was
an act or scene interrupted by applause.
| but after each climax there was plenty
| of it. in which, seemingly, everybody
| joined. and the curtain calls were very
numerous
The play seems to be good. and is
| doubtless better than 1t seems. It is
over long. ep sodic. descriptive, explana-
| tory. But the pictorial side of it is
splendid. and the various episodes were
chosen with fine sense of the effect
7 they would make on the eye. Therefore.
when it has been cut a little and re-
hearsed again. the play may be great
popular success.
ACCURACY OF SCENES.
The historical accuracy of scenes and
| dresses. the copiotls variety of emhelrsh-4
/ ment, tie feIicitous adjuncts, and In gen
| eraI the quaint splendor with which
Liebler and Company have produced tho
| pay were admitted on every hand. and
were not only admitted but warmly e1-
| telled. The fragrance of the old time
1
| of the piece.
Mary Johnston Is not q dramatin
writer. T;,s elarm of her s.nries re-
SIDES in feeling, description, character.
ard style. They do not attempt action.
! and they contain little dialogue. Yet they
| lace vital wi.h the play of ingenious
| fancy, and they abound in suggestions
of situation. The dramatist would do no
| good in merely reproducing them; he
must expand their hints, embody their
descriptions rearrange their Incidents.
| and vitalize with action the structure OF
/ their plots.
| II Miss Ford and Mr.. Bodelington have
| ignored many details. they have at least
| extracted from the narrative. the salient
I points of a consistent harmonious story.
| The spectator can enjoy the play.
/ whether he has read the original or not.
| At the end of the first act he knows
| Audrey Darden. Howard Evelyn Byrd.
I their way of life. the motives of each
/ and every character and the relatives OF
! each to all and he sees. the contrasted
! states of circumstances and experiences
! surrounding and enmeshing all. After.
/ this preparation the story is developed
| with rapid strokes.
HAPPY ENDING
1T is unfortunate that the dramatists
| should have changed the ending of Miss
Johnstons book to happy curtain.s'
/ For a time the stage rfSked popularity
| for truth and playwrfghts ran straight.
when the logic of events blaZed the course.
TO what are commonly termed s..unsatis-
i factory endings. The influence OF the
| great drama fists of Europe-Ibsen. Eche-
gary. Hauptmann. Pinero. Giacoso-insin-
uated itself even into the American the.
atre. and prevailed against the stupid.
stolid superstition that no play could sue.
/ coed. as regards sufficient patronage. un-
/ less the audience was dismissed Fin IL
/ pleasant state OF mind as the can't
I of the playhouse expressed it. The ap-.
/ parentIy final rout of the fraud was in
e:icated by the prosperity, with public as
| well as critics. of such plays as The
Second Mrs. Tanqueray. = :. sda, 2 .Fe-
bellious Susan. . The Benefit OF the
/ Doubt. .Cyrano de Rergerac'' and half
a score of the other memorable works OF
/ the last decade.
| But the reaction. which asserts Itself
with comet-like regularity In the theatre.
set in. and now Audrey must be made
to conform to the ancient traditions. and
Miss Ford and Mr.. Boddington yielded to
! the feeble fetish. AS a result OF this SUD-
I seryience their carefully buiit structures
! totters at what they probably mtscaicuS
lated to be it's strongest point There 10
il a tragical undertone IN Audrey. It is first
manifested in the appearance Of Huxon.
4 and the character OF AUDREY Is made To-
i glide into harmony with that undertones
i The ecstasy OF the wooing scene, the
1. passionate frenzy in the ball room. the
4 agony Of the denunciation In Bruton
Church. the fearful awakening. the des-
peration, the flight. the paroNysm OF fear
when Hugon threatens Howarrs lneaN
/ these are in unison with the spirit at nrse
| denoted. and through these would nat,lr.
ally be accomplished the prct1gured dooD
i OF Audrey ~ sssss