The Washington times., 1902-03-04

tAiE NAliONAl@T quanly street, Il
new comedy by ]. NJ. Barrie. in four
Valentine Brown. Sydney Brough
Ensign Blades. William Levers
Major LinBwater Arthur Barry
Lieutenant Spieer--.---.-: George irving
Recf uiting Sergeant. Joseph Francoeur
Master Tomson. Fred Santley
Miss Susan Throssen H Helen Lowell
Miss Phoebe Throssell. l....-. .Maude Adams
Miss Wiiloughby ........-....I Ida Waterman
Miss Fanny N-illoughby -. Sarah Converse
Miss Henrietta Turnbull..-....Sara Perry
Quality Street" the new play in which
Maude Adams made her appearance at
the National Theatre last night. is as
sweet and refreshing comedy as breath
of spring time. 1t has all the fine ccm-
edy of Mr.. Barries best writing, comedy
that is as delicate and refined as the
personality of Miss Adams herself; and
while the play may never attain the
popularity of THE Little Minister" with
which Mr.. Barrie fitted Miss Adams for
her initial starring tour some years ago,
it is more exquisite in texture than the
earlier play. Indeed, such high comedy
is only produced every once in a while
nowadays, and in Quality Street" Mr..
Barrie has shown his right to place at
the very front of contemporaneous writer's
of brilliant English.
And Miss Adams has been especially
well fitted by the dramatist. She has
never exhibited a more charming person
ality than her Phoebe Throssell. She is
once more her own self-the brave, weak,
little eaglet of year ago is forgotten,
and young girl, artless, innocent, some
times demure, buoyant, piquant. and most
fascinating always has replaced the Ros-
tand youth. And truth TO tell the change
is very pleasant one to contemplate.
even by those who consider Miss Adams
''L'Aiglon" an admirable bit of theatrical
achievement. But in Quality Street" the
people who attend the theatre and who
admire Miss Adams for her many adorable
characteristics will find more to please
them than anything she has done since
well, since her capital work in The Mask
. ed Ball. There has been nothing Of
- fered to the theatregoers OF the Capital
this year, any way, that quite equals this
Quality Street. performance-its COM
edy Is so delightful at all times the play
eTs are so well chosen and equipped in
the matter of parts, and the production
is SO complete even in the slightest de-
i tail
Everybody will want to go to the Ma
tional this week and see Miss Adams and
her associates in Quality Street"-at
least everybody should go.
The play derives its name from a thor
oughfare in a quaint little English town
in which the heroine, Phoebe Throssell
and her sister, Susan, make their home.
They are guarded with the greatest care
imaginable by pair of spinster relatives
living in the same town; but. despite the
vigilance of these elderly ladies of good
intent both sisters fall in love with the
same man-one DR.. Valentine Brown
Phoebe is SO sure that her affection Is
reciprocated by the gentleman of medi-
cine that she arrays herself in an old
wedding gown, hoping that Brown will
be led to propose. But the period o
Quality Street" is that of the first nine
years of the Napoleonic wars, and the
war fever has seized the doubly loved
doctor, who. instead of making the ex-
pected proposal for the heart and hand
Vi UuS Vi lnt hlooStii siolci d
bids the heart broken Phoebe a very for
D., NAL farewell and marches of to help dc
battle against the little Corsican general
3ust then beginning his conquest Of
Europe.
Phoebe tries, through the years that
succeed the departure of her doctor. tc
hide the love in her heart for him. Dur
ing his absence "at the front" Phoebe
only hears from him through very busi-
ness-like letters. and these only come oc-
easionally. The sisters have invested
their small fortune and their business
affairs have turned out badly, and the
1.-Two are compelled to start a private
% school. phoebe OF the ringlets.' hides
- her pretty hair under the cap OF the
4 ,schoolma am and cultivates the prim
manners and hideous gowns of al old
maid rather successfully.
=. The young soldier of both sisters
90 dreams returns from war, but he makes
,1some very blunt comments regarding the
I change that has occurred In the young
g. girls life. The three are to go to a ball
on the night of the doctor-soldier's ar
rival and Phoebe conceives the idea oi
wearing tHe oiu NeuuluB BO"n bne WAS
CARRIED in on the night of Browns de-
parture although the visit to the dance
is supposed TO be a secret as she an
nourned her determination to stay at
home. She is introduced to Brown as
Miss Livvey, a niece. She Immediately
becomes the belle of the ball, and Brown
tell her how much she resembles her
aunt Phoebe, whom he has loved so much
and so long.
Nobody could ask for more fantastic
ruse by which Dramatist Barrie gets rid
of the niece. Miss Livvey. The doctor
quickly perceives the deception that has
been practiced by Phoebe Miss Livvey
is reported as sick but there is no pa
tient in the sick room. The next time
Phoebe appears in the guise of her niece
the doctor takes charge of Miss Livyey' s
case and undertakes to carry her off for
a change. While he is out of the room
Phoebe rushes upstairs. but Brown, in a
very delightful piece of business" pre-
tends that she is in a chair where her
cloak has been flung, takes up the cloak
in his arms and passed out to his carriage.
deceiving the watching females and then
he returns 10 claim Phoebe as his bride.
Nothing very wonderful for a story, and
even a stage story. some may declare,
but il is Mr.. BarTie's telling. rather than
the tale itself, that charms the audience.
while above everything else is Miss Ad-
ans sweet personality and womanliness,
dainty bit of ingenious femininity that
cannot help but prove delightful Miss
Adams has the assistance OF several act