The Washington times., 1902-03-04
THE COLUMBIA-"The Bonnie Brier
Bush,'' a dramatization of Ian Mac
Laren's stories by James Macarthur
and Augustus Thomas

II
nate Carnegie. .Maude knowlton
Jock Anderson. c. Easton
Natty MacDougal. H White
Alec Dimmouth. Frank b. Foote
Dramatizations of book stories have be-
come so common to the native stage that
they are regarded in most cases as mere
makeshifts to serve an actor or actress
for a season. They rarely possess much
more than passing interest, and are gen.
orally little more than dramatic botches.
But the play The Bonnie Brier Bush !"
which has been made from Ian MacLaren' S
stories, is far better than the average
| novel play.
1t will be recalled that Mr.. Stoddart ap-
peared in dramatization of Mr.. Mac
Laren's stories few seasons ago. but the
play met with only fair success and was
soon withdrawn. Since then it has been
rewritten by Augustus Thomas. and in its
present form is one of the most interest
ing and entertaining plays that has been
seen in Washington this season. 1t was
presented last night at the Columbia
Theatre before an audience that testi-
fed its intense interest and earnest ar--
pTeclaIlOn Dy unSlluleu appiauSe anu Tapt
attention.
The play is strongly dramatic from the
beginning. Each of the four acts ascends
natural crescendo, and the climax in each
instance is strong and logical The theme
is essentially serious, but the comedy
which has been written into the play by
Mr.. Thomas is unusually good, and is
splenddly interpreted by Mr.. Fax, afford
ing refreshing relief to the more sombre
background of the play itself.
The stage version of ''The Bonnie Brier
Bush deals with the story of Lachlan
Campbell and his daughter, Flora. The
other interesting characters in Mr.. Mac
Laren's stories are brought into the play,
but the action is founded almost entirely
upon the sad story Of the stern old
Scotchman whose striving for the right
is SO strong and narrow that he uncon-
sciously closes his eyes to the truth and
brings down upon his head the bitterest
unhappiness.
The first act of the play shows Lachlan
Campbell's cottage. Lord Hay, son Of
Lachlan's master, declares his love for
pretty Flora, the shepherds daughter.
Lachlan discovers this alliance and mis-
interpreting ii. contrives to separate the
lovers Lord Hay is ordered to London,
but before he goes he and Flora are mar
ried according to the Scottish custom In
the second act Lachlan discovers his
daughter in secret correspondence with
her husband. and in a scene of intense
and awful passion orders her from his
house. blotting her name from the family
Bible. He relents too late, but hoping
| for her return, places a lighted candle in
| the window. The third act discloses
1.-The Beeches" at Drumtochty. and
] Lachlan bent with sorrow, but still be-
| lieving his daughter to have been wrong
| ed vows vengeance. He learns the truth
! from Lord Hay's own lips after scene
of terrible passion, and is plunged in sor-
row and remorse In the last act father
and daughter and husband and wife are
| united and all ends happily.
| Mr. Stoddart's acting of the old Scotch
| man is the very best he has ever done IN
| his long career on the stage. He runs
| the gamut of all human sorrow, and his
| acting is SO strong, so earnest, so tense,
| that he carries his auditors with him at
| every stage Many fearful eyes could be
seen when the old man, torn with bitter
| remorse. cried aloud in his sorrow for for
! giyeness. His Interpretation of the role is
| realistic to the life, and it is difficult to
| conceive that 1t could be improved upon
| Mr. Stoddart Is surrounded by COM
! pany of uniform excellence. All of the
! characters are in competent hands, even
| down to little Edith Taliaferro, who plays
| a Scotch lassie. Mr.. Reuben Fax, as
| "Posty," is exceptionally good, and his
comedy is natural and absolutely funny
pleasing feature of the production IS
| the consistency with which the Scotch
atmosphere is maintained throughout the
| production The music is appropriate
both during the play and intermisslons
and the strains of Annie Laurie, Loci
Lomond," and other familiar Scotch airs
are mingled with the odor of the heather
The rendering OF the Scottish airs by
| the splendid quartette is one of the pleas
ing features of the performance.