The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-01
: AAUDREY' AT THEATRE
ELEANOR ROBSON FOR FIRST
 TIME IN M0NT0o16ERY.
At Matirss and Night Psrformances the Dramatisation of Mary Johnstcn's Story PIsased
 Large Audiences,


 onstrative. made the first appearance of Miss Eleanor Robson and the produc- ton of Audrey" one of the events of the season at the Montgomery Theatre yesterday.
 Those who witnessed Miss Robson's in- depreciation of Audrey, the dream child. the child of nature, are quite will. ing to accept the statement which has been made more than once in the recent past that Miss Robson is one of the great actresses of the American stage.
 The rapid rise of this young woman from minor parts to the heights of an admired star, whose claim to the title Is unquestioned. is justified by her genius Her intelligence, her dramatic force, her emotional powers are impressed on the most indifferent member of her audi ence. She is yet young and the years before her are bright with fair promise of professional success.
 The first production of Audrey" in Montgomery was an occasion of but lit- tie less interest than the first appear ance of Miss Robson. Audrey" the un- hapyw heroine. through the pages of the book was widely known and to her local admirers there was an especial interest in her impersonation upon the stage. The play in which the main incidents of the book are presented is in a series of SIX tablaux, showing Jamestown. the Fair View Glebe House, the home of the Stages at Williamsburg, the Gov ernor's ball. Bruton Church and Vest over. the home of Colonel Byrd. There was lacking. as there is in all plays. builded from books. the .atmos- phere the reader has felt. The lack was not pronounced, but 1t was felt. This was certainly not fault of the scene a md IA ct Txl settings were realistic to a remarkable degree. The Colonial surroundings with its homes and furniture so quaint to modern eyes, in which the players moved suplied the striking background if they were unable to supply the atmosphere. But unfortunately the bookish atmos. phere Is not transferable to the stage. The cast for the production in which many Audrey readers are interested is as follows:
 Marmaduke Harvard, Forrest Robinson. Jean Hugo, Frederick Perry. Gideon Darden George Woodward. MT. Eliot, Ernest Elten. Colonel Byrd, Lauren Rees Charles Stagg. Frank Lamb. William Gooch, w. E. Butterfeld. MT. Jaquelin. T. M. Hunter. Mir. Travis. James O'Neal, Jr. MT. Lee, Freeman Barnes. Mir. Everard. Newton Brown. | MT. Corbin, George Moffet. The Constable, Harry Warner. The Blacksmith, William Story, A Youth, Argyle Campbell. Evelyn Byrd. Selene Johnson. Deborah Darden, Ada Dwyer. Mrs. Stagg. Anne Caverly. Mime. Byrd, Helen Robertson. Martha Jaquelin, Phoebe Green. The Quakeress. Geraldine Furlong. Peggy. Constance Berry. | Audrey. Eleanor Robson. The charm, the power of Miss Robson l as an actress lies not in a pretty face l nor in display of fine gowns. There was no attempt to make herself attractive for the mere sake of attraction. Her art lies deeper. And In proportion to the absence of coquetry there was present art subtle and powerful. | Her face with its great eyes nnirrorinp the sufferings of one out of harmony with her world, was the face always of un- happy girls bowed down with the weight 1 of fate that is relentless. It was a pathetic picture as Miss Robson pre- l scented it.
 l But not only In pathos was she admira-
 ble. In other scenes there was fire rebellion. strength and the tender touches of strong soul. stirred and moved with love.
 Miss Robson's chiefest feature Is her | eyes, large, expressive and dark as mid night They light a face, strong with | pronounced features and one that sug- gests nervous force.
 1 Miss Robson Is fortunate in her SUD-
 porting company. It is said that the com | pany Is the organization that first pro- duced the play in New York and this I could be easily believed by one who
 watched yesterday it's harmonious intel l ligent work.
 Miss Selene Johnson is rarely gifted by
 nature for the presentation of Evelyn | Byrd. the Virginia belle and beauty She
 Is tall statuesque young woman, beau | tiful in face and figure. She displayes
 a sensible appreciation of the possibilities l of her role and measured up to 1t fully
 The Marmaduke Haword of Forrest l Robinson was all that could be desired
 although there might have been a little
 more of the softness of the lover in his
 playing He was irreproachable as the
 masterful man of affairs.
 The Jean Hugon of Frederick Perry
 was marked with dramatic force and
 fervor. He lent the role peculiar dig nity.
 George Woodward's portrayal of Gideon | Darden, the drunken minister was a char
 acter sketch of especial merit
 The other roles were in capable hands
 Fertilizers.-See advertisement else where in today's paper.