The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-11
SHERLOCK HOLMES
EExcEx-sHANNoN COMPANY AT rHE THEATRE.
I1x Val . Theatrical Treat, But
 Two Audiences Regretted That < Artistic Leading Woman was | znbordi dinated to .Mr. Kelcey.

4xnsdc Lending Woman was 1 Gubord dinated to .Mr. Kelcey.
 1h3 excellent presentation of "Shex4sck Holmes'' by the Kelcey-Shannon Com 1eny at two performances yesterday at the Montgomery Theatre established several facts
 It proved first of all that Herbert Kel- cey divorced from evening dress and frock coats could move naturally and eff 4ectlveiy present principal role. Mr. z Xeio<y's intelligent forceful portrayal of the great detective proved. too. that he was an actor. which had been doubted be- fora "sheriock Holmes' is distinctly q triumph for Kelcey.
 The two performances. too. established f5fe Tact that 6 mere detective story could siaged and played in way that would x ia the absorbed interest of an audi ee from start to end
 One thing. and only one, marred the pel formance. The audience was forced to sit there and chafe under the knowl- edge that Mss Fine Shannon was behind the scenes. True 1t was that she was seen. but her appearance was too infre- Quent and she was on the stage for only too short time. Out of the splendid performancs there grew this only regret. this only disappointment Miss Shan non is too clever. too artistic to be kept n her dressing room wnsn audiences are yearning to see her.
 sherlock Holmes was in reality a theatrical treat. The admirers of the great detective stories of D. A. Conan Doyle and the admirers of the great lit- t1e actress Fine Shannon as well as of Herbert Kslcsy met in common ground and enjoyed themselves to the fullest Sr@nxy 1Qt fmA Tvfx nr rnA Holmes took as the basis of his work the sensational episodes in which Holmes ngured while running to loathe Professor Esxlarty and his organized band of pximinalk The love interest of the play &1uetarsd about the acquaintance of EDlznes with Mss Faulkner. but 1t was 4ubofdinaksd te khs presentation of 6pfmes and his methods.
 The play was produced in . rather weird and uncanny manner. The players moved about in an atmosphere of mys- srx. Tho audience was constantly in a S1nfD of expectancy. It felt always that M was upon the brink os some sensa- 2zena dsnounoemenA
 The eaEeot was not due entirely to the N3sveN but questionable use of lights. he puHzatn always rose in dense dark #esS and each act ended not by the des- &eu& of the curtain. but hv the turning m of every light in shn house The #ehts were worked for ell they were Ecrth. These effects are probably due 70 me intense desire of william Gillette q be original in method rather than for Nzas Effectiveness of his innovation.
 NheTiock Holnaes' is by. far the best ehang that Herbert Keloay has ever done. Hs was really artistic. 'Holmes'' as DegmoniHs6 hw Herbert Ksloey is entirely nakisfn1engy be Conan DoyIs's adminers. By eaor3ncing Ms mustsche for his art KAicay deserves all the commendation thnt he has won. Ths eccentricities, the masterfuinaas of the great detective were faithfully pertxAysd by Kslcey and his effective malEe mp with the pale. drawn facespf the habdtnai u6sk of drugs con- tri6 no htfla Co the 6xoeTlent inter- pr In several scenes, one in 1a IT. where for full three minutes
 aok Holmss'' held the stage and
 haHt uttertng a word held chained the
 rest of his audience Mir. Kelcey
 to heights that were not expected of n.
 ss Shannon appeared as Miss Faulk-
 sof her infreQuent appearances. She
 aut to appear and the audience en-
 stically applauded. Such a recep-
 she was spontaneously given al
 9rformances is rarely accorded an
 70 Montgomery.
 annon appeared as Miss FoullS-
 happy victim of machinations
 aiuals. It is an emotional role
 rel actress portrayed 1t with Her spirit got beyond the fa nd the heart of her audience Acfe4%f her in her misfortunes The art of the actress was perhaps never Sc ConviueinEly displayed as by Miss Shan 1on e4 tsklng a subordinate role and snaking 1t the part of a star
 The supporting company on the whole vas good. David Davis as Professor 1Goriarty was strong and effective. Miss 1orina Atwood played Madge Larrabee effectively and the Sidney Prince of Charles A. Morgan was good.
 The play was splendidly staged. The gain had but small effect upon the attend ance ct both performances. At the matinee the house was crowded and al night it was comfortably filled.
 However when one remembers the deli- Bious bit of character work of Miss Shan Don in Her Lord and Master" the Ques. lion unconsctouHly arises if 1t was not whit more of . theatrical feast than the melodrama of "Sharlook Holmes"