The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-14

Good wine needs no BUSH and the
Silver King needs no encominums on the
eve of It's revival by the Giffen Company.
1t Is quite unnecessary to recount the
story OF the play. for where could any one
be found who does not know IL already
For many years the play has been one
OF the most widely known and most uni
versalIy popular that the Stage has ever
seen, and, like the book, 1t promises to go
on forever 1t Is twenty years or more
since the play was first produced, and
1t has held It's own in public appreciation
ever since. notwithstanding the thou
sands OF plays that have been offered as
3uccessors to It's public favor. There
are but three plays in the English Ian
guage as well known as the Silver King,
z.,5the TWO Orphans, Camille and East
Lynn These three have been produced
by the Giffen Company In former seasons
With great success. and the coming week
is TO witness the completion OF the quar-
tctte. Manager Gtfen has been requested
times without number TO reyiyeN this
classic of human Interest and Its prodnc-
ton a this time may be taken as per-
sonal answer to the many personal and
written requests that have been preferred
during this and other seasons. No great
effect is ever produced WITHOUT worthy
cause. and the great popularity OF the
Silver King must OF necessity rest upon
some solid foundation. That foundation
Is its wonderfully strong human Interest;
Denver is one that grips ones heart
strings, and the manner OF its accom-
pilshment riyets once attention at the
same time. There is hardly an English
speaking country In the world In which
the silver King Is not a household word,
Tor II has been PLAYED In Europe, 4, Amer
the English actor, for whom It was writ.
ten. and BY innumerable other lights of
lesser dramatic llmncnce. 1t has had a
place In tho repertoire Of almost every
stock company ever organized. and from
Il business point Of view has Known few,
a any, gTea ortnns fSr Mr. Barrett
and served TO introduce that dignifed
actor TO the, United States. One feature
which added considerably TO the fame
Of the play was its great moral lesson.
No sermon ever preached, mo lecture
ever delivered. 50 graphically pictured
Ing. and although Wlltred Denvers crime
was imagined. not actual. the lesson
taught is fully as strong, II not more so.
Ter than columns OF appeal and statistics,
and in Nelly Denver's love and loyalty
10 the husband who was for Years under
. IS much &c That could Wei be taken to
heart in these days of divorce and mar
.tal laxity. 1t has been some time since
lUt ollNeT hillS lasl pISScllLtu
Richmond, and it was greeted then, as
always by an audience that more than
tested the capacity OF the theatre. 1t Is
n play that theatre-goers do not tire of:
1t can be seen again and again. and be-
pides after the lapse OF a few years many
new theatre-goers grown up. who. when
opportunity offers. Ike 10 see what their
fathers have seen, and in so far as the
silver King Is concerned this will doubt
less continue to be the case as long as
the stage remains an institution
The characters in tho play are probably
as we'll known as the play itself. and
the personal interest as regards the re-
vival by the Giffen Company will. pro-
badly center In their distribution among
Wilfred Denver, the Silver King. will be
in the keeping Of Georse Howard. who
stepped INTO the background last week
while Mace Greenleaf PLAYED Davy
Crockett. In the latter role Mr.. Green
leaf proved how well ths Giffen Company
Is equipped in versatility and in the Sill
yer King Mr.. Howard should do likewise
It's a most grateful role, and will make
more demands upon Mr. Howard,s art
than any role he has thus far played. Mr.
Greenleaf will step from the homely sim
plicity and rugged honesty of Davy
Crockett to the craftiness and polished
yillany of Captain Skinner, or as he Is
always known, both In the play and out