Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-11-17
UNDER TWO FLAGS. Z"
Miss Jane Remark And An Ex-
cellent Company Make A
Hit At The CO.
lonial.

At the Colonial Theatre last night
Mr.. o. ID. Woodward, presented Paul
NJ. Potter's adaptation of Oudn's novel
Under Two Flags, with Jane Ken
mark in the stellar role of Cigar
cite" The house was fairly well oc-
cupied, but considering the we'll known
merit of Miss Remark and her COM
pany, and the fact that there was a
material reduction in the price of adj
mission, there should have been a
larger attendance.
Under Two Flags is the most
popular, and with the possible excep-
iton of Moths" the most meritO-
rious work that the prolific pen of
Ouida has produced. The story of a
titled Englishman, defrauded of his
estate at home, deserted by the woman
he loves, and led by force of circum-
stances and the example of his nearest
friend, TO enlist as private in the
French army in Algiers, where he falls
in love with the hot-blooded vivian
diere Cigarette, = is by no means a
poor conception. One wishes, as far
as the book is concerned, that the plot
had been suggested TO a more capable
and less verbose writer than the indie
fatigable Ouida. Mr.. Potter, however,
in adapting the story to the stage has,
with his customary skill, carefully
drawn the milk from the cocoanut,
and has cast the cumbersome shell of
verbosity aside. The play which he
has thus constructed, while not a great
work, is unquestionably one of more
than ordinary merit, as demonstrated
by the fact that, with Blanche Bates
in the leading part, it had a successful
run of several months in New York.
Miss Remark showed that she is an
earnest little woman of refreshing in
telligence, who has made a careful
study of stage technique in general,
and of the possibilities and purposes
of Cigarette" in particular. The
conscientious efforts displayed in her
work last night most surely have their
reward, and we look to see the time
when this little lady, provided with
drama of more power and significance,
will thrust her way even further TO
the front. In the common, but telling
slang of the playhouse, she is a 'comer''
She has voice of excellent focus, If
we may so speak, her movements are
graceful, and she has that proper con-
ception of the importance of detail,
the lack of which has proved the UNI
doing of many a promising star. We
are especially moved TO congratulate
Miss Remark ON her skillful handling
of the melodramatic features which
Mr.. Potter has, of necessity, included
in his adaptation of the novel to stage
purposes. Melodrama is the rock over
which many of our most promising
actresses stumble. 1t is easy TO overdo
a melodramatic situation, but difficult
TO make it subordinate, and to fit it
in properly to an otherwise conserv
alive performance.
Miss Remarks support was quite
efficient, especially in those features
where the support was most telling.
Mr. Bert Sytell, as the Hon. BERTHE
Cecil, who fights under two flags, de-
serves a word of commentator. Mr..
Sytell has graceful stage presence
and was perfectly at home in his part.
He made the most of his opportuni-
ties Indeed, it may be said that Mr..
Sytell and Miss Remark were alone
sufficient to guarantee the success of
the performance. The rest of the cast
was satisfactory, though a particular
word may be said in favor of Mr.. II.
Guy Woodward, who made much of
the agreeable part of "Jack," the
Earl of Rockingham. The play was
beautifully mounted, and considering
the fact that it was produced here for
the first time, there were very few
bitches in the mechanics of the per-
Torrance.