The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-15
Cbe Cbeatres
MT. Dunbar. "sherlock Holmes,

SneflOck HolmeS was presented at the Montgomery Theatre at matinee and night performances yesterday un- der a handicap. ErrOll Dunbar and his supporting company did not. perhaps, appreciate the obstacle that was to be overcome in Montgomery.
 Montgomery theatre-goers have distinct idea of how the play should be presented. They think it ought to be played exactly as Herbert Kelcey and Effie shannon played 1t here. MT. Dun bar does not play the great detective as Herbert Kelcey played him. MT. Kel- cey's work was superior in its grace, It's su6tiety ,a1 and M its smooth smooth fSrse; ,S tain the standard that had been estab- lished by Herbert Kelcey is not to say that he did not give an intelligent and impressive p9rtrayai ot It ,sst was s,S com. ! tistic with the deftness and art of Herbert Kelcey. Kelcey's name, like Gillette's. has been so linked with the comparison with his work of the work of any other man who essays the role is inevitable. Therefore the peo- pie who most enjoyed the performances were those who had never seen MT. Kelcey or MT. Gillette in the title role. Those people who witnessed the play for the first time yesterday saw performance that was marred by lit-
 tie roughness and lack of harmony in the whole.
 | MT Dunbar is physically fitted for
 the part. His thin, strong face was the countenance of the studious deduction
 ist who was given to steeping his
 brain in cocaine and morphine. HIS
 voice was strong, vibrant and flexible.
 He used 1t to good advantage
 But MT. Dunbar lacks grace. He
 moved about the stage too awkward.
 and he appeared a. dimes to be i'll at | ease, although t might have been only | a l finished actors. Mir. Dunbar was all ! there. however. In the scenes that de.
 manded dash and spirit leading up to
 a sensational climax. In the quiet sub
 dued moments of the role, he rang true
 with only now and then discordant note.
 handsome Miss Falkner. The role is
 not rich in opportunities. Miss Camp | bell did not get as much out of 1t as
 that gifted little actress. Efi1e shan
 effective way. 4 very fine pair of eyes helped her along wonderfully.
 1 Next to Mir Dunbar. the most meri- 1 torious work was done by David Da-
 the shrewd leader of the criminals. MT. | Davies has been seen in Montgomery
 before this in that same role, and he has never failed to do 1t finely and in
 The Doctor Watson of John De Gez
 was not satisfying. Mir. De Gez came
 on the stage looking like Doctor Wat
 son ought to look. but he refused to act like Doctor Watson ought to act. l J. Hay Cossar could not, or would
 not be original in the role of James
 Larrabee. MT. Cossar showed us a
 very ordinary and conventional stage villain. He left some of his oppor tunities unnoted and unaccepted. | The Madge Larrabee of Miss Gebhard
 was of average quality. At times it
 was thought that Miss Gebhard was on
 the eve of doing something fine and
 sensational. but at the last moment she
 could not break away from the con- vontional.
 l MT. Dunbar and his manager are to
 be highly praised on the manner in
 which the play Is staged. The scenery
 was perhaps better than was ever seen
 before in the play in Montgomery. Some | new stage business has been run in and it has improved the general whole. There was something wrong behind the scenes two or three times last night. At several critical periods in | the performance the effect was almost spoiled by some unnecessary noise off stage. These were no doubt accidents but the audience noticed them. The very inclement weather affected the attendance at both performances. The Jewel of Asia Friday night.