The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-23
THE V|RG|N|AN
A PLAY OF COLOR.
In Some Respects II Differs From
the Usual Western
Play.

''rhe yirginian, as produced at the
Academy ysstfprday Is rather an axrsr
form it proves Illost Interesting aud lis
action y quick enough to suit the pur.
called, Tor want 81 q, better name. a,
atmosphere play" jus t as Is "Arizona.',
Is the atn9sPhsre e The grs W nsy
The story Is ofillttle lmportancc; indeed,
when ali Is told. there IS very little plot.
II Is q play OF Incident, not Of plot; 4, q
spur of the moment, typica! of the great
free life Of Western, wilderness. II,
'"rhe Virginlnn'' 1t lis the COW pnnchcr
In - which It differs from most Western
plays which usually have Il fair Sphinx
ling Of United States troops, MeX Leg, IS
Chinaman The Nirg,nian' has not In
a. single red blanket end pair f,lnoe C !.
p sumo has the entire field, with the ex-
&ception Of few localFtypes, who serve
by way of contrast. us, Z, !, -, !, 3, !, Z,
might well. as thu author himself de-
sclared have stepped from, Z ne pages o. ;,
the book. Els was a task dreaded py az
dialect. and. most difficult Of AL. the VIZ w
ginia dialect. TO play the Vlrslna Pc o..
fore an audience OF yirgin1.ans ms ,o aSe
actor never likes to try his supposed dla-
slect on the people he is endeayoring TO
initiate They likcto DO n, he Ne sa En1s
5lern dialect up North. Mr.. Farnum, how
over, succeeded admirably with the Viz
gjnia pronunciation. 4. u. ], j y. II,
very easy and tinls he'd In every Inc ne
and every scene, And added 70 ms MS 5000 90 90
acting. he had that which counted even ,hn
audIcnce-good looks. The matinee girls
Will not recover for some time. ~, y
Miss Helen Homss; as N Mlol rsss was MAS
very winsomc, and she is,1uitH trim
and pretty little woman. There arc too !, Q,
many in the cast TO dWsii a upon .nnit
Of Guy Bates Post, as Steve; Franz can
fpean, as rranlpas. and Frank Monroe o.,
as Honey Wiggin, should not not; 30 uf M
Two large audiences witnessed The per
Eformanccs, that the evening being e's--
pecially brilliant. !, @
Quincy Adams Sawyer.
The engagement Of this beautiful New
England play and excellent COM an!, VAN
nlI its handsome scenery and properties,
will take place at the Academy tomorrow
4ar.erp3on and Tonight H.,
The success this play has met with the
past three seasons, both In New ! ork anu
Boston. and wherever presented. has becn
phenomenal. NoEdoubt tho company VIII
have a warm welcome here. II rs true,
sweet love story, prcttily Ola Iilo N,e
one TO tears and Laughter ailflt;it. ~: !.
The chief love interest Of the pay - Nv w.
strong admiration Of SAWYER, the city
fellow and son Of a millionaire. for Nice :,
Pcttengill, a blind girl. II was a 5000
deal OF, a question when the drnma. y; I,
ton was made, as to whether me PUBIC
would be in sympathy with such PC
culiar courtship. and tho dramatists ser
iously thought Of getting away IRON inc
book in this respect, by having SAWYER
~ i nncjee,l. however TO follow the book.
and those who have witnessed the per-
forinances and those who will see the
+ i,lay In the coming engagement. will agree
what a mistake 1T would have Geen nov
story between the blind girl. Alice Pet
tengill, and Quincy Adams Sawyer.