The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-28
Cbe CbedtreS
MT. Beresfora In aour New Man ]"

ME. Beresf0rd In "Our New Man"
 ened by the coming of that sterling young actor Harry BeresfOrd to Mont-
 gomery were not realised altogether by his production of the new play Our New Man" at the Montgomery Thea
 tre last night.
 Two reasons contributed to the dis- appointment of the large and fashion
 able audience that saw Mir. Beresford in his new play. The foremost of these was that "Our New Man" is far from being a scintillating success. The second reason was that MT. Beresford
 by, bis finished: his remarkably suc- Love Story" on his previous visits set too high a standard.
 Our New Man" might have been ac- ceptabla if Montgomery theatre-goers did not have lingering fin their mem ories the most delicious recollections of Barrie's really fine comedy, and the splendid, the artistic, presentation of company last year. The. Professors Love Story stood out as the singular ly bright spot of last season and we may have expected too much of Mir.
 One could not expect. an ambitious actor like Mir. Beresford to continue giving us ''The Professors Love Story and the announcement that he was to hopes. Our New Man" Is faulty from, beginning to end. It Is not worthy of MT. Beresford and his capable com pany. It Is surprising that 1t was accepted at all by an actor of Mir. Beresferd's artistic. sense. The story involves q series of farce comedy situations crudely constructed and with frequent lapses into borrowed by Mir. Beresford Is tho only distinct character in the play and Mir. Beres- ford played it, as was expected, with consummate skill: He is an eccentric HAN s@A Al plications. revolve, but some of those complications are strained to the point of breaking.
 ing scene and the scene in the art studio are fairly well worked out but we detect something bitter in digesting 1hem when we are reminded that they are old friends
 Charles Vincent wrote Our New Man" and the prediction Is here set down that before the season is many weeks older Mir. Beresford will have an editGr at work on Mir. Vincents
 Those in the audience last night who had reveied in the delights Of The an ideal faded into thin air before their very eyes but when Harry Beres- ford. despite the hard work cut out Tor him by MT. Vincent. proved that circumstances. the audience gave him It's warmest sympathy. With Mir. Beresford on the stage interest was sustained but the entertainment fell to the commonplace with his absence.
 Harry Beresford is a genius. He is more than an eccentric comedian. He IS natural comedian. He art Is not ass human He studies nst nasura tSe tyn. sane sane IS to be portrayed and then portrays thsk type. quietly. distinctly, forcibiv' If MT. Vincent had drawn more '-rrH- man Toots's" In his new play his new play would have been a success.
 The company supporting Mf. Berse. ford was practically the same as was Love % % story @ This in itseif fpfGifsssGrs fifss responsibility for he medicre duaiitv of the entertainment upon the new play. No better balanced company was s so%panS sn that ssTs us So praSsa.dr9 sa&n the Love Story" The same players dave loped every possibility of ''Our New Man" and the entertainment was only fair.
 Miss Julia Bachelder, who was such delight in The Professor" played a juvenile role last night. She needs to apply the art or repression which was here, to the Dolly" she is now under taking. Personally she is a visior of lovelinese but she came near bubbiine convince the audience that she was inc youngster girl in the family.
 One could hardly reconcile the bois- fefOuS Peter MorrlSOn or last night With the quiet effective "doctor'' DOT trayed by Burt Wesner last year.
 These comparisons are inevitable vet 1t Is not quite the reasonable thing to expect Mir. Vincent to measure tID to a work of the great little Scotchmail who gave us ''The Profesor's Love story" The actors who undertake the paraIled must necessarily suffer and in this we find the disappointment of last
 After all Our New Man" was not a failure. There were many good laughs and, as has been said. MT. Beresford showed that the admiration and confi- dence reposed in him. had not been misplaced.
 NeW Man" was carefully staged and the strictest attention was given to the ar-
 When Our New Man" Is overhsulsd and the rough. edges are prunned. it may emerge into g production worthy of MT, Bsresford and his talented as- saaiataA AAf any rate Mr. Berezfore