The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-27
At St. Paul Theaters


dfence the Metropolitan opera house
has held in long, long while This
seems to have been one of those felici-
tous occasions upon which exceptional
merit received exceptional indorse-
ment.
1t served to introduce to ST. Paul
theatergoers not only an exquisite
comedy, that it might not be an ex :.
aggeration to term modern classic,
put also to present an actress new to
st. Paul. Miss Ethel Barrymore. AS
stranger st. Paul gave her welcome.
AS an artist-like the actor who play
ed the king for Hamlet, she is ''doubly
welcome
Here is an actress whose right to be
starred depends upon more than her
name. The daughter of Maurice Bar
rymore and the granddaughter of the
late Mrs. John Drew, it would be strange
indeed II she did not possess some ma
tive histrfonic talent, but she pos
sesses more than Some" She is en-
deWed with temperament and distinc-
ton, physical and intellectual, a strik-
ing individuality that concentrates at
tent1on upon every motion, every look,
every gesture of her expressive hands.
Hence the legitimacy of her right to
"star."
Tall, sinuous, with dark. lustrous
eyes, mobile, expressive features. a
SNAis>NS<Ceio oAtiiiS~ cilO HiCliOWs lIiPd-
thetic voice, Miss Barrymore's per-
sonality appeals to the minds eye as
well as to the physical so elequently
that admiration of the woman Joins
with keen appreciation of her art.
1t may be said without stretching the
truth one iota that st. Paul has not
witnessed so finished and delightful
dramatic performance in many
| months. Never mind how many. The
play is an exceedingly clever creation,
couched in choice English, plentifully
sprinkled with spicy wit and good
natured satire, sauced with clever
repartee, softened here and there with
pretty sentiment. Its construction is
equally commendable, a rare virtue,
the lack of which has been fatal to
many meritorious literary efforts de-
signed for the stage.
Its author, Hubert Henry Davies, is
an Englishman with a delicious sense
OF humor, which some might consider
an unusual coincidence, though this
| notion is quite fallacious
Love is the sole theme of Cousin
Kate. Aye, that's the theme!" auoth
Duke Orsino, and the duke guessed
right the very first time. Yet the
dramatfSt never dishes it up in sicken-
lng-sweet proportions. 1t is invariably
spiced with an irresistible flavor that
adds zeSt to every spoonful.
Cousin Kate is novelist, twenty
nine years old, who arrives at the home
of her prim cousin, Amy Spencer, to
attend her wedding. Amy has a wild
owed mother, of matter of fact tenn
permanent, and boy brother She is to
| wed Heath Desmond, an artist and an
lrishman. Rev. James Bartlett, a
clergyman. locum tenens," as the
widow explains, is the remaining char
acter. Desmond does not love the
'shallow-h hearted Amy, and according
ly disappears two days before the date
set for their wedding. But Cousin
Kate had met him on the train-not
aware of his identity-and shocks her
strict cousin Amy by relating how she
permitted a strange man to talk to her
and allowed him to partake of her
lunch
In the second act, which is the piece
de resistance of the play, Cousin Kate
goes to the empty cottage in the coun-
try to arrange 1T for Cousin Amy and
Desmond, for Desmond has returned
| and it looks as though the two are to
wed after all. While Kate is thrum-
ming the piano Desmond enters, opens
a window and climbs in. Then follows
a highly entertaining colloquy be-
tween the two, which of course ends in
his ayowal of love and Hates final sur
render.
1t is not until after this climax that
Kate learns that her lover is none other
than her Cousin Amy's fiance. The
| curtain deScendS on this heart break
ing discovery. which Kate makes the
best of by telling Desmond she was
only experimenting with his emotions
| to gain material for her next novel!
During the 1'wooing O. it, in this act
| most amusing contretemps occurred
not down on the BILL"
Desmond and Kate were rehearsing
a chiidren's tale about three bears and
Desmond had in gruff voice initiated
papa bear" and mamma bear" Kate
answered after the manner of baby
bear"
That's pretty good imitation of a
cub remarked Desmond
Just then the squawk of crying child
came from the parquet circle.
That's better was the spontane-
Gus retort Of Miss Barrymore Truly
repartee runs in the Barrymore fami-
ly.
But to return to play and players.
Miss Barrymore,s impersonation was
vital in it's humanity. Her stimulation
of abject despair at the close of that
second act was convincing in its fidel-
| ity to nature as manifested in her ia
cial expression, for Kate says scarcely
word. 1t was an exemplification of
| the art of acting without the aid of
elocution. The color seemed to leave
her face without the aid of material
| chalk. She was the picture Of poig-
nant distress. In every scene Miss
Barrymore brought to the character a
nice discretion and an artistic re-
straint restful to contemplate
Bruce McRae, in the role of the
| jolly, impetuous Irish artist, con-
| tributed much to the enjoyment Of the
scenes between them. Mr.. McRae
speaks rapidly, but spontaneously,
and if a little hard to follow at first,
soon becomes more distinct His
scene in the last act, in which he re-
leases Cousin Amy from their en-
gagement is extremely funny
| An admirable characterization OF
| the Widow Spencer was that of Annie
Adams, whose hard dry tones and
manner of speech were those of a
woman devoid of the finer suscepti-
bilities and emotions
Miss Beatrice Agnew gave con-
vincing portrayal of Amy Spencer, the
| exceedingly proper and parroty girl,
who finally pairs off with the curate,
| and James Kearney impaired desira-
Bile individuality to that clergyman,
albeit he overdid the stimulation of
embarrassme in the last scene of all,
| when Amy leads him In as her new
fiance. One false touch, ever so mi
mute or heeting, is so conspicuous
amid colors laid on so truthfully.
F. G. H.
Messrs. John c. Fisher and Thomas
w. Ryley will present "Glittering Clio
ria at the Metropolitan Thursday,