The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-14
MONTGOMERY THEATRE.
Fine Company Presented a Mediocr
 Comedy.

A dramatization of hammock literature, a stage vision of light reading from the midsummer fiction number of a popular magazine, such is His Excellency the Governor" produced at the Montgomery Theatre at a matinee and night perform ance yesterday.
 It was pity-a great pity-that so ex- cellent company should have so poor a field for the display of its talents. 4 more intelligent, better balanced com pany, nor one of keener perception or one Of more artistic execution, has rarely entertained a Montgomery audience than the one headed by Miss Sadie Martinot The word entertained is used adviseGly. The audiences obtained pleasure from the performance, not on account of the play, but in spite of the play.
 The company refused to be daunted by the shallowness of its comedy. The play CTS went in to do their best. not osterta- ciously or effuslvely, but in a subdued, quiet way. Whenever an opportunity Was found 1t was made to give all it's possi- bilities. There was no slurring of lines, no ignoring the details of a situation. It was the company's misfortune that the lines were not cleverer or the situa- tions of keener interest. There was no working up of climaxes. There were no chmaxes to work up.
 The author. probably like the company, did his best The wide artistic differ ence between the best of the company and the best of the author afforded a startling contrast.
 Miss Martinot was cast in an adventur- ess' role demanding comedy treatment. She was Stella De Gex, an actress who sat herself down, an uninvited guest, in the household of an old admirer, the Gov ernor of a British province. At the same time the Governor was host of an influ- ential member of the Home Government, his daughter and his sister who were on tour.
 The complications furnished by this sic. nation afforded the shadowy plot of His Excellency, The Governor The almost plotless play with the wandering actress, the Governor and the conventional mem Der of Parliament, gave one the impress sion that His Excellency the Governor" was musical comedy minus the music. One occasionally expected the chorus to troop in upon the stage and enliven mat te-s.
 Miss Martinot played her role definitely and distinctly. Her conception of tie part was made perfectly clear to her audience.
 There were those who may have differ ed with her conception, believing that the role demanded higher comedy than that with which 1t was treated, but that Mss Martinot worked consistently and effect ively to her understanding of the char acter Is not to be doubted.
 The work of w. A. Whiticar as His Excellency. Sir Montagu Martin. is de- serving of high praise. Mir. Whitecars force. his careful attention to the little things of his role, his understanding of the finer points of his profession. stamp him as an actor of merit. His name up- on a bill in some future performance n Montgomery will add weight to the im- portance of the company.
 A very clever character sketch was drawn by William Webb in the role of the Private Secretary. MT. Webb's conn edy is not so fine that 1t falls short of the truly humorous nor is 1t so coarse that it jars upon his audience.
 Another artistic character portrayed was the M. P. played by David Elmer. He did the role naturally and convinc- inglY. .
 Captain Carew, the fortunate lover, was done in fine style by Roy Clements. Mir. Clements was especially effective in the lovers scene of the second act.
 The engenue role, the guileless young woman from England. was done by Miss Jane Whatley. It Is difficult to believe that 1t could have been done better.
 Mss Cotton as Mrs. Wentworth Boiling broke, preserved the company's standard of merit.
 A crowded house saw the matinee, but