The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-24
CLEVER TIM MURPHY
HE GAVE AN INTELLECTUAL
 TREAT AT THE THEARE.
Art;stie Production of "A Bachelors Romance" Before an Apprecia- tive Audlence-Actor
 Made Q Neat Speech.

A hearty. spontaneous greeting was given Tim Murphy at the Montgomery Theatre last night. The audience had Mir. Murphy out for a witty speech and 1t gave him several otner @ sts euTtarn caiis, .,s do to show it's appreciation of most thorough and artistic portrayal. Those who enjoyed Mr. Murphy's delightful comedy would have been ungratefui 1T they had failed to show as the best they from "A Bachelors Romance.
 There are a goodly number of theatre goers who draw more happiness from
 pathos of high comedy than from the noise, color and feminity Of musical comedy. There is considerable portion of the population of the United States
 which does not think that Broadway is
 the center of the universe; They are not not and their ears are not strained to catch puns and poor jokes upon Broadway and things appertaining thereto There are actually some theatre.soers who would
 prefer to see a story of human sympathy artistically unIolded. than to sit patient ly by and see a troop Of Sadyes. Beryls and Gwendolyns. in silt trappings trvop on the stage and sing one of the innurn- erable songs about broadway'
 It is one of the parodoxes Of human nature that several hu7@red people will bay good money to crowd in the theatre for a noisy, colorful musical comedy, en- core every number and then go out and abuse the entertainment and roast and riddle the performers.
 But this other class of patrons, those who have an intellectual interest, heart
 interest in the stage. have some claims
 that mercenary managers should respect They are due more such delightful even
 ings as MT. Murphy gave them in A BacheIor's Romance" It was worth
 waiting for patiently through many pc.
 riods of musical comedy, to sit under the
 spell of MT. Murphy's refined, enective art One felt when 1t was all over that I he had sat at an intellectual feast tasts-
 fully and delicately served.
 A Bachelors Romance Is by Martha
 Norton, the clever woman playwright who
 recently won the prize in the play conn petition instituted by the Theatre Mag azine. her successful offering being en- titled "The Triumph of Love" TAe story is of the romance that came to Davio
 Holmes. literary critic. in middle life after
 he had lost his youth in his early strug, gle for fame and riches. He has reared the daug@ter of an old friend at his owr expense, but away from his home. She comes back to him young woman. Hel presence and influence kindles the asnes of his dead youth. He learns to love her
 but attempts to sacrifice his love for the
 happiness of his ward and young lit erary associate, to whom as 1ud8t
 he awards y1o,0O0 prize in story | Wfftlng contest. dtC iHlOAN NSHSSi AAN" ever, and unties the tangle.
 The play has been identified with the name of Sol Smith Russell who frs; produced 1t. Somehow MT. Murphy has | been associated with Sol Smith Russell plays. This cf course detracts none
 work. But an artist like MT. Murphy does not, or should not, wait for the old shoes of any actor. Mir. Murphy is
 worthy of new shoes and Of the hneS' l material and finish.
 There is hardly a more finished char | acter player than MT. Murphy on the | read They may have one or two In New York whom they think are better
 bus here Is a large clientage of "on tht
 rcad," theatre goers who are contentec with MT. Murphy.
 l The individual characteristic of MT
 Murphy Is his eloquent silences. H.
 somehow has the art of expressing more ia a period of silence than any Of hi' contemporary players. He reads to ms
 audience in these eloquent silences tht l Ha has the true personal magnetism thai l reaches out and chains interest and at | tcntion And then, he, brings to beal rron his role full intellect and rip
 experience. A great actor is made 1T
 the combination of these attributes. Miss Dorothy Sherrod. Mr. Murphy'i
 able assistant, was never seen to better
 advantage She never looked prettiel nof did she ever do Q role with mor' grace, tact and effectiveness. Always ( | fine little actress Miss Sherrod shows growth and Improvements The years ! have not only given her these things | but they have given the rarest gift that comes with time-added beauty.
 Special interest attached to the appear
 ance of Miss Louise Whitfield as Harriet l Leicester in Montgomery. Only two or | tkree seasons ago Miss Whitfield, then | visitor from Tennessee, was an ad' | hired favorite in the younger set of Montgomery society. Miss Whitheld's l Montgomery friends had every reason tc | feel proud of her work.
 No mention of the performance is com plete without due praise being given tho | srlendid character sketch of A. J. Grif- | h1 as Martin Beggs. It was a bit oi character work to be remembered. A good sized audience was present Ezra Kendall in 'The Vinegar Buyer,
 Friday night, is the next attraction. ---------------