The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-09
MONTGOMERY THEATRE.
aDarkest Russia," Sensational Melo'
 drama is Presented.

These are sorry days for the Czai and his Empire. Over In the orien' the Imperial navy has been battered into funk and scrap iron, and the I'm perial Army is hot foot after place And over here in the Occident Darkest Russia" Is swinging around the South ern circuit. remorselessly. pitilessly exposing the secret intrigues of the Imperial government.
 The Knout the cruel Knout. was fouted in the Montgomery Theatre last night. Prisoners stood before cruel pitiless ministers and were without a trial sentenced to Siberia one right after another. until one thought the minister owned a big block of stock in the Siberian Railroad and was anx- ious for dividends. And the prisoners would tottle back and groan "Siberia' Oh. Hevings."
 The Nihilists were revealed in their subterranean dens plotting the over throw of autocratic power and draw ing lots for the honor of becoming an assassin.
 And Siberia. bleak and cold Siberia. where the williams still plotted and virtue and honor still suffered was shown. It was pitiful sight. the hopeless prisoners dragging their
  the audience plying fans and rustling program, while 1t felt deeply for the unhappy prisoners gave its sincerest sympathy to the fur clad officers and the cloaked and hooded ladies. It re- quires some sacrifice to play "Dprkest Russia" in the hottest weather.
 Whats the use of Countess Cassini giving charity bazaars in Washington to influence public opinion while Dark est Russia" Is on the road? Who re- members the Countess bazaar when Miss Eva Mountford. with a gilded semi-circle on her curly. black hair. wearing a red short skirted dress with flashing eyes, steps to the center of the stago and in clarion tones cries The day has passed in Russia when the will of the noble Is the law of the serf. Even now the very existence of the Empire is threatened by valiant Ja- pan" (Shrill and deafening whistles from the gallery 'Rah for Japan To the discard with Russia.)
 And how the cruel. remorseless. Countess Karsicheff made the blood of of the gallery boil when she hisscd out her heartless threats. Did any one remember that Russia had made novel display to preserve the Union. as the rotund Countess in sibillant whis- pers missed out. For this letter Alexis Nazimoff would lose his life if had dropped and then I would shoot him like a dog"
 Nobody remembered anything. It was back to the mines. for Russia.
 The loud pedal was on all the way through Darkest Russia" The TO- pressed school of acting had not part or place in the melodrama. It was action. excitement and perfervid decla- nation from start to finish. There was no shading no subtlety, no re- pression.
 The melodrama. which is a trif1e old and which belongs to another decade of the stage naturally calls for much noise and excitement At these stages the presenting company acquitted itself very creditably. but 1t lost all op- portunity of scoring striking effects by contrast
 Miss Eva Mountford who played Ida, the Jewish girl. is an actress of emo tional powers. but because she has a tremulous voice. a good profile and a pair of fine eyes Is not sufficient reason that she should be emotional to the verge of tears at all times. With a true appreciation of the advantages of con- trast Miss Mountford is capable of good work, very good work.
 Miss Maj Estill or the hateful countess was dramatic and convincing. She was the best Of the cast notwith- standing the handicap of too much weight
 Edwin Maynard. barring too much emphasis did a nice bit as an Ameri- can Colonel.
 The rest of the cast ranged from in- different to fairly good.
 The real hit of the entertainment was made by two Japanese youths who sold books containing views of the to nay their way through a military college at Tokio." They sold the books all right.