The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-17
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 Frederick Warde and Kathryn Kid der's presentation of stanislaus stange's tragedy. "Salammbo." from Gustaye Flaubert's great historical novel, leaves a better taste in the mouths of that class of theatre-soe who con. slider the prevalence of farce and mu- sical comedy, a growing disease which threatens the usefulness of inc stage. Few modern writers have achieved wider or more just repute than Gustav Flaubert by his tale of Carthage in the days of good fortune of the African city. Few dramatists have done as well as Stanislaus Stange in transfer ring the characters and actions of book from paper to the stage.
 A large and critical audience saw the production, under the management of wagenhaIs 6 Kemper, at the Mont gomery Theatre last night. The beau ty of most of the novels suffers severely when curtailed for the stage There were many in the critical audience of last night who expected to see the pop | ular book meet with the same fate. In | this they were disappointed. Stanislaus Stange has handled the novel we'll Much of the suggestiveness of the novel was omitted in the drama. And | scenes that inspired the nobiest im- pulses were substituted.
 l Such plays as "SaIammbo" are boons to the public mind. When one has witnessed a succession of Broadway musical comedies, whose chief theme Is modern degeneracy, or in turn has wit messed some namby pampy production of a novel made popular by an aggressive press agent. 1t is a relief to the mental I fn ho pa ad feyIa scenes, where men were men, to days when veneration of the high ideals was | reverenced, when strong arms were brave and strong hearts beat high. Not 1 that In modern times, men are less men. l God + less reverenced, and strong arms and strong hearts are less brave or pure, but that the modern play with frailties of the men and women of the times, rather than to inspire by pointing to their virtues.
 l Such a play is "Sa1ammbo." It deals with an age of practical barbarian. Its hero is Barbarian. Its heroine has implicit faith in a God that demands little children on his sacrificial altar, but a sermon Is preached in the DOT. ! trayal of devotion to this false God. The play is instructive. If the deeds of Hamilcar and Hannibal had fsAded from our memories they were awaken ed last night, awakened by realism | that reflected full credit upon Mir. Warde and his associates.
 In but one respect the audience was 1 disappointed. Wagenhals & Kemper have made a reputation through the South for their sumptuous scenic pro- | auctions. When their names are men, tioned. the thought Is born immediately that the production will be one of nu- merous beautiful and original stage | pictures The idea of well set stage | filled with a well coStumed chorus is prevalent. Last night, this was absent. No fault may be found with the scenes which were presented. but many op- portunities were lost for the drama to have been made more effective by the failure of the management to provide a suitable background for the players. | The company was capable. MT. ] warde's methods are too well known to
 Montgomery to attempt any disserta-
 ton on his abilities and his short com
 ings. As Matho. barbarian chief of the Lyhians. he had ample opportunity to show his talent. MT. Warde may have ranted now and then. It is the custom of the school, of which he is one of the few living opponents of any | ability. But on more than a few occa-
 sions he rose to the sublime and com pelled the audience to feel the inmost
 emotions of the barbarian warrior. His
 death scene in "Salammbo" will be re, ! membered.
 Miss Kidder in the title role did not duplicate the success that made both Miss Kidder and Madame Sans Gene famous. Perhaps, as "Salammbo" she
 did not have the opportunity and to be perfectly frank. Miss Kidder Is aging.
 Age is a far greater liability for a wo-
 man than for a man. In the third act,
 however. she measured up to the re-
 quirement and swayed the audience. In
 the closing scene between Matho and
 Salammbo, Mir. Warde and Miss Kidder
 made a remarkable impression.
 In popular favor, Master Walter Bur
 ris as Hannibal, was the equal of the
 stars Master Burris is a sturdy little
 chap and he reads with intelligence.
 His every word was not articulated
 with the sing-song emphasis one asso-
 ciates with child actors. He success
 fully conveyed the Idea of the boy, who
 in his swaddling clothes had sworn
 eternal enmity to Rome. In his por-
 trayal of the boy Hannibal, he was
 successful in raising the thought,
 Should such a boy become a man, it
 Is not inconceivable that he could
 cause a great empire to topple and the
 greatest orator of any age constantly
 declare, Carthegena delenda est" He
 won the hearts of every man and Wo-
 man in the audience.
 Wadsworth Harris as Hamilcar, Dud-
 ley Kellerd as the Numidian King and Thomas Cofin Cooke as Spendius. sustained their good regulations here. | Under Southern Skfes'' tonigbt