The Washington times., 1905-10-18
THREE HOURS
IN FA|RyLAND
"Peter Pan" a Charming
Picture of Childhood.
MAUDE ADAMS NEW SUCCESS
First American Presentation at New
National Attended by Spleu-
did Audience.

Just three hundred years ago the
Master Dramatist of the World created
q being. the first that art or literature
had ever known. This was Caliban.
that crude, monstrous, inexplicable off,
spring Of nature, which has made THE
Tempest one of the masterpieces of the
master poet. Now, by virtue of the
magical alchemy of Miss Maude Adams
acting, ]. NJ. Barrie has given to the
world of art and of literature a second
creation, Peter Pan, the wonderful
ohild-souI youth. who may not be i'm
mediately received by mankind, but
whose ultimate place Is assured.
One dare not attempt to minutely
analyze Peter Pam for IL is OF such
gossamer texture that anything added
TO, taken away, or taken apart would
seem to dissolve IL. The hasty verdict
OF not a few who saw last nights pro-
duction at the New National was, at is
SO simple, so foolish. so childish, al
though magnifcently acted" Such judg-
ment recalls that immortal line of one
OF the Lake poets. The meanest fiow'r
that blows can bring thoughts that oft
do lie too deep for tears a deeper
insight into Peter Pan" will reveal
the-fact that il is pure. child-like. beau
1%NAC 10 HOl d me Iflell does not
bear the evidence of Mr.. Barrie's deli
cate tracery. his charming humor, and
touching pathos. The situations are
often brought out with such mere sug-
gestion that we do not fully compre-
hend them until hours later.
Dreams of Childhood.
Peter Pan" transports Us all to the
Never. Never. Never Land. We leave
our years and our cares behind and we
sec again the bright, glittering dreams
Of our childhood, where the forces of
evil are contending against the good
and where. as in our one-time idea of
LIE and things. the true and the pure.
though ofttimes almost vanquished, are
always eventually the protagonists pre-
vailing against the powers of darkness.
There is nothing in all current ntera-
ture that makes us children again for
night does this play.
The first night audience was not ebul-
Iently enthusiastic, as many had
thought would be the case, but this was
impossible where there were no crash
Ing climaxes, but only the picture of
childs soul, something we have all
seen, but which the majority Of US
thought we had entirely forgotten.
Nevertheless there was applause in
abundance and curtain calls for Miss
Adams after every act.
The plot is that which many of us
had dreamed years ago; of some per-
son. in this instance Peter Pan, who
leads children 10 the fafryiand when
the pirates seek TO destroy the little
spirit folk. Indians come TO the res
cue, but all In vain. Children and the
dweilers in the wood are captured. and
just on the eve of their execution Peter
Pan achieves the rescue.
Peter Pans Farewell.
When the curtain fell on the last
scene with Peter Pan sitting alone in
the tree tops waving farewell TO those
in the audience whom he had con-
Quoted TO the wonderland, there was
more than one heart that felt per-
sonal loss, and ali must have resumed
the burden of years after a roam in
Never. Never, Never Land with a
sigh and a feeling as though something
were catching at their throats. Invol-
unfairly there arose IN the mind the
question If after all Woodsworth's s
"Intimations of Immortality" were not
true when he declared that:
Our birth is but a sleep and a for
getting.
Nor yet in utter nakedness.
But in trailing clouds Of glory do we
come
From God. who is our home;
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!
Shades of the prison wall begin to close
Upon the growing boy,
But he beholds the light and whence it
flows
He sees it in mis- joy:
The youth who daily from the East
Must travel, still Is Natures Priest
M hx- he vie
is on his way attended;
AT length the man perceives it die away
And fade into the light of common day.
Miss Adams Art.
II is hard TO characterize Peter
Ben.'' IL is almost equally as difficult
~ eiessify Miss Adams Interpretation.
albeit IL was in every respect all that
her most ardent admirers could have
wished 1t had complete spontaneity.
the essential element of the fnesse of
art which eonceals art. One forgets Miss
Adams in the beauty and witchery of
the child Peter Pan One could bet
ter convey appreciation OF her work
by silent handclasp than by
any number Of words. When Peter
Pan stands guard over Wendy's house
the attitude recalled to many her great
triumph in Il 'AiglOn." and in the
fourth act when she appears as Napo-
leon on deck there was a thrill among
the audience as though the eagIet had
come TO life and ''Nive TEmpereur"
started TO the lips.
Ia the last act when Peter sits alone
playing the pipe of Pan. with the fairies
dancing about him in the trees. one
realizes as never before that heard
melodies are sweet, but unk card are
sweeter." for Peters music is the
Swan Song of the imagery Of youth
Mr.. Frohman has been mes. lavish
in his stage settings Nothing could be