The Washington times., 1905-02-07
IT THE IHEATERS
SPLENDID ACTING BY
FORBES ROBERTSON
Eminent English Actor APP
pears to Great Advantage.

Forbes Robertson, member OF tiidt
distinguished group of histrionlc arilsts
which England has lent to the AmeFi-
can stage, appeared in Washington yes
terday for his second engagement in the
Capital. Last year he made the most
profound impression on the city by SUI
perlatfve performance of Hamlet. This
year he continues that impression. and
gives added proof Of his versatility by
presenting a new play dealing with mod
err life.
His offering is Love and the Man,
from the pen of II. V. Esmond- The
play came to his attention only few
| months ago, and aroused so much of
the stars interest that he set aside his
repertoire in its favor. And in Canada
and the American cities Mr.. Robertson
has SO far visited this judgment has
had the strongest endorsement of the
intelligent heatergoer
Last nights audience was most dis
| tinguished socially. At one side of the
theater were the Countess Cassini. the
| Baroness van Tuyll and several mem
| berS of the Diplomatic Corps. In the
| orchestra were Miss Kibby and a party;
| General Chaffee and a party; Mrs. S. b.
Elkins and party; ex-Secretary Her
| bert and a party. DIR. T. 3. Loring and
/
| Charles J. Bel and Il party. and William
| Mearns and a party. There Were also
| the familiar faces of Monday nights.
and sufficient number of general
theatergoers to fill the building COM
| fortably
Interest Was Manifest.
No one could doubt the interest of this
| gathering It followed the strange
windings of the plot with manifest feel
| ing. Applause was frequent, and cur
| tain calls were numerous. It was per-
| fectly clear that all these spectators
would carry out into the city the most
| glowing reports of play and acting.
! Mr.. Robertson appears as an English
politician, and in the course of the ac-
| ton he rises to the post of prime min
/ lister. His life touches that Of another
| member of parliament nobleman, a
! cripple misanthrope. and a hypochon-
| driac-whose wife has borne years .1f
suffering at his hands without COM
| plant This woman and the rising
| statesman find their hearts bound to
each other by an affection neither can
| hide and the playwright discloses this
I to the audience in prologue of poetic
| beauty. From these premises Mr.. Esy
| mond develops q theme of the utmost
| delicacy and the utmost danger Both
| his chief characters are courageous and
|
! are rewarded in the end. But through
| all the course Of the play they seem 70
| bring only suffering and disaster
New Type of Prime Minister.
Prime ministers are not new TO the
stage. They have stalked about with
impossible dispatches and worse than
| impossible manners for scores Of years.
But prime ministers of dignity and
| breeding and conscious authority, the
type embodied by Mr.. Robertson. are
| quite new. No wonder. then, that this
play thrills its spectators as similar
| events might thrill them in real life. -
| without even the suspicion of a smile
| at the conferences with politicians and
consideration Of g.1dt governmental
| crises.
It was pleasant to see that Mr.. Rob
| ertson's leading woman, Miss Kate
Rorke, conformed her acting to his
Her methods are quiet and forceful and
| her capacity for emphasis. which shat
| seem natural, is distinctive. Others IL
| the company, whose acting contributed
| largely TO the success of the imperSOna-
ton were Ian Robertson, brother OF
/ the star who acted tie role Of the Wo-
| mans husband, Frank Gilmore. who
| acted in the role of third member oi
| parIia ment and Miss II. NJ. Fraser and
! Miss Madge Mcintosh The company is
pleasantly even in quality and delightful
| in personality
This engagement offeys Washington
an opportunity to see acting of the best
| quality in play Of much merit. It pro
vides also an entertainment Of mucf
charm There can be little doubt that
| here, as everywhere else on Mr. Rob
| ertson's tour, it Will be generously ana
appreciatively patroniZed-