The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-14

morning. In The Duke of Killicrankie''
Mr.. Drew plays the part eff a cultured.
witty and intellectual British nobleman.
1t is said to be the triumph of his long
career on the stage.
"For His Brothers Crime"
With a thirst for excitement that was
immense, crowd assembled in the Bijou
theatre last night to see q thriller"
and the voice of disappointment was
heard not. Way up in the "roost" was
packed an eager throng. six hundred in
ALL who craned their necks down upon
the stage, shouted approval when the
hero landed" and Kissed the villain
right roundly. The waves of enthusiasm
swept down below, where the first ball
cony responded and the parquet woke up.
1t must be confessed that For His
Brothers Crime" is not much of a play,
but with thrills 1t is replete. The plot
was woven about Montgomery Irving,
strong man who had long career on
the stage before he became the pleas
ing romantic actor" mentioned by his
press agent. Mr.. Irving certainly earns
his salary. The amateur reporter talks
about this and that players work"
Now If he were referring to Montgomery
Irving the word would be apt. Mr..
Irving really works. He works over
time. and when he is not throwing men
out of six-story windows or holding up
bridges while carriages roll blithely over
them. he is hurting anvils around in
cavalier fashion. The villain does not
stand any chance with that man. As
the villain remarked after being foiled
for the steenth time, You had better
not try to arrest him If you value your
life"
The preliminary taste of excitement was
furnished by a conventional murder in
the first act. The hero's brother did, the
job but Vicsor, being an exceptionally
young man, took the blame on his own
shoulders, and the murderer escaped. 1t
happened that the dead man was the
father of Victor's sweetheart, and that
complicated matters considerably. About
the time the guilty man has gotten safely
away. a mob attempts TO capture Victor,
wITe has avowed that he is the guilty per-
son. but he picks up an anvil from his
sm.thy waves 1t at them playfully and
they all fall down.
In the next act Victor has become a
professor Of physical culture In New
York. where he Is pursued by the real VIII
lain of the play. the man who loves Vic
Mr.. Irving drops his melodrama mantel
and becomes a vaudeville "strong man.
again. He performs some feats of strength
that win applause. After a period of
strenuous exertion that would exhaust a
dozen men, Mr.. Irving becomes Victor
Sterling again and whips a room fun of
men In fight with broadswords. OF
course the whole affair was arranged by
the villain.
After this scene we find Victor Sterling
| in the mill where he breaks few chains
that have been wound around his person
and hurls no less than six villains through
a window. while the gallery thunders APP
plause. From here It Is but a step to the
bridge. where the leading villain plays
his strong card. The supports of the bridge
are cut down. so that when Victor Ster-
lng's sweetheart attempts to drive across
she will be precipitated to a frightful
death. Victor Is again on the spot. holds
the bridge IN with his back and n car
riage drawn by two horses passes over
in safety.
After this climax the most strenuous
part of the play has been finished Victor
Stcrling's guilty brother dies in for
eign land. the good brother Is exhoner-
ated. he clasps the girl In his arms and
all live happily ever afterward. because
the villain IS treated In scandalous fash
ion In that last act.
A feature of the performance that won
deserved applause was the acrobatic ner-
was very creditable. indeed and Mr. Irv-
ings exhibition of strength
AS for the rest. there Is no danger of
going to sleep during a performance of
For His Brothers Crime"