The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-18
ADJUSTMENTS


John Drew,
1.-THE Duke OF KnFicrankie. Robert
Marshalls sparkling comedy. which waa
presented at the Jefferson theatre last
night by John Drew and his company.
deserves to be placed among the bright
| est offerings of the season. The play
fairly scintillates with wit its lines are
extremely clear and its situation so anus
Ing that the house was swept by constant
ripples Of laughter. One smile chased
another over the faces of those present"
until it was realized that in this. his
latest play. Mr.. Drew had scored an
other triumph. He has perhaps shown
to better advantage in other plays. but
he has certainly not had a more divert
ing vehicle for the display of his tai
ents than 1.-THE Duke of Killicranlie.-
Briefly, the Duke of Killicrankie is in
| love with Lady Henrietta Addison, a
rather elusive young woman, who has
thrice refused the duke and asserts that
she can never love him.. Lady Henrietta
is so positive in her views and SO blase,
withal, that the duke coneocts a scheme
which does him credit If he cannot
marry the object of his affections by
fair means he will try foul-in short he
plans an abduction.
Now the duke has a friend, Mr. Henry
Pitt-Welby, a member of parliament and
harmless, vacuous sort Of fellow who
is typically British. Mr.. Pitt-Welby is
also in love. The lady who has played
| ducks and brakes with his affections is
none other than Mrs. Mulholland, relict
| of celebrated and wealthy glue manu-
| facturer of the same name, who died
| and left his worlds goods and he is at
traeted to the widow by the proportions
of her bank account.
Mr.. Pitt-Welby agrees to help the Duke
and the two decoy Lady Henrietta and
Mrs. Mulholland to the Dukes shooting
lodge in Scotland, "Crag-' o-North," an
| isolated castle perched on a rock where
escape would be impossible and gossip
out of the question. Here the two ladies
are immured and the obstinate Lady Hen
rietta is informed that she will have to
remain a prisoner until she agrees to
marry the Duke. Mrs. Mulholland is to
act as chaperone. Relations of great :
hauteur exist between the two and the
first meal, when the ladies are brought
face to face. affords the playwright splen-
did opportunities for humor. 1t is cut
and slashed, with the two men trying to
smooth matters over to no avail First
Mrs. Mulholland scores point and then
she is silenced by a whitening remark
from the fair Lady Henrietta. The scene
is simply irresistible. The humor of the
whole situation can hardly be imagined
nor can the cleverness of the lines be
conveyed to one who did not see the play.
The two ladies soon make friends, how
ever. and plot for escape, but to no pur-
pose At the end Of week both have
secretly capitulated-the one to the Duke
and the other to Mr.. Pitt-Kelby-but
neither will Gown up" News of the alb
duction reaching the London papers and,
as last resort, the two villains decide
that they will turn their guests out with
the explanation that close association has
brought about a dsillusion. Taken I'M
awares, the redoubtable Mrs. Mulhoiland
Yields to Mr.. Pitt-Welby and Henrietta
seeks refuge in the arms of the Duke at
the very moment of departure.
1t is impossible to conceive of the hui
NOR of it all, the fine character drawing
and the flashing repartee that distinguish
the play from the very first dialogue to
the last.
Mrs Mulholland is loud. possessed of a
temper and extremely sensitive over the
fact that her wealth was made by glue.
She is not a bad sort at heart but some
thing of problem" and very pronciept
in the art of being sarcastic. Her con-
tempt for Mr.. Pitt Welby is immense and
she never hesitates to show it, until final
ly she surrenders. just trfie fearful and
very much subdued.
Mr.. Pitt-Welby is small. worldly. light
headed, very timorous. very mercenary
and totally without sense of humor.
Still he is a good fellow and member
of parliament The duke is all right at
heart. but has had every wish gratihed
and has grown lethargic and world
weary. He is selfish and self-centered
until he falls in love with the Lady Hen
rsetta and finds that he cahiiot win ner
as easily as he had expected. The Lady
Henrietta has moods and 1t takes her
a long time to find out that she Is
really in love. There are minor characters
Int these four are the most prominent.
The others are little more than shadows.
John Drew as the duke was of course
the same easy, polished actor that the
American public has learned to known SO
well. He was perfectly natural and he
was the duke. Little more could be said
in praise. In Ferdinand Gottschalk Mr.
Drew had the support of an actor who
has been eminently successful. AS Mr.
Pitt-Welby Mr.. Gotschalk furnished
abundant amusement last night. He was
inimitable in the part. Fanny Brougn
made Mrs. Mulholland a distinctly hu-
morous character. There was laugh In
every word and much of the lady's sue
cess was due to her talent. Margaret
Dale impaired to Lady Henrietta wo-
manly graces and personal charm that
might have easily excused the dukes
rash abduction.
'sThe Duke of Killicrankie" will be
pleasantly remembered by Birmingham
theatregoers-
At the Bljou.
r... x,at;oa. this affernoou and the