The Washington times., 1905-04-23
"'Op O. Ne Thumb =
Miss Adams New Character
aDistinCt SensatiOn-Sure
to Widen Field of Her Art.
Other Bills.

Maude Adams gave the past week the
distinction of dividing local theatergoers
into two bitter factions. The whole city
was affected. In the first place the at
tendance was large-large not for Holy
Week only, but large for any week In
the year. Then each member of each
audience became partisan and infiu-
enced his circle of friends Then came
the readers of the newspapers who
noted the reviews of Tuesday but were
not able to view the two Adams plays
The number interested was iarge-and
* was divided evenly.
"Op o Me Thumb was the bone of
contention, Of course. THE Little Min
lister was an old story-a delightful
story, to be sure, but familiar in all its
parts So the several audiences brought
together by the magic of Miss Adams
personality followed it induIgently and
kept all their curious interest for the
afterpiece
The afterpiece rewarded all that in
serest. or its technical excellence. as
interpreted by Miss Adams, there can
De no two estimates. In all the course
of her busy and productive life she has
accomplished nothing else which buried
her own personality so fully vivified a
stage role SO effectively. AS was said
in The Times of Tuesday the effect cam
not but be widening of Miss Adams
activities.
Craftsmanship and Pleasure.
But pleasure in histrionic technique
70 in INN
vastly different things. Who thought of
craftsmanship when he saw Joe Jeffer-
sons Rip Van Wrinkle? Yet the imper-
sonation gave the most undoubted pleas
ure TO millions of Americans. Who
thinks Of pleasure when he sees Mr..
Mansfeld's Ivan the Terrible?" Yet
the impersonatfon is so notable techni-
cally that it has set a new measure of
this eminent actors ability.
Amanda Affiick IS a female chara cter
OF the same unpleasant quality as Ivan.
The most optimistic could not find light
or mirth or peace in the study Of her.
She Is, In fact, so depressing that the
members of one faction say "The Lit
Tie Minister Is good enough: but that
second play is rotten" And they mean
IL. This is rather a coarse expression
OF the view, to be sure, bat it IS ex-
pressive and 1t does not differ SO widely
from the opinion of the German EN-
peror-who knows as much about the
drama as he seems to know about
everything else-that we have sorrow
and misery and stolidness enough about
us in real life and see enough OF it at
every hand, without having art (Which
he thinks the most eloquent instructor
t., o..
on reproducing it,
Of Undoubted Value.
There can be no denying either the
histrionic or the didactic value OF .his
sketch. While not In the least pleas.
ant, it inspires thought along very help
ful lines. Every Washingtonlan who
sat through it left the theater r.:ore con.
tented with his lot And the revealing
effect IL has had on Miss Adams ca.
pacity has been remarkable. Those ,yhs
remember her admirable acting in The
Masked Ball. about ten years ago, ma,
not have been surprised, bst everyone
else was.
'"Op o. Me Thumb win gave an ad
dtsson to Miss Adams repertoire OF de
cided value. Hereafter 1t will not b,
easy either to calculate the nature o.
every play she chooses 10 act or I,
gauge the limitations of her acting. Ant
those two conditions are well wortl
striving for.
Amanda Affiick and Sergeant Brue arr
not kindred souls. by a whole lot. Th'
gull between them Is exactly measured
by their influence on the risibilities.
the one depresscs the whole audieIc,
-, Iya- t<.s ,f tn.
Mr.. Daniels is not yet into" the roll
Of Rrue; he seemed positively stiff a