The Washington times., 1905-11-21
WRIGHT LORINER
MAKES TRUE HIT
Audience Enthusiastic Over
shepherd King"

Wonders will never ceasei Last night
al the National Wright LOrimer made
distinct hit-and he didn't make
speech. though his audience gave him
ample excuse 1t was not a large audi
ence that welcomed Mr.. Lorimer's first
production Of 1.-The Shepherd King" in
washington. but it was a very en-
thusiastic one-and discriminatory en-
thusiastic.
The Shepherd King had been mod
estly heralded as "a religious spectacle
and one went in the chastened but SUI
perior frame of mind which always ac-
companies a conscious desire for self
Improvement. with an expectation of
being edited rather than entertained.
This attitude endured perhaps through
the first act One murmured: How
perfectly beautiful that distance is,
showing the hills near Bethlehem" and
subconsciously one knew that it was a
bit slow. and irreverently wished they
were not all so ''wiggy," so palpably
wiggy as TO their hair and venerable
boards.
Final Curtain Good.
The arrival of Jonathan TO summon
David to Saurs court struck the first
note Of the sumptuousness that char
aNACAAGC0 AAAC LG5l u Tic EANNA~N-N--f
and also the first note Of the real dramatic
interest that endured till the final cur
tain. And that curtain. by the way, Is
one OF the things the audience had
TO thank Mr.. Lorimer COR Mr.. Brady p
for. It is a beautiful curtain, and after
Psyche at the Court of Venus a de-
cided relief.
Not ONLY IS The Shepherd King a
religious spectacle.-it IS an historical
drama. mighty well put on. and In the
main. mighty well done Not only IS
Loriner's David we'll done but most
Of the support is good. Saul. the mad
king. as interpreted by Ethelbert Hales.
IS a thoroughly convincing and thor
oughly, sympathnedc figure only less less
himself. Carl Eckstrom in Prince Jona-
than has one of those noble-youth-
o-good-to-b be-true, and farand-
aWaytoo-good-to- -be-interesting parts
which IL Is hard TO n AXE much of, but
he plays 1t with dignity and judgment
IN ths third act, GeorEe Heath Heath as LAP cap
the best bit OF makeup on the stage
which is saying a good deal
As to Women.
The women are not so good. Nellite
Reed. as Princess AIirab. the lady vii
lain, is handsome. but she Kisses toe
much. Helen Holmes. as Princess
Michal. is as pretty as picture, but
she overdOes her part. Margaret Hay
ward is much better in the end as tht
Witch OF Endor, than she is in the be-
ginning as DaYid's mother, possibly be-
cause Il gives her more Of a chance.
All through there IS q tendency tC
decIaim-more noticeable In the lesser
parts than in the leaders, but present
in all. 1t seems to an unprejudiced OBJ
server just possible that even in
DaSd's day, one could say. 1T is q fine
day or inquire how a newcomer left
the folks at home without defamation
or attempt at elOcut1On- Also even II
Eavid's day, weren't they grammatical
In the final scene the priest stands al
the head Of the star and announces
SauTs death and then Of the assem-
bIed soldlery and populace demands
Men Of Israel who shall be thy
King?" It's a trife, Of course, but thai
thy fairly bunets ones ears, ane
distrGcts ones attention from TIT
climax that follows.
1t seems ungracious TO criticise q re4l
" wonderfully good show. but thes'
little things are as irritating as gnat:
on a summer evening