The Washington times., 1905-04-04
ETHEL BARRYMORE
ADVANCES IN HER ART
SUNDAY Presents Young
Actress Most Fav0rably.

An epitome of Bret Harte served to
present Ethel Barrymore in a new guise
at the National Theater last night. and
to rouse fashionable and brightly
dressed audience to continued ripples OF
laughter. The play is called Sunday
and is announced as the work of Thomas
Raceward,
Ethel Barrymore's development con-
tinues, as it has all taken place, in the
glaring light of public view. Not long
ago she was acting roles of saccharine
sweetness, where he comeliness and
meliif1uous voice answered for dramatic
strength. Then came Carrots a re-
markable bit of character acting, skill
fully drawn and consistently performed.
After that was Cousin Kate" with the
first intimation of feeling deeper than
that required for admirable light com
edy. And now it is a play with two
intense scenes, as well as much delight
full comedy.
Sunday in the West -
Sunday is the daughter of a Bret
Harte Englishman born on the best day
of the week away out in the wilds OF
the Rockies. Her only trainers as &
child are four frontiersmen. and their
examples. playing upon the fine fiber OF
tina girls character, nurture her into
rather an awkward maidenhood, where
impulse and temper fight with girlish
modesty and profanity plays leading
role.
The four boys in their rough-man-
nered and great-hearted love for her,
send little Sunday to a convent to
grow into womanhood Then comes a
visit TO her English relatives in the
shade of great abbey and the shadow
or formal society. The Rocky mountain
gold in her heart sends her back to her
boys. But at the end she leaves them
with their godspeed and her hand rest
ing IL that of a manly young English
man from whom she ran away.
Another Englishman. whose personal
lily Is attractive. but whose propose Is
do not cover their dishonor even from
Sundays unsophisticated eyes. remains
IN the story long enough to be shot by
the youngest of the boys" 1t is his
influence which supplies the intensity oil
the two best scenes in the play.
Decidedly an Advance.
Miss Barrymore's task. then, is t.
seem gauche of manner and sweet OF
nature, TO delineate the unfolding OF
that nature into gentle and alurine
womanhood. to reveal the depth of a
mountain-bred affection and TO suffuse
ILL lneSe manifestations Win tidI ueti
cate and spontaneous humor for which
she has become SO widely popular. Al
this is fairly accomplished. He
enunciatlon is now and then indist:nct
There are tricks of manner which
premise fixed mannerisnls as this youns
actress natures. Her two stronges
scenes are still little uncompact. Blu
the imperScnation as A whole is de
cidedly an advance for Miss Barrymore
and the wonderful charm of her per
sonalitT finds in it a better and NOR
complete expression than liz any othe
role she has undertaken.
The cast of characters is ren1arkabl
for the fact that 1t includes only 81,
male roles and two female roles, and tn
company is remarkable for the fact tina
all these roles are admirably filled. Bruc
McRae. Herbert Percy Charles Har
bury Joseph Brennan, Harrison Arm
strong William Sampson. and Edga
Stlwyn are all admirable. The subor
dsnate womans roles-and very subor
dinate they are, indeed-are acceptabl,
filled by Virginia Buchanan and Sar;
Perry.
Mobile among the fashionables in tn
audience were Miss Roosevelt, Miss 10
ssphine Boardman Signor Montagna o
the Italian embassy; Mr. and Mrs Hugh
Legare Mr. and Mrs. Charles l.. John
son. Miss Newlands, Mr.. and Mrs. Alex
ander Legare, Mr.. Carlisle, Mr.. AM
Mrs Woodward. Senator and Mrs
Scott the ex-embassador to Italy, AM
Mrs. Draper Miss Elizabeth Williams
Mr.. and Mrs. John f. Wilkins. Com
mander and Mrs. Hodges. and Waite
Wellman.