Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-11-15
A CHARMING CHARACTER.
Miss Adelaide ThurstOn in The Triumph
of Betty" Universal Success.

There is little doubt that Miss
Adelaide Thurston, who comes to the
Grand next Monday night with her
Triumph of Betty" is one of the best
things the Grand has booked in many
seasons. The tour might better be
termed 'the triumph of Adelaide"
for everywhere the production is re-
ceiving the highest encomniums. 1t
was at Winnepeg on the 9Th inst. and
the next morning the Winnepeg Tele-
gram said:
1.-THE Triumph of Betty or in other
words, the triumph of Adelaide, is one
of the best balanced plays that has
been seen at the Winnepeg theatre for
many a long day. 1t is we'll balanced,
both as regards construction and
Characterization, consmmatlon,
which is not common. Adelaide
Thurston is star, but she does not
shine too brightly so as to make the
rest of the constellation dim and
almost unnoticed. This is entirely
owing to the fact that she does not
allow her personality, as she easily
might, to eclipse the other characters
in, the play, which is delightful one:
IT, tells of young girl sent to England
by her father, who has early in life
shaken off the trammels of the old
country and sought. the deep-lunged
freedom of the American prairies- for
the purpose of getting a society veneer
amongst his more or less ..'swagger"
relation. BY her own shrewd, common
sense, which has come to her through
the variegated mankind she has mixed
with on her fathers ranch, she is able
| to circumvent the blackguardism of
the william" of the piece and thus
| the good name of her fathers family.
Adelaide Thurston is cemedienne,
which is vastly different to being a
| female comedian. She is, perhaps
unconsciously, of the French school,
always piquante, decidedly dainty, and
gives tc her face, by quaint little
mp turn, a retrousse expression il one
NAV be allowed the term. She has,
withal, power, but. like true artistic,
| it is repressed power. 1t is never ex-
uberant, never dominant, but always
there, and it gives one an inkljng OF
what she might do in more serious
| work. She is at her best in the third
act, in which she outwits the man
who Is seeking her cousins ruin. She
gives here hint of her possibilities,
and one for a moment, wishes that
she would, to use a vulgarism, "let
herself co." but, the next moment,
one is certain she is right, and that
sellepression is the strong motive OF
the part. Miss Thurston has gone but
a short way on her career; IL she be
not spoilt, she will reach the very top
most rung of the professional ladder.
She is fair to look upon, has a
beautiful figure and knows how to
wear her frocks.
The company supporting her is,
taken on the whole, an excellent one.
AS Canon Bartlett, Fred G.. Hearn
has but small part, but plays it in
a finished manner. Edmund Ford as
a sanctimonious curate is so natural,
that the desire to kick him is almost
overpowering. Mr.. w. V. Ranuos
makes the canon's wife perfectly
awful woman, as the author intended
"a person absol ltely lacking in the
milk of human kindness. 1t was an
unsympathetic character but capitally
played. Harvey Bartlett, the leading
1
a part which aways ''fetches" an
audience, and Harry Ingram got
everything out of It there was to get.
His love making, such as there was,
was of the twentieth century and not
of the early Victorian, but it was
convincing, which is high compli.
ment. Frederick Kerby was distinctiv'
ly good as the william" of the piece,
George Wrayburn. Other characters
were acceptably taken by Mignon Oxei
Lii ian Wood and Roland Wallace.
But Adelaine Illusions name must
be the last mentioned. 1t is no,
often we see so charming and graceful
an actress on the boards of our theatre.
AS in other cities of the American
continent, she will he treasured il
the memories of Winnepeg playgoers
and whenever she returns, and may
1T be soon, she will receive a welcome
which is due her delightful per
sonality.