The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-26
ADJUSTMENTS
Metropolitan Iberia ;GalIatlh In "Doro-
thy Vernon Of baddon HAIL. s5,s


thy Vernon Of Haddon Hall z.,s.
Charles Majorssin sshis historical novel
and the play sb,ailt thereon opens a box
q, tricks that would put to shame the
most ingenious of the builders Of old
fashioned romances. They always had a
stern father insisting that his beauteous
daughter must marry the man of his,
(and not herr choice Mr.. Major has the
stern father all right, but permits him to
pick out successfully Is three ..ineli-
gibless Il for his s child. The i first
is Villain I the second a fool,
and the third an insincere courtier. This
fickleness Of the stern father destroys
entirely any respect for or interest in the
character. Meanwhile beauteous daugh-
ter Is remaining constant to. fathers enc
my, who has won her love with rid1cu
ious ease under false pretenses. She Is
imprisoned and lives on bread and water
for his sake, only to betray him to GER
tain death In fit of jealousy. How
ever, certain death in romances is seldom
fatal, nor is 1t in this case. Queen Eliz-
abeth is the instrument of mercy, and by
the introduction Of her character the ro-
nance at once becomes Historical" It
may we'll be doubted whether the vain
and cratic virgin queen would have so
easily forgiven the woman to- whom her
Leicester made love, or so lightly over
looked an opportunity to behead a young
man who. had done a. service for Mary
Stuart. Mr.. Major has found it neces-
sary, however, to$haYe his queen do both
Of these things.
In short, Dorothy Vernon is a highly
improbable and frequently inconsistent
drama, but its action is so swift and it's
interest SO cumulative that it's faults are
TO- some extent hidden The dialog is a
fairly successful attempt to reproduce
the Elizabethan style,$ and is not without
striking merits. There is frequently ex-
h1bited IN the situations straining for
theatric effect that spoils them for, him
who desires to see on the stage authentic
pictures OF life. The sacrifices made by
the author to theatricism beget similar
sacrlnces on the part. of the players, and
Miss Gallatin unfortunately shares in
some of these. Perhaps the, most strik-
ing instance is thatEat the iclose4o Of the
play, when Dorothy and Sir John. Man
ners, about to elope, indulge in a long
conversation under imminent risk Of be,
Ing caught. At last, both exclaim, etc
lhorse!"-and stroll 1eisurely out, giving
the curtain plenty of time to descend anG
then rise again on the picture Of this ex-
Icess1vely deliberate eIOpement
MISS Gallatin finds. in Dorothy role
onerlng continuous opportunity for de.
p1ctlng a lovable and lovely young woman
fighting the battle of love with womanly
/ weapons. 1t is the lighter side Of this
character that she brings out with a sure
but delicate touch. She Is more convinc
ing as the woman who has frankly con
fessed her love and fights for her love
IN devious ways, than as the shy maidel
SO boldly wooed. Neither lines nor stu
lations call for anything deep or tragic
land vet Miss Ga1Iatip roakes Doro+h,
both charming and convincing.
~ Walter Pennington. makes a. sdashin.
young lover Of Sir John Manners, tn
whole impersonation being pitched in
passionate and unreserved key The en-
thus1asm he finds it necessary to displa,
In his earlier scenes makes it quite i'm
possible to exhibit reserve strength whe1
1t Is most necessary, later on. Create
reticence, difficult as it is to exhibit un
der the prOvocation of the playwright
lash, would prove much more effective
Frank Smith plays the stern father per
maps as we'll as the role will permit, bu
1t Is at best a ranting and unconvincin
old man. The best bit of characte
, work, In fact almost the only one,z Is eth
Jester contributed by James K. Applebee
Whlle built on conventional lines, lis a.
1mpersonation worthy Of praise. Doroth
Lamar reproduees @Queens Eliza beth salts
J factor1ly In appearance and carriage
|. even ifSthe author has i taken libertie
with her character. %Of the other person
Of the play lit is not possible to spea
with enthusiasm, for none of them rise
above mediocrity.
7 The costuming is brilliant and fart
+ accurate, while the scenes about Haddo
+ Hall are beautifully conceived and exc
i. cuted. --.-- -.~-~.~ w. B. Chamberlain