The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-06
THEATRES
Creston Clarke fin "The Ragged Mes-
 

Creston Clarke fin "The Ragged Mes- senger."
 Tn a play admirable, yet dissimilar from those in which he has hitherto had part, Creston Clarke enacted ex- cellently tho role Of John Morton in "The Ragged Messenger" in which he last night in the. Montgomery Thea I'tre. He was, supported by a strong cast and thoroughly sustained the high reputation he has builded for himself in this city --1ere he has played many times.
 There were scenes in the play in which MT. Clarke ascended to what is termed "the heights and he had not s9tuds soy bsdw iH hs h altitude Nss fSr VrEn ts Thornton. in the role of Mary Aims leigh. In the climax of the play in the third act. and again in the finale, they sustained emotion and passion in
 The play was interesting. in plot and compact in structure. f1rceful in theme and clever in It's characteriza- tion. and dialogue. Mary Ainsleigh, a of Philip Haldenes. and the scene of the first act Is in his New York home in an upper room of which he Is dy- ing. Rev. John Morton. the poor strong of body and brain and soul, has strangely mastered the heart of Hal denes, a wealthy and immoral hedon- ist, and he is summoned by the dying man.
 Tn Haldene's house, he meets Mary Ainsleigh who. to be near the man who had ruined her, Is at his bedside as d sick nurse.
 When after the death of Haidenes the news Is brought that he has left John Morton as sole legatee of his large wealth. she determines to win aA H.la
 She wins his heart. but so doing loses her own. Planning to wreck his life, she learns to love him. Then whea hc asks her to marry him she has not strength. to decline or to confess her rah Partington, wildly jealous of her. plots her ruin.
 A compromising letter to Mary falls into the hands of Sarah. who shows it to Morton. Tn finely graduated cli- renounces his wife. A reunion of the parted lovers. in a scene of unusual strength. closss the play.
 "A Royal Messenger" written less cleverly. would be nearly. if not quite lugubrious. If 1t is not a play with g purpose. a phrase damnatory as gen orally accepted. 1t has a message that lends solemnity to its every act. Its plot is q story of religion that may be truthfully named morality; and It's chie1 character is an exponent and practition. CT of the religion. He is the ragged messenger of the poor and outcast, ant his zeal cheerful though 1t Is, sheds upon things and persons a light some what sombre to eyes that look only for pleasure.
 But the message and the purpose are well yelled: the movement of the play is not permitted to drag. me- ely that ( moral may be pointed; and the dialogue of the play, never dull, is often wise and not seldom clever. The characters T nd Of fha0o superfluous.
 Mr. Clarke. in a role that admitted the employment of all his talent. was excellent His part was different from patrons of the Montgomery Theatre ir previous years, and to some, perhaps less pleasing; but his acting satisfied the most sanguine of his admirers, many of whom think his performance superior 70 any he has done in the past. Tn enunciaticn, presence, expression characterization, he is the finished art ist.
 Miss Virginia Thornton, as Mary Ainsleigh, was inferior to Mir. Clarke only pleasurably, as one star to an- other. Her part demanded hardly less talent than Mir. Clarke's, and she read fly afforded what was needed. In the third act. she sutained an emotional climax in which she might well have marred scene of high order. Miss Thornton is a woman of handsome ap- pearance, good voice and pleasing presence.
 A delightful role in the play Mrs Jane Hollhurst. was cleverlY done by Miss Agnes Herndon, who enacted the part with sympathy and verve. As a bright. cynical. worldly and worldly wise widow of wealth. Miss Herndon as admirable. Miss Ada Clifford In the difficult part of Sarah Burlington, a wildly jealous woman, was too re- strained. though her work was far bet ter than mediocre. An excellent piece of acting was that of John Carter, as Bigland MT. Carter. assuming the part of an old man. was pleasing and con- vincing Other parts Tn the play were credtably enacted.