The Washington times., 1907-12-11
The Cast.

The Rev. John Douglass-AIalcc.m Williams
Deacon Elversln. n..........-.- r EeI
459clof Hartley .-----....-- Herbert AyIIr
Willie WlLLouEhby (Age 5)..w. Burton Jane
IIl11slty Jones c2.ored servant Guy Nich0ls
Bis jim. the boss canvasuan. Joseph Brennan
zoe baser. a circus prOprletor-.J. W. Benson
MIS-, FH'oughby, leader OF the choir
Juli1 Strong. the Deacon's daughter..-..
-, -......-...-.....-.........D Desires LaEard
A-ahay Jones, a coiored housekeeper-...
- ---.-.- Matte Ferguson
.iil7 NillouEhby y........ ........... Edith Wyld
'4ly Mabel TaliaferrO
The ultimatnuIe OF artful artIessness
- reached in Polly of the Circus" a
simple-hfe comedy by Margaret Mayo.
which was given its premiere at the
National Theater last night The com
monplaceness Of the theme IS so frankly
commonplace and the heart-interest ap-
peal Is so frankly an appeal that, para
doxically, the play as a novelty. The
second scene Of the first act, especially,
is unique In It Is TO be found no sug-
gestion Of action. this entire period Of
the play being devoted 10 a matter-of-
ract conversation between Polly. OF the
circus. and minister Of t>e gospel, in
which Polly endesvOrs to discover the
similarity between the entertainment
aIOfued by a preacher and that offered
Ih her own horseback riding act BY its
Qulet. unassumlng dialogue the interest
oA Ine audience is held as efectually as
II there were a tragic battle Of person
aIues- The first scene has a climax only
uy comparison with the second. IN this
opening scene Polly who has been In
Jured by a fall from her morse. is
brought into the minister's home where
II is announced that she must remain
until the Hgamsnts in her foot heal.
The denOuement is self-cvident from the
beginning. The minister falls in love
with Polly, who returns TO the circus
beca use she IS afraid that she will cause
MIN to lose his place as pastor Of his
hoek- The minister seeks her at the
circus. and there Is a closing tableau
or the caravan vending its way TO the
next town, while he and she stand arm
In arm in the half-light watching the
iaSt disappearing train OF numbering
snow wagons and animal cages.
It is all very chiIdlike and simple.
There is no striving for effect, no dra-
matte tension, no emotional pyrOtech-
MICS. The nearest approach to dynamic
force is found IN the scene in which
Polly leaves the home OF the minister.
Here the fran little figure Of the girl
laughing Historically, while her heart IS
breaking, furnishes an opportunity for
some genuinely effective acting, and
Miss Mabel TaliaferrO handles the scene
with ingenious pathOs and great discre-
ton.
The extreme simplicity Of theme and
treatment bore its fruits and the Ma
uonal audience was tumultuOuS in its
applause. Time and again were the
members of the company recalled after
each act to bow their appreciation OF
approval from those who had come to
see something, new and found il in ar
old, old story treated in q delightfully."-
straightforward, old-fashioned way,
stripped of all dramatic frills and fur
bellows.
Miss Mabel Taliaferro as Polly gave
a refreshing performance The role de-
mands absolute naturalness and q child
like franl-ness Of expression, delicacy
and grace Of movement, and an appeal
Ing trustfulness. Miss TaliRferro realized
all the requirements of the part and
won completely the sympathy Of her au-
dience Malcolm williams was force
ful as the minister and the Mandy
Jones Of Miss Matte Ferguson was true
10 life. Joseph Brennan did a clever
DIT of character work as Big jim The
same may be said Of J. =. Hollis as
Deacon Elverson. Others in the cast,
while not lnarring the picture. were not
especially convincing.
When one sees on a theater program
the name of Frederic Thompson, the
-A-ssA-- - th~ NsE York Hippodromes