Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-02-08
SOCIETY TRIUMPHS AT
COLONIAL THEATRE
Brilliant Gathering Of Navy Folk and Citizens
Distinguished Men and Women Compose Large Audience
at Colonial Theatre -Alluring Carmencitas Pretty
Spanish Dancers Bold Toreadors Grace and
Poetry of Lady Dancers Grand Finals
of Season before Lent

1 the gypsy camp IN tnt mountains
by night with Thunderstorm rolling
a cross the hill tops as realistic rs
any that ever rumbled on a stage. In
| this half darkness Mrs. Redgrave
seemed in some degree TO forget her
unpleasant mannerisms. speech and
movement and acted at her best. In
| this act her angry scenes with Don
| Jose were Far better than her love
scenes of the previous acts and tenn
porarily raised the performance above
the plane Of the amateur
Lieutenant Cluverius Furnished one
Of the agreeable surprises of the even
ing. AS the distracted dover OF Car
| men he displayed an ability that stood
out in strong relief. IIis enunciation
was distinct. his voiee sufficiently
loud to be heard all over the house,
and never or moment did he fail or
convince the audience bf the circum-
stance that he was Don Jose, and not
nm inexperienced amateur. In fact,
there was nothing amateurish about
him whatever. His action was at all
times graceful, by the excellence and
sincerity of his efforts he contributed
much TO whatever success the perform
ance may have attained. tits DIM
cult part that he assumed, but these
! difficulties were surmounted so that
Don Jose was made to seem what he
was conceived to be-a conscientious.
serupulous young man who, despite
his conscience and his scruples, is
fascinated, hypnotized by the irresist-
tible charm of the seductive Carmen.
Mr.. Cluyerius accomplished the some
what unusual feat for an amateur of
bearing fully one half the burden Of
the play for four acts, arriving at the
climax with no abatement Of his
efforts, and certainly with no falling
of in the interest that be invariably
aroused whenever he was on the
stage. His performance would have
passed with credit on the professional
stage. In the brief space at our dis
posal we regret that we are unable to
pay more than this passing tribute to
an effort that was not only highly sat-
isfactory. but approached, if il did
not actually realize, an ideal concep-
tion of difficult and, considering it's
varying moods. highly dramatic
characterization.
As TO the other characters, the part
of Dolores. played by Mrs. Coleman
remains one OF the most charming
memories of the evening. Dolores
is the convent-bred sweetheart whom
Don Jose deserts for Carmen. Of
course, stage convention tends to rep
resent the pure in heart as half wit
ted, but Mrs. Coleman's beauty and
quiet grace gave her milk md water
lines real dignity and character
Hers was n thankless part; further
more, the audience was in no mood
to take anything seriously, and the
fact that she held that audience abso-
lutely spellbound is proof enough of
her artistic performance. Her very
difIicult scene in the last act sne hand
led beautifully, and retired to a rous-
ing applause as we'll deserved as il
was hearty. Throughout the play her
acting was consistent and winning.
indeed, from the moment of her en-
trance il was Doloras, not Carmen,
who held the sympathy of the audi
ence.
Mrs. Stevens, VINO was entrusted d
with the role of Zara was a marvel
of naturalness. She had no need to
practice illusion. She was the Span
ish maiden herself-in figure. in
coolring, in face, in eyes. in hair, in
every movement. This young woman
seems POSSESSED of considerable
dramatic ability. In her conflicts
with Carmen she was actually the
wronged, spirited, resentful and al
ways human maiden. OF All the young
women who appeared on the stage last
night she was manifestly the most
thoroughly Spanish. We suspect that
Mrs. Stevens required very little
makeup. Indeed. it is onjectured
that any kind of makeup would have
marred the ingenuousness of the char
acter as she conceived it and play
ed it.
In the dance with Mrs. Morrison.
both these young women displayed a
very pleasing grace. We have never
seen the 'Sevillana' done better by
amateurs. Mrs. Morrison also de.
serves word of praise for her grace
| and the general effectiveness of her
makeup. She was exceeding well
to look upon.
1t was a comfort to see our old
| friend. Mr.. Kerr, though he had but
a minor role. Mr.. Kerr is player
of experience. though an amateur. and
whenever be had anything to do be
| impressed the audience with an in
definable sense OF security tIrat il
would be done we'll.
Mr.. Dexter, the one other member
of the cast beside, Mrs. Redgraye, who
has had professional experience. is too
we'll known TO Annapolis audiences
to depend on any estimate OF his work
of last evening. His part of Garcia.
the husband of Carmen. was one OF
he smallest, but ne made ii stand out
vividly. According TO several mem
bers of the cast. his real contribution
| toward the success of the perfor-
mace lay behind the scenes in his
efficient work as stage manager during
/ the weeks of rehearsals. Doubtless,
/ too, the audience will be surprised to
know that no small part Of the seen
cry had been designed and painted by
Mr.. Dexter. with the assistance %
Mr. Munford. one of the "smug-
glers -and later the priest. In pass
ing, it may be observed that Mr..
Munford seemed a very real, devout
priest. Undoubtedly the young gen.
tleman contemplates taking orders.
To the minor characters or the cast