The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

thy, you'll own j lfave been pretty
fond OF an old wfe.'-From Gold
smiths "She Stoops TO Conquer
William II. Crane. Miss Ellis JEFF
freys and the ''all-s star cast in she
Stoops to Conquer will appear at the
Academy of Music, in Richmond
shortly.
To readers OF old comedies the
story of Goldsmith's play is familiar.
1t is the story of the reformed rake.
and then, as now, the lady seems re-
markably anxious to try her hand at
/ making n damaged article as good as
new. The modern type of "She Stops
to Conquer" is the Pinero play, 'rhe
Gay Lord Quex."
The variations in the two are vari-
atoms caused by. the times in which
the actors lived, and not by any great
variations either in type or theory.
although Goldsmith's hero has the
grace to be a young man.
Miss Hardcastle, brilliant dashing.
handsome. full of wit and charm, Is
willing, and more than willing to
i marry Sir Charles NARROW, noble
man. self-confessedly struck dumb in
4 the presence of a modest woman. She
laughs. sees the good under all this,
and the outside of this young man
S being attractive, his purse well filed
and both papa and mamma being pro-
pitious, she masquerades as the very
maid Of the house so he shall not be
afraid of her and can be led to talk.
And yet SO, clever is the literary We
hicle of the matter that even a TWEEN
tieth-century audience loves 1T WE'LL
and gives 1t further vitality as an
acting play. That the prolonged life
is we'll deserved one cannot question,
even in the view of the reformed rake
proposition, because the heroine her
self is one of the most lovablc and
+ charming women in all literature.
You must adore her either as the lady
= Of quality or as the maid, because she
is feminine. intelligent, wise as the
serpent and charming as tho dove
$9s The value in "She Stops to Con-
uuer'' is found in the characterization.
y The play has lived more than a CEN
fury. because the people in 1t are
very real: because the circle has va
riety finely contrasted. and because
there is not an unimportant part in
the play. Each is faithfully human,
even to the least.
This being true, it is evident at once
that the players must be evenly ex-
&6cellent If the performance is to APP
" proach perfection.
& In the present revival of the fa-
nous comedy the players are approx
4 imately ideal and many of the char
Rcters are perfectly acted.
HI Prominent in the cast Is to be
found William III. Crane, that fine old
p American actor. whose name Is q
"A household word in this country in the
# role OF Hardcastle. An ideal selection
In says Messrs. E'rohman and Liebler ant
Company. Mr.. Crane has played the
part many times before and some
v twenty years ago starred successfully
Tin conjunction with Stuart Robson In
the play. Next in Importance and
~ Starring successfully in conjunction
4; with MIR. Crane is to be found Miss
IL Ellis Jeffreys, the English actress
II appearing as Kate Hardcastle Miss
~ Jeffreys is next to Miss ellen Terry
~ the best liked actress on the English
III stage.
AS Tony Lumpkn, by many con.
/ sidered the. leading part in tho play
and the part which theatre-goers OF
the present generation associate will
"a Stuart Robson, is to be found Mr.
NJ George Giddens, English actor
n also star of the first magnitude, who
lately successfully starred in Beauty
and the Barge" and Public Opinion
q For twenty years or more the Ton,
VA Lumpkin of Mr.. Gidd6ns has been re
garded in London as beyond com
pare. He has, perhaps appeared II
the part morea times, than any othe
t,utoi 'Nhp" ~, to-"tnc IilIlSllsH-Speakllls
world.
Mrs Fanny Addison Pitt, the sur
( vivor OF the famous trinity OF char
4 acter actresses: Mrs. Drew, Mrs. Gil
bert and herself, will appear as Mrs
iardcastle.
Miss Margaret Dale. who for ST
H II Years was the leading woman wit
Mr.. John Drew, will appear In tn
Al part of Miss Neville.
Mr. Walter Hale. one of the hes
young light comedians, and late lead
# ing support. for Mr., Crane, will pla
the part OF young NARROW.
Mr. Fred Thorne. who has the par
Of Diggory, is an English comedian O
high standard. ,g.,a,f
se The part OF Diggory was at on
lime played by the late Joseph JET
ierson, and requires an actor of sterl
n lug worth.
Mr.. Herbert Sheath, another of tn