The Washington herald., 1907-10-29
AT LOCAL PLAYHOUSES

The NatiOnaI-"The Christian Pill
grim"
A most beautiful play, acted with great
skill, and representing the best tenden-
cies of the American stage at its highest
| estate, is THE Christian Pilgrim" which
was presented at the National last night
before an audience Of goodly size ana
of an enthusiasm which demanded cur
tain call after curtain call al the close
of each act. It is long since any pro
duction or any actress has been ac-
corded such hearty and spontaneous
ovation as was given TO Miss Henrietta
Crosman and The Christian Pilgrim
last night. II the Washington verdict.
given so freely last night, may be taken
as a criterion. then Mr. CampbeHs beau
tiful and ornate production is in for Q
great big success.
The play is difficult to classify. It is be-
yond-one is almost tempted to say above
the rules that govern the construction
Of the regular drama On the bill 1t is
called "a music play" but this falls far
/ short as term Of explanation II is a
mixture of the old EIizabethan morality.
Of grand opera. and of tense. moving
drama that appeals TO the best and clean
est emotions and the Hottest aspirations
of which the human heart is capable. 1t
is play whose appeal comes from many
sources. Its gorgeous stage pictures are
a delight TO the eye; its costumes are
strikingly beautiful and appropriate; the
incidental music, supplied by William
Furst and to interpret which the usual
| orchestra has been greatly augmented,
offers a wonderful poetical appeal; and
above all. Bunyan's most wonderful ale
CORY, adapted for the uses of the modern
stage with great skill and fine feeling.
and pack Of It ALL the moving drama Of
the battle Of right against wrong, the
drama in which all who see this play
| have taken actual part so that the strug-
| giles, the hopes the fear, the delights the
! striving toward the right are part and
| parcel OF the lives Of all who see it.
Who is there in this Christian land to
whom. as a child, Bunyans beautiful
story of The Pilgrims Progress was
I not made familiar? As it was in the old
| books, with the ancient prints. which
abated not one jot of the hell-fre. nor
sought to make the devil aught but a
monster Of hideous mien. how many
/ thousands of children have shuddered
/ over the periis that beset Christian on
/ his painful journey from the City OF
| Destruction to the Celestial City? But
Bunyan was an austere man. and If ne
/ had great beauties in his soul. he had
| small grace of language; or. perhaps. he
/ did not care to make his allegory SOC
/ attractive.
! Here, in this fine adaptation made 10y
/ Mr. James Macarthur, We have an the
essentials OF Bunyan's story: but now
| how wonderfully changed. Here indeed,
there are hideous devils and the Valley
/ Of the Shadow Of Death, and Castle Dan
gerous. and the Valley of Tophet: all
/ these are terrible enough. but ever and
always back of these things the message
of hope is held oui, and there is strong
dramatic action In the steady. insistent.
and hopeful march Of Christian toward
| the goal-the goal toward which all of us.
at least in our better moments. find our
faces turned.
In the matter Of production. nothing has
/ been left undone that might have been
/ done TO lend strength and beauty to this
I aIlegory. The regular droB-curtain of the
/ theater is replaced by a special curtain
symbolic Of the great choice. on one side
/ the angel Of light pointing the way 10
heaven; on the other Beelzebub. overlook
/ ing the kingdom of pleasure, the land of
wine, women. and song. The picture is
| an allegory in itself. and fits the mind OF
/ the audience for the pictures and the
story on which il is TO rise. But before