The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-10-22
The IS in aPeter -

Maude Adams as Peter Pan Is a phan-
tom OF delight.
Inc wonderful Barrie play. a foun-
iain OF perpetual youth. is ours again.
WIN Miss Adams as its interpreter tie
u oducuon becomes a dramatic philo-
aopher's stone, touching the hearts OF
WorId-Weary auditors and changing
thoughts and feelings back to the golden
MOI ming OF life. when the world was
tuil OF purity, imagery, and harmony
Inc play has lost none OF its charm
nor Miss Adams any Of her magical
appeal since the premier performance
ia F" ashington two years ago. The ONLY
dlnerence noticeable at the National
Iheater last night was the fact that The
audience. seemed to be more SURE. OF H.
self and grasped more readily The f1U
rurport Of the Barrie fantasy which
recreates those days when lie for each
OF US was filed with illusions az7iTs-
tons, AMI dreams.
II Is verse than useless to 90 10 see
Fetel Tan with the determination
10 mold ones self a!oof and analyze II
eAteHorly- In such a case the poen
Deeones che merest twaddIe and chlld's
play complete enjoyment OF its bean
ties ana It's ant comes only when we
Ioget all LIES experience. and AN ~
SoFroWs, and, entering INTO the NE nj
1He boy who wouldn't grow up lorr-
Eey Joyously with him 10 the N+,-.r
never. Never Land in COMPANY 9sffa
enay ana John, Here we Join Peters
lana OF lost boys and Ia fITa ,y-1-
Of youthful fancy We -o1Ie71gj d. - LII,
VIC powers Of darkness, ana al ..,.l a.
Mays VITA Inc knowledge that boyge,-s-
- y" tl4S escape virtue shall aIvvs,-S
0C ,i,tl and w.cAedness suCcumb.
b,,IS IRENE OL FSIer Pan" is child
LOU ana fairies. But ia taIs is
StIdhse anomaly. The appeal is iufrfte
- stronger 70 me grown person frar 81,
We chlld. To The child Il is a deiIeb+f',I
NJ g eminent but 20 The grown mar.
% woman IN the quips and crauIys ar8
WanLon wlles Of Peter and ms bsr4 - -
FOE lfdyed by contrast tae trss1.iy- ~
age II IS q tragedy told in patnos- moi
~ az & ley Inc appeal Is universal
ne human soul lOuSs for j0v Tor frea-
oour Tor eternal youth ana liz is mis-
secret longing which the Barrie NAV
iiLIIpIs III such fantastic form nne
s1-s,- 40 coii tlnuousiy during the per
10 nance out the sparkling eyes OF
iilltta gleam through q mist Of tears
10 nose VINO are living now the
9ays WAea tancy Weayes It's tales OF
ue!4lous enthusiasm Peter Pan
proves "A superficial pleasure; for those
VINO know those Jays only as memories
Peters philosophy IS real, 10 is pene-
Udung. and brings 10 the mind the ex-
qulsite pain OF remembered Joys. The
yearnlng Tor yoILa expressed bv Peter
and echoed by his audiLO-s is proof that
IN our heart of hearts NC ere all merely
boys who won't grow up"
The audience last light was In itself
an inspiration. Everyone believed in
fairies for the time being, and at the
final curtain men. women, and children
rose in their seats and waved a silent
- roll
in the doorway Of his house among the
tree tops.
IL writing Of Peter Pan 1t is almost
impossible 10 disasSOCiate Miss Adams
from the role which she lnteTprets with
such cOnSummate art and feeling. one
finds IN her acting the very thoughts
and emotions which he would Ike 10
nave had DoT trayed had he known now TO
express the wish The role Of Peter
presents many tntricaCies. II is in
every aspect foreign TO The stage and
must pc made up OF ones own imagin-
ngs. Unless the interpretati ton were
entirely IN accord with the drama itself
the result would be a miserable dis
cord Of ideas and ideals. as IL is Miss
ADAMS has given US a Peter Pan whose
whole being tells OF JOY unrestraint.
and freedom FROM care.
The play in itself is epochal. ii
arouscs neither our sympathies for
others nor our passions. Its theme Is
not love, hatred. revenge, politics, or
crime. The appeal IS solely for the
auditor and instead Of trying 10 teach
us tie faults and foibles OF our neigh
bOrs il gives us an insight into our own
hearts before things mundane stifed
the poetry. the Imagination, and tie
Iight-heartedness that We're our heritage
at birth.
The company supporting Miss Adams
is capable in every instance, each play
er having, seemingly, become imbued
with the spirit Of the stage picture
Charles Frohman has mounted the play