Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-09-20
THE FAvoRITE, MILDRED HOLLAND.
Added to Her Series Of Triumphs In Brat
tleboro in Her Appearance In "A Para
disc OF Lies"


tIeboro in Her Appearance in "A Para
disc OF Lies"
Mildred Holland is still one of Brattle-
bOro's faVorite Her appearance in
"A Paradise of Lies" i'm the Auditorium
Saturday evening was but another Of
her series of triumphs in this town and
many recruits were added to the host
of her friends and admirers won in former
appearances. 1t is Mildred Holland that
the people want to see and it would
make little difference what she appeared
in, but the combination of this actress
an unusually good supporting company
and a fairly attractive play left little
to be desired by the big audience
Few would agree, probably, that II
was her greatest play, for the scene,
laid two centuries ago in far away Italy,
is so remote from the experiences of
Yankee audience that only the best
Of presentation saves it from being
humorous The play is strong, however
in putting emphasis on the traits of
character common to all ages and climes
and many of the minor passages between
the people of that olden time awoke
answering sympathy. Incidentally the
stage settings were very effective and
served as an excellent background for the
gay costumes which both men and women
wore in those times.
Inc story opens with prologue in
I'm which an old man is introduced mburn-
ing for his child drowned among the lilies
years before and the rescue Of a child
floating on the lily pads. Nine
teen years later Mildred Holland
appears as the child, experiencing
her first love affair with strolling player.
The act closes with the death of the
old man who has cared for and protected
the girl all those years, killed by the
treachery Of a friend. The girl goes away
with the strollng player and they appear
before the great earl who turns out to be
the girls father One Of the finest pass
ages is where the old earl recognizes
her from her likeness to her dead
mother The girl and the player have
misunderstanding which is not rectifed
until two years later, when she is about
TO marry the nephew of the earl. The
perfidy of this nephew is revealed and
and he is shown to be the one who
attempted to murder the child years be-
fore and then killed the old musician by
his treachery. The strolling player has
by that time won high fame and honor
and may marry even an earl's daughter
The play is full Of situations which call
for clever acting to make them effective
and the supporting company made the
most of every opportunity owen Moore
was especially effective as the old mu-
stefan, with his heart breaking with
SIlcl ana george nelson Price as the old
earl took his part feeingly Apart from
Mildred Holland, who needs no comment
the best bit Of acting in a difficult part
was that Of Katherine Angus as the mad
countess revealing the events which show
the villainy Of the nephew. II was weird
and uncanny but was not overdone or
strained in the least Sheer madness
showed in every word and act. Maud
Brandon as Brunetta, the vindictive little
gypsy girl. won much sympa thy and APP
plausc w. II. Pendergast made an ex-
cellent villain and Oral Humphreys won
favor as the stroling player There was
no comedy in the play. the lighter parts
falling far short of that. TOGO. taken by
Del LaBarre, came the nearest to being
humorous but did not quite step over the
line.