The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-08
4 Fine Character Study
Is Wizards "NewcOn1e"

Many eyes were wet when the curtain
was rung down on dear old Colonel
Ne wcome" last night. and there was
comparatively little applause-the one
almost as much as the other a tribute
10 Z. S Wizards splendid impersona-
ton OF the chivalrous. proud old colonel.
the rare old soul whose heart was as
little child, whom We have known
and l0ved-V'e and our fathers before
us. The audience-a large and brilliant
one-lingered reverentlY until he had
answered his '.Adsum" u his Masters
call. and even then the National was
emptied quietly and with no unseemly
hustle
Il is not exactly a dlamatization OF
The Newcomes" that Michael Morton
has made under the name OF Colonel
Newcome," and that Willard is play
ing this season. The program describes
II as founded on" Thackeray's great
novel Ii Is a mere outline OF certain
cOlonels career, through which IS con-
Yeyed = fairly coherent idea OF the
story. IL introduces the colonel playing
host 10 his sons friends. among them
tosh Fsndennis, and Barham. The
Colonel discovers Gives love for his
cousin Ethel and asks Barnes 10 for
mally carry a reQuess for her hand 10
Lady Kew. At Lady Fareham's ball
All the leading characters assemble the
Colonel meets his old sweetheart, Nine
de Florac; the engagement OF Ethel
and FaTentOsh Is announced: the
Colonel discovers Barnes treachery and
announces that he will run for parlia-
ries Rosey; the Colonel Is bankrupt
and the play closes with his death at
Grayfriars.
IL is not a play so much as a series
OF consecutive incidents, q play OF man
ners rather than OF action. and depends
for its interest entirely on the character
OF Colonel NewcOme, the Ideal gentle
man OF literature" And Willard plays
him delightfully."-. He is not merely one
of the ablest actors OF the English
speaking stage-he is one OF the most
sympathetic-and dear old Tom New
come, modest. manly, simple and gentle
Is part eminently suited 10 his per-
sOnality. The stiffness is there, not all
military. the dignity. the Old-time cOur-
tesy. the quaint humor-all the singular
nobility and beauty OF the character.
The only real dramatic climax IS at
the end OF the second act where the
colonel discovers how he has been made
the dupe Of Sir Barnes Newcomb. With
every note in his voice every move
ment OF his body eloquent OF scorn. he
pOurs out his indignation on Barnes and
Lady Kew In a denuneiation which is,
indeed, the Outburst OF a man long suf-
fering and slow 10 anger. In the last
act the assumption OF the broken-spir
tied old soldier is admirably pathetic,
and the gentle. touching death scene Is
knowingly effective.
While the interest centers, OF course.
around Colonel NewcOme, that char
acterizatiOn depends for It's effectiveness
on thoroughly capable support, and In
the main IL gets It. William Sautor .
Give Newcome might be played a little
more tenderly. but II Is a pleasant
manly representation: Ivan Simpson
makes Sir Barnes quite artistically de-
testable, a splendid foil for the Colonel:
A. 5. HOmewOOd, as Fred Bayham.
the irrepressible F. B." and Charles
Coombe as Pendennis. ara capital Half
a dozen other men play minor parts sat
isfactOrily.
Alice Lennon is deligF fully pretty as
Ethel, but she Is rather shadowy per-
sonalify. fhackeray has not made
Ethel particularly convincing, Mise
LOnn0n makes her less so. Joan Blair