The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-18
ADJUSTMENTS
Acndcmy-.Dnrls. I.
ElijOu-''Lenn Rivers"

Miss Robson ms salOiny Jnnc.
"salomy Jane" presented at the
Academy last night before the most
| brilliant audience of the season, with
Miss Eleanor Robson In the title role.
| Is the most picturesque play of the
great Western country that has been
given to the stage within the recollec.
ton of the present generation of
theatregoers. 1t Is redolent of the red.
woods Of California, and the spirit of
| the stage coaching days Of the Sierras
| breatlies in every scene of this adapta..
tion OF Bret Harte's idyl Of the land
of sunset. The very atmosphere seems
charged with the bracing air of tie
great outdoor of the Golden West. as
| the spectator gazes upon the stage
transformed by the almost magic touch
of the artists brush into a scene OF
rugged grandeur. The Illusion of per-
spectivc in the final scene holds the
spectator spellbound for moment, the
effect being much the same as when
one first gazes upon some MASTER
painted canvas.
The painted scene. however, is but
OF coloring. It Is the living. moving
figures appearing upon the scene that
add the breath Of life to the produc
play of characterization. The types
are Of the soil, and are as rugged and
as picturesque as the country that sur
rounds them. They are untrammeled
! Dy Social conventions, anu lIle freedom
Of a new country. is strong within
them. They are the masters, and arc
only governed by code which they
! themselves have made. Their sense
and wrong is righted with swift
ness and sureness which brooks no
delay of the law.
Miss Robson ~, as salemy, is almost
Merely Mary Ann, discover now the
| latent fires of emotion of which there
vas then only q suggestion. She is SUI
| perb In showing the fine scorn for the
superb in the moment of the awaken
| ing of her love for the man who, with
| her kiss still warm upon his lips, walk
ed proudly to his death; superb in her
| pleading for the life of this man. when
bounded by the posse and superb In
her final scene, when with the stealth
OF tiger, she springs between the
two rivals, and snatches the gun that
! is leveled at tho heart of the man
| She loves.
4 The cast was most capable. and fair
~ bristled with character types. There
was Scott Cooper. big. bluff and hearty
". Wilson. with the pose Of a Ken
! lucky gentleman of the fire-eating
school, but without his bravery. was .
dellghtfully humorous type, and near
niZed as one of the men who was borr
with the title OF colonel.
A. S. Lipman, as Jack Marbury the
gambler, carried himself with the all
of some gentlemen OF his calling. ant
gave. to the part many of the qualitie.
: which are generally conceded to be.
, long to the gentry of his Xix. Thoma.
Graham, as Red Peter; James Seeley
as Madison Clay. and Charles Graham
as Larrabee. were all distinct types
III. B. Warner, Miss hobson's leading
; man, as 'the man." was stalwart look
Ing, towering above all the others, al
, artist who was entirely satisfactory
and convincing in the part. Earl Brow
: was also acceptable as RUFF Peters
Ada Dwyer gave an excellent portray
al of Lie Heath. and the three. chill
dren, Donald Gallaher. Marjorie Con
way and Alma Sedley, were a cleve
a trio OF Juveniles as have been seer
on the Academy stage In long, Ion.
) time.