The Washington times., 1909-12-14
Miss Elsie Ferguson Is Cap
able Star in New Pol
lock Play.

Claiming POllock's latest play and
New York's newest Star, Elsie Fergu-
son, charmed a large and fashionable
audience at the Columbia Theater for
more than three hours last night at the
first performance in washington Of
such a Little Queen"
Miss Ferguscn's Washington advent
as star was an unqualified success.
Her ability as an emotional actress, her
dainty stage presence and her little
mannerisms were things that had en-
deared her before the end Of the first
Of the four acts. Curtain calls were
numerous.
II Miss Ferguson was perfect s the
queen I'm this quaint comedy-drama, it
may also be said that Frank Gilmore,
who has appeared In Washington in
other roles, was quite as convincing as
the exiled. but undaunted. King Of Bos-
mia Miss Ferguson and Mr.. Gilmore
have surrounded themselves with an
excellent supporting cast and both In
its story and its acting, Such a Little
Queen" will prove Of decided appeal
to the average theater goer.
Story Is Unique.
The story itself is. to say the least,
unique in it's conception. The author, in
a footnote, admits that he mas manu-
featured history a bit. but nobody
seemed to mind that last night. He
has had the redeeming grace not to
palpably Overdraw the manufactured
Ideas and 1t may even be said that the
play tells a story that is within the
range Of the possible.
The plot itself doesn't matter so much
as the entertaining and skillful way in
which # is woven together, pathos, the
various deeper emotions and genuine
humOr following one another in such
rapid succession that the audience fin
ally takes the cue from the clever Miss
Ferguson and feels as she feels The
lines are bright and sparkling. Ihey
through the fact that they are spoken
with a little brOgue, such as one mlghl
expect to hear from an eXiled king and
queen who have come to American
shores.
But the story. Well. briefly, it is tha
Anna Victoria, Queen of HerzogOVla
and Stephen ", King Of Bosnia, ruler'
of separate little mythical kingdoms
each have been exiled by their respec
tive countries Dire poverty. and few
of the faithful. who are given parts
| in the play, accompany them TO Amer
I Tea. Succeeding acts are employed L
demonstrate how difficult il is for al
exiled King and Queen, who didn't know
one another until they reached TINS sll'
/ and began tenement life in New York
/ TO endure such an existence. It is ais
/ shown how difficult It Is for two younl
! rovaI persons financially embarrassed
! and fellow -exiles, to keep from falling
/ in love
Situation LudiCrOus-
The author has overlooked none o
! the possibilities Of such changed statu
/ for the royal pair and the situations il
which we find them, ludicrous one mo
ment and half tragic the next, max
the play altogether one of the most cap
tivating seen here this season. Natural
Iy. the exnes are hidden to come hom
| In the end.
1 Miss Ferguson fills in every way tn
! demands OF her emotional role. He
/ acting Is best described by the title o
] the piece. In the supporting company
/ I'm addition TO Mr.. Gilmore, who IS al
/ excellent character study Of the Graus
| tarllian ruler. George W. Barnum, dt
/ excellent work In the rather patheti
/ role Of Baron COsaca, the little Queen
] former prime minister. whose devotion
/ continues after her exile. Francis Byrn
and Ralph Stuart played well the part
/ OF captains Of modern industry. Other
/ I'm the capable supporting cast include
/ Louis z. Grisel, Jessie Ralph, EleanO
/ Lawson, Gertrude Barrett. Marion Lit
! tie, Stanley G.. Wood, William Cahan
! Kraft Walton, Arthur A. Klein, AM
| a. W. NeuendOrf. T. II. T.