The Washington times., 1909-05-18
Merely Mary Ann Affords
Genuine Test of Com
pany'S Ability.
OPENS NEW FIELD
FOR JULIA DEAN
Leading Lady Plays Miss Rob-
sons Role Acceptably and Is
Well Supported.

The story of Merely Mary Ann. -
the Yorkshire maid who came I'D to
London and by her simple devotion
won the heart OF compose. against
his will; who fell heir to half a mil
lion. weighed it in the balance with
this mans love and found that the
fortune could not hold its own. was
told again last night by the Columbia
Players.
israel Zangwill conceived the story
and cast it in a setting of human
beings who bear the stamp of real
men and women. Miss Eleanor Rob
son played It, and found in Mary Ann
one OF the richest products in her
storehouse of characters. The story is
not new, but in its telling some idea
OF the achievement Of this stock COM
pany can be gained
Mary Ann was an orphan. and was
child to all the world. What was Lack
ing in oppression TO make her life
miserable was rounded out by thought
lessness multiplied to ipfnity by board
inghouse dodgers Mary's leisure lay
between the hour that the last tipsy
roomer wandered home and the time
the second floor back wanted to go
10 early church. just as surely as
her peace of mind lowered between the
occasions when the clearinghouse keeper
and Miss Rosie Leadbatter, her daugh-
ter. failed TO add TO her misery
Mary Ann, Merely.
This Yorkshire maid had the soul of
an artist. hardly the less so because
she could find expression for green
fields. the open sky. and the wood
land in neither poetry, music, or
painting. In her, this composer, out
OF tune with the commonplace. all I'M
knowing. found inspiration for music
that breathed the spirit of spring
time and natures beauty. Hers was
a nature that found it's true happiness
in ministry. She lavished her affec-
ton on a canary, then chose from the
molly assemblage of boarders a Zion
who could roar and one who did roar
Tor the greater part of the time
This particular lion roared from a
cage he believed to be fast-locked and
iron-bound ideals, and on the outside
stood the passing throng looking
through the bars sometimes out of idle
curiosity The struggle was long but
the leaven to season ideals with the
wellsprings Of daily living came in
Mary Ann.
The first two acts are complete in
themselves-it is only the novelty of
a widely different theme that saves the
latter half of the play from taking on
the effect of anti-climax. If the infiu-
ence of inanimate objects be meIo-
drama. the third act of this play is
melodrama. Half a million is more
potent than smoking revolver or an
express train. II changes the course
OF Mary AIMS life. It does not change
Mary Ann one whit, but It makes her
different In the eyes Of the world.
Herein are the truths that ZangwIn
has aimed to drive home under the
guise OF an airy comedy.
Mary Ann, Heiress.
Mary Ann. the heiress, can not go
with Lancelot. Now that would be
wrong. Mary Ann wants the men, not
the money. But that is not for her to
say. She finds half million just
little harsaer than Mrs. Leadbatter.
The last act does not matter-it is
merely a sop 70 conventional require
melts about the ending OF a play that
even Zangwi;l can not afford to ignore.
rive years later Lancelot has won
Recognition, Mary Ann has grown into
a womanly woman, thcy hunt each
other out ana marry.
A few weeks ago it was pointed out
that the Columbia Players had every
earnest of unusual success for a stock
season. Merely Mary Ann" marks the
fun realization of this early promise.
Nary Ann of Miss Dean.
Miss Julia Dean is a capable actress.
she Is versatile to a zsarked degree, both
OF these things have been proven. But
not until this fourth week OF her stay
here coulc theatergoers appreciate her
resources IN a fun measure. There was a
charm 70 Miss Eleanor Robson's por-
trayal OF Mary Ann that. in the opinion
OF many, WIS not attained by Miss
Dean last evening. But others believe
firmly that. with the exception of the
creator OF the role. no one could give
more welcome impersonation than that
OF Miss Dean.
This play affords unusual opportun-
tiles TO "A stock company. and it's de-
maDds are correspondingly heavy. That
these demands were met in every par
ticGiar is a tribute to tie managemnt
or the Columbia Stock Company as
much as TO the achievements of the in
diyidusl players. OF fifteen speaking
parts eight or ten demand actors Of zen
wire ability. They are All filled accent
ably Because Of this very fact Miss
Deans support must fcregO individual
appreciation. Those who help TO make
The otering Of the Columbia company
this week one OF the be- 81 stock pro-
dfTt tons ever assembled fn one vveetr aro
Alexander Calvert, Thomas Chattertou.
Alex. J.. Frank. Clara Sidney, Ethel
Wright. Alice Warren Ruth Chatterton.
and Virginia Warder
J. r. HILDEBRAND.