The Washington herald., 1909-05-11
THE COLUMBIA.
''The Little Minister

The Columbia Players opened their
second week last night with J. II Bar
rie's play. The Little Minister" tie
high character OF the production and the
presence Of a capacity audience both
pointing toward continuance Of the
opening weeks success.
The play Itself IS q distinctly apprecl-
able factor IN the evenings enjoyment
In fact. we know OF no play Of Ike
character written IN the last twenty
years SO calculated % insure genuine in
terest and pleasure. not only because OF
tie presence OF noted actors and ac-
tresses in the cast. but because Of the
intrinsic entertaining quality Of the play.
Il IS fun of character, action, and feel
Ing. with a touch Of pathos and a roman
tic atmosphere 1Ir- Barrie Is thoroughly
AZ home when he depicts the eccentrici-
ties OF the hard-headed and great hearted
Inhabitants OF ThrUms. and his treat
meut IS always poetic. Besides. he is
gifted in being able 90 construct a story
which is full Of surprises. at least at its
first reading. which Is decidedly more
than can be said OF the general mass OF
later-day story telling. whether il be in
the pages OF a book OF on the stage.
Miss Julia Dean again makes a great
hit. appearing IS Lady Babbie. the Young
gentlewoman with gypsy. proclivities. Il
IS not an easy role to play. being so
fun Of moods, and IN the hands Of one
not intelligent enough TO grasp the spirit
Of The character. which. after all, IS only
that Of the eternal feminine. il would
faI far short OF evoking any acute
interest But in Miss Deans keeping
the latter IS not so. She understands II
perfectly. and carries her performance
TO q complete conviction without depend
ing entirely on tradition. She is espe-
ciaIly good IN the rOguish moments, and
carries the emotional scenes without
stress OF voice. We have not known
much Of her heretofore, but everything
points 10 friendship ripening with further
acquaintance.
The Gavin Dishart Of Alexander Cal
vert, the Little Minister, is pleasing
IN most respects. the only structure which
might be placed upon his characterize
ton being that il has the appearance OF
AIAAA-, N4t A-4-4NAA SAAsAA-CAs WHICH, lS EEdtL1
not grievOUs fault when considered as
q sincere @:tenlpt to avoid carelessnesS. a
fault SO much in evidence these days
Another important and well played part
Is that Of Thomas WhammOnd. the stiff
CID elder. as interpreted BY Everett But
teTield, as in fact are all the straight
laced churchmen. additional interest e
ing furnished by the fact that one OF
them, Silva Tosh. IS portrayed by Billy
COnley, generally known and liked here
Thomas CEattertOn has a comparatively
small part this week, that of Capt. Hal
liwell. in - '".i, however, he is entirely
satisfactor- ID newcomer, Ethel
Wright, / good impression as
Micah Do e.. sEs contributing TO the
success Of tie -co6zction are Alexander
F. Frank, as Lord Pintoul: Lawrence
Eyre, as Snecky Hobart; James W.
Shaw. as Andrew Maelneker and Joe
Cruikshanks: Frederick a. Thompson. as
Rob Dow; F. Cecil Lewis. as Sergeant
Davidson, Clara Sidney, as Mamie Web
ster; Alice Park Warren, as Jean, and
Ruth Blake. as FeliCe
The play is finely produced under the
stage management Of Mr.. Frederick A
Thompson, everything wearing the aspect
OF an original presentation. with a slight
pTolOngation OF the inteTscts which will
10 doubt be 6ispazssd with at second