The Washington herald., 1909-05-11
LAST NIGHT AT THE
LOCAL PLAYHOUSES

wherein Grenfan, the type Of our fellow
4 couatrymaa so well known to novel read
F ers. wonderful fellow. capable Of al
+ things. goes half way around the world
: in search Of Princess Yetiye. GTenfal
had met her 81 America when she was
plain Miss Guggenslocker. q name which
suggests beer and beef TO the various
members 2f the company, and which
gives them bOundless opportunities foI
humCr Of the pleasantest kind imagin-
able However. G1enfal- knew not that
she was OF royal blood and sought her
out IN her native home. and scarcely had
set foot on Graustarkian soil than he
overheard the diabolical plot OF the wick
ed Prince Of Dawsbergen to kidnap the
Princess Yetive. Being al American,
GrenfalI did Just what any Of Us would
have done-that is. ne saved the prin-
cess and. finding her to be Miss Gug-
gensloCker. forthwith declared his love.
The princess loved GrenfaIl, too. but
couldn't marry him on account OF her
royal blood: besides, she had 10 save
her country By wedding the Prince L0-
REM. who was TIE son OF the Prince
Of Axphan. and Craustark owed Axphsn
q lot Of money. Then Gabriel. Prince OF
Dawsbergen killed Lorenz and blamed Il
on CrenfaIl, and there was a good deal
Of embarrassment about that" as Dun
dreary would say For time Il looked
pretty bad for Grenfau. who had dis
agreeable way Of turning up and spelling
things Just when he had been generously
permitted 10 escape; but IN the fifth act.
when II didn't seem possible for things 10
end happily. he came unbidden into the
throne room 10 give himself up for his
queen.
Tetive proclaimed for him her love and
q pardon from the throne. But the par
don wasn't needed. for Harry Huguisb.
GrenfalTs friend. proved Gabriel's guilt
al the very iutensest moment Grenfau
got his princess. Graustark was saved.
and Harry took 70 his arms the countess.
with whom. Of course. he had fallen IN
love. The dramatic possibilities OF
~Graustark'' can very easily be seen from
this quite inadequate outline OF the
story
OF the acting. great deal might be
said. Nr. Alfred Britton, as GrenfaI
LOrry. was Just the kind Of q brave.
dashinE. daring. romantic young Amer
lean one might expect 70 see upon the
stage.
He obtained the most startling and IN
expected effects by almost invariably
placing the accent on the wrong word
~ the sentence. IN the climax q the
third act. be IT said 10 his credit. he
was thoroughly rnr-Iy and convincing.
but marred the good impression created
1v finishing 10 with q cheap defiance %
his adversary NJ. Brittor's vpice and
stage presence are quite satisfactory. and
be might 90 wen were he 10 follow more
admirable methods
The one best feature ~ "Grsustark'
was the acting of Miss Gertrude Perry
as Yetive. Miss Perry IS far from being
d great emotional actress. hut her personal
charms are uadeniable, her voice sweet
and sympathetic. and IN the lighter scenes
with MT. BTittOn she was delightful In
TACT Miss Perry IS mach too good for her
part.
OF the other members OF the cast. H O /
Tayicr. as LorTy's friend. "a ked affected /
s. Frank HowsOn. as Prince L.5reuz. was
quite as repugnant as the part required I
aim 70 be; Edwin Melvin gave an smaz- /
ug Interpretation OF Baron Douglass /
he loval old chief Of police ard ". y. /
Howell. n the dual role of william and
stage manager. acted as though the cares
n the latter part were weighing on his f
mind The rest were equal 90 the de- 4
uands made upon them