The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-20
St. Elmo


 Rarely do Bijou patrons have an op- portunity of seeing as able a company as that presenting Mrs. Augusta Evans Wilson's famous novel, "St. Elmo, dramatized. A large audience greeted the opening performance last night which went off very smoothly in spite of the fact that the company did not arrive at the theatre until o'clock and the scen- cry until S:20. There was not single furry that made apparent the strain un- der which the actors labored. The audi ence was singularly patient in awaiting the delays.
 Martin L. Alsop is again playing the title role and if possible is better than he was last year. He is more finished in detail work and more convincing as lover MT Alsop captured the hearts of the audience last night and won round after round of applause by his attractive cynicism. He is sufficiently strong to potray the difficult character of St. Elmo and does it in manner that is his own. He has taken the lay figure and infused into it his strong personality until St. EllllO 10 d AiN'iA5' piNoN--AAS -N~% ity to the audience. He has a magnifi- cent stage presence which is enhanced by his dominant personality.
 His honors are equally shared by Miss Beatrice Worth. who takes the part of Edna Earl. First the simple mountain girl, then the budding rose and lastly the finished woman of the world, in all
 ;- oOpXriOriDy and has equalled if not surpassed the work of the creator of the role. AS the mountain girl she has the necessary sim plicity and in potraying the middle DOT ton of the character possesses the shy- ness that is so natural that 1t does not seem assumed. Too much credit cannot be given Miss Worth for her work as Edna Earl.
 The two leading characters are ably by a company that is exceed ingly well balanced. Nowhere is there a weak spot and in no place can one lind a hint of unnaturalness. Will H. Nickol- son as Rev MT. Hammond, George Syl-' vester as Gordon Leigh, and Jay Quigley as shadracw, the negro servant, do ex- ceptionally good work with minor parts. Each player stands out as an individual and none are of the colorless, spineless type so often seen.
 Among the female minor characters that of Agnes Powell played by Miss Grace Ady was perhaps the most satisfy ing. Miss Ady as the "villainess" of the play won the hearty dislike of the audi
 of +la xx,niph was applause for her. The part is not made too repulsive but just the right touch given it. Miss Maude Cleveland as Mrs. Murray, and Miss Lucy B. Vim as Mrs. Wood deserve mention for praise worthy work.
 To sum up "St. Elmo is a finished performance of highly interesting drama played by a company of actors that know their business. When it is considered that the play was given last night under conditions that would have caused the ordinary company to go to pieces their ability can be recognized
 The story of the play deals with the life of Enda Earl and St. Elmo Murray. Edna Earl simple mountain girl, left alone by the death of her grandfather seeks work in factory. She is hurt in wreck and is carried to La Bocago, the home of St. Elmo Murray. She meets him and in spite of his apparently re- pulsive character learns to love him. Murray has been embittered by being be- trayed by his best friend, Murray Ham, mond, and in duel kills him. He re- pents finally through the efforts of the father of the man he killed The drama tization is more satisfying than the usual novel turned into a play J. B.