The Washington herald., 1910-03-01
THE ACADEMY.
aSt. EIno.D

The dramatization by Willard Hoiooii''
OF "st. Elmo" the celebrated leve story
by Augusta Evans. is a decided success
both as regards its interest as STORY
and it's adaptsbility to mederh s'@se
usage Perhaps a oarping disposition ana
close analysis might prompt some cTiei0ai
disputation in regard to the intrinsic
literary value OF the original story OF llie
present adaptation. but the play aS pa
scented last night at the Academy Is SO
Infinitely superior. both in sentiment and
treatment, TO such large percentage OF
latter day literature and drama as %
thoroughly preclude any such cri'ioisiil
unless 1t has become second nature oy
constant recurrence. Especially Is TINS
view tenable when the play Is paraileleo
with the usual run OF patched-up melo-
drama and grotesque comedy prevailing
in thu middle strata of playhouses. 1t at
least has a story to tell and a moral to
noint and II It had no other quality. the
fact that II takes the audience from be-
vond the reach Of East Side slang would
commend it
The story was written quite quarter
OF a century ago by Augusta Evans and
obtained such popularity as TO make
Have you read st. Elmo?' - the con-
versation-provoking question OF the hour.
The interest of the present production Is
increased by the fact that the dramatiza-
ton is by Willard Holcomb, a newspaper
man and dramatic writer we'll known In
Washington, he having been identified at
various times with papers in this city.
He was called forth last night and re-
sponded briefly.
The story is even so familiar 10 this
generation as TO require no detailed re-
citaI. It is simply an exemplifcation Of
the power of human love in bringing to-
gether two widely separated elements
St Elmo is a Southern aristocrat. intel
lectuai but imbittered and transformed
into a sneering cynic by the treachery
OF his bovhood friend while Edna Earl
IS q. descendant of what Is known in the
South as poor whites" also intellectual,
but with an unalloyed love of virtue Tor
virtues sake; two types widely apart Yet
drawn irresistlbly together. The play
IN episodaI quality, IS really a duel be-
tween these two personalities, and as
love story with dramatic incidents, is In
tensely interesting.
The center Of the interest, OF course, IS
in the presentation OF the leading char
acters, and both are distinctly well done.
St. Elmo IS played by Martin L. Aisop
a well-known actor. with fidelity TO the
role as conceived by the author. He has
strong emotional powers, with depressed
method, being particularly successful In
showing the transition from hooking IN
belief and cynicism TO true repentance
and pure love. Miss Elsa Berold is equally
as successful as Edna Earl. She has q
pleasing personality, plays with natural
ness, and succeeds in the emotional
periods without resOrting TO undue stress
The other characters are agreeably sus
tanned by Ruth Gates. as Agnes Powell
George Sylvester, as Gordon Leigh; Viz
ginia Bray, as Mrs. Murray; T. Ashton
Magrane. as Rev. John Hammond; Fred
erick Harold, as Murray Hammond; Diel
Huffman, as Aaron Hunt and Shadrach
The play is we'll staged. and the au
dience seemed distinctly to enjoy the re-
vivaL