The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-03
ADJUSTMENTS
Academy of Music-Bcnjamln Play.
crs iii "Cnptnin Swift"

| Stork Company Forsnkes Comedy.
! Although Haddon Chambers's Cap
tain Swift" is billed as comedy dra-
ma. there is very little comedy in the
| piece--it is strictly a drama--indeed
| it is rot far removed from the melo-
drama. so fun lis 1t OF what is com
monty known as heart interest"
Since the play viii be presented
here all the week, 1t is hardly fair to
go into detailed statement of the
plot. Suffice 1t to say that Captain
Swift (Franklin Ritchie) has been a
bush-r.,nger in .Australia-what we
call a holdup man in this country.
After {. particularly bold piece OF
work he makes his escape to England,
and with certain debonair bravery
Introduces himself as Mr. Wilding into
the society oil the better peopie---not
the nobility, but the gentry. Among
those he meets is one Gardiner (E. j.
RlunkalD, whom he once stuck up
in the bush. This Gardner hsa never
seen the notorious Captain Swift's
face. but he has heard his voice. and
us the story develops, he becomes GER
tain OF l4.> identity. One other man
in England recognizes Wilding--the
butler, Marshall tFulton RusselD at
the country house to which he is in
vtsd.
Captain Swift or Wilding, falls in
love with Stella Darbisher Catherine
CaTter), the niece of Mrs. Seabrook.
who, as develops early in the play, Is
| the bush ranger's mother. Stella re-
turns his love, Gardiner holds his
! tongue, and all Is going we'll when
a detective turns up from Australia,
and then the action becomes tense,
| ending in the only possible solution.
Franklin Richie. always easy and
| natural, played the first two acts q
BIT too lightly. but In the second and
/ third acts he fully met the require
ments of the part, playing In n Dig
nified and earnest manner the gentle
man thug, II such thing there be. Il.
| j. Blunkall made his first appearance
In straight part, displaying that rare
| quality In an actor --that OF being able
to play character part, an old man
or a Frsnchman, and that OF an ordl-
nary simple man, equally We'll He
read his lines just as the average man
one meets OH the street would speak
them. a most accomplished actor and
he rang the curtain UP at $40 and
down at 1876 TO the minute. How he
Is able to drill his company, look
after the sets" and learn all those
| sides" is Il marvel to those who fol-
| low stock work.
Catherine Carter, though she PLAYS
opposite the leading man. Is not the
| leading woman in this play, she IS
| charming, as always, but the lead falls
to the lot OF Lydia Knott, as Mrs,
| Scabrook. and well she handles It, The
| Juvenile. Jerome storm, has a part
that fits him--that of y hot-headeu,
clean minded boy, His work SHOWS
better. and think that he will mako
] good. Anne Bradley makes pretty
ana fresh little ingenue. Philip Perry
| is too stiff as the detective.
| Two bits of work stood out-Fulton
! Russell as tho butler, and Herbert Cur
/ It's as old Mi Seabrook. Mr., Russell's
| Idea OF the sinking, pnfchasable SER
4 want carried over the footlights most
convinolngly, and Mr. curtis gave a
thoroughly well-snstained and artistic
portrayal Of a middla-aged gentleman.
There were few hesitations, ana
| ono or two solecisms---n madc.up white
| Ito isn't often worn, and ono doesn't
leave the band on his cigar nowadays
but this is Il stock company re-
member, and first nights perform
| ante at that, w. y, q,