The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-04
ADJUSTMENTS.
" A Gentleman From Mississippi"

"A Gentleman from Mississippi" q
drama of contemporary American life,
with political theme and its scenes laid
in washington, is an extremely interest
ing play, and 1t was given an able presen-
tation at the Jefferson theatre last night.
"a Gentleman from Mississippi has
been one of the marked successes recently
offered to the American playgoing public
and it is a further development of that
healthful and promising field of Ameri-
can playwriting, to which such plays as
"a County Chairman" Checkers and
other plays of like nature belong. 1t
is typical and realistic. It Is human In
its treatment and dealing, as 1t does with
the ms and outs of political intrigue IN
the national capital, its appeal Is very
strong. Such plays when well written
and well acted can hardly fail or success
for the simple reason that they treat
of vital subjects. Characters with wnleh
I'VE are familiar and subjects which touch
us nearly are bound to wafen more en-
thusiasm than some effort or foreign
PLAYWRIGHT who lacks our viewpoint en-
tirelv and can only appeal to us through
a broad humanity which is the heritage OF
genius. whether found in plays, pictures
or music Something really nne, wherever
produced, will be appreciated ana ao-
mired wherever the artistic sense IS DE-
veloped. but in works that are commence
able without being great, something ioeai
10 .lwavs more desirable than something
foreign To use slang phrase, 1t is up
to, the American playwrights to improve
the field which they are, in fact' pesin-
ming 70 I'LL more and more effectually,
until. perhaps, the great American play
is written.
"a Gentleman from Mississippi is not
a great NAV. but II is we'll worth while
II is virile and that counts for great
deal. Moreover, it has some lessons 10
teach In distinguishing between the game
of politics and old-fashioned honesty that
are not unpalatable to right-thinhing
minds. And the character drawing is UNI
usually well done. There are number
of personages in the play, some more I'M
portant than the rest, TO be sure, out
nearly all of them, from the hotel clerk
up to the principal figures, are well done.
The "Gentleman from Mississippi Is
ventional type and with oldfashioned no
tions of honor He Is elected Omteo
States senator and is forthwith piungeo
into a maelstrom of political intrigue In
which the members of his own family plot
against him. Fortunately, the new SEN
ator finds an enterprising young news
paper man whom he makes his secretary
and with the assistance of this very apie
If Youthful politician the senator worsts
his unscrupulous opponents. saves MS
own honor and likewise conserves the best
interests Of his constituents in Missis-
sippi.
Robert A. Fischer makes a very true
and lovable character of the senator from
Mississippi. He not only looks the part.
but in the vernacular, plays up to It,.
being particularly good in his comedy.
Hans Robert he of Checkers" fame,
shared the honors with Mr.. Fischer. Mr..
Robert played the part of the secretary.
w. F. Garfield, as senior senator from
Mississippi, James Gordon as the SEN
ator from Pennsylvania, Harry Forrest
as Colonel Beverly Stoneman. Ernest Ev-
ers as Dick Cullen, acquitted themselves
we'll. The minor parts were looked after
very well. The women were none or them
particularly strong. but then that was
due more to the play than anything else.
The women Of the play are not particu-
larry strong. One Of the senator's daugh-
ters is decidedly youthful in word and
deed and the other suffers from tenn
uorary 'stra bismus of conscience which
is, however, corrected in time.
"A Gentleman from Mississippi will be
presented again this afternoon and to-