The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-25
ADJUSTMENTS:
Academy 81 Music-4.Arsene Lupin."
Bijou-sSt. Elnlo,' matinee and night.
Inc Performance Of Famous Play.

Fine Performance OF Famous Play.
Why 30 famous a play as "Arsene
Lupin,'' with William Courtenay and
q supporting company almost Identical
with that which assisted in giving the
play such q run In New YORK, sho gu
at the Academy OF Music last night Is
beyond the comprehension OF those
who take an interest In things theatrt-
cal, and is q little humiliating to those
we never have chance to see any
thing good" "Arsene Lupln" Is one
of the few emphatic successes of the
last few years, William Gourtenay y
Ct the pest , known and one q
Raiif-fiinieedd.. AAp
The piece itself after all is said. Is
Q sort Of glorifed inelodrana. but It is
"a drawing room play" at that. There
are no mechanical effects. except one.
and Its success depends almost en-
tirely upon the clean-cut skill and art
OF the actors. and in particular upon
the ability Of the man playing the title
ingeniously as the situations are
created.
There will be performances tonight
and to-morrow alternoon anu nasht.
the story, except to say that the theme
is. to some little extent, that OF "a
Social Highwayman, and more nearly
that OF "Rafiies." But IT Is Galhcized.
thief as he was--perhaps because he
was gentleman in the beginning
Arsene Lypin is gay and debonair, au.
dacious and winning, fearing nothing.
and .hluffins" whole gang OF police
rubber ball-perhaps because he was
horn sort of beloved vagabond, and
only became Duke of charmerace after
the manner OF the claimant in the
Tlcheborne case. But surprises follow
ened theatregoer Is taken off his feet
time and again. The very audacity of
Lupln. his marvellous tulness.
his bravura style of dealing with the
SIT up and gasp, and. grand rascal that
he is. the house is with him'@to
woman-and TO man, too, to be fair
about 1t.
And what Lupin William courts-
pearance is ali that could be desired.
and. above and beyond all that, he IS
.dignified when dignity Is called for.
en ss s at,sry ef Free fpom
tation as was the footman In the COM
pany-one leading man In thousand.
and most ACCOMPLISHED actor
One thing that noticed ls so rare
IN a leaQlUS HlaH OV SLIT ludt ~ Ia
impossible to refrain from mentioning
1t: when he was on the stage. durinR
a scene that belonged to others-thats
Is. where some other or others had
lines that made them prominent In
the scene-he utterly effaced himself
he did not move q muscle. a thing
more than artistic-rAther, courteous
and gentle. in the old-fashioned sense
of the word
The program was so full Of mis-
takes that 1t could. not be followed.
Desmond Kelly has not been with
Virginia Hammond. who gave q good
performance. n In the last act she was
convincing. and won the
audience. Germatne was played by
Ida Greedy Smith, and Jeanne by Laura
Newman. But the women, with all re-
spect to them. matter very little in
the play. and the men We're. without 4
exception most competent. Next to
Lupin, the most important part in the
play is that OF the g lief of the secret
police, Gnerchard, whic h was played in
ner by Sidney H erbert Charles 5Har-
bury, as NJ. Gournay-M Martin, and AR
thur Elliott, as the examining lnagis-
trate. had comedy roles, and made
the Very most of them while "a num-
played, s3S3
The settings were Just about per-
fect-a big clock, on the wal actually
ran, and when the bell struck twelve
at q tense moment, the hands showed
tw ,M triumph 81 sttming.
w. d g.