The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-15
just Maudc Adams.

Just Maudc Adams.
Hungry. almost starving, for play
worth the while, the playgoers of
Richmond poured into the Academy
of Music last night by the hundreds,
until every single seat was filled
boxes, orchestra, balcony and gallery.
they had. Maude Adams and COM
pany of the highest class, in a comedy
by that master craftsman, j. NJ. Bar
RE. AS Maggie Wylie, Miss Adams
has a line to the effect that II a
woman has charm it doesn't matter
what else she lacks. and If she lacks
charm 1t doesn't matter what else she
has. and then she goes on to say, time
and again. II haven't any charm"
Only woman radiating charm. filled
by" with her part. Barrie's play Is
a masterpiece of art, of stagecrart, Of
quaint and whimsical humor; all the
other parts are beyond criticism and
but so far as l can recall, only Miss
Adams could play Maggie and make an
audience adore her.
The play opens with the three canny
brothers of Maggie, who. a little later
admits that she is twenty-six. cudgel-
tie romance into her life. John Shand
(Arthur Byron) is discovered sneaking
into their library through the window
late at night. He pleads that he has
Oteu COIlllS 4ot llc purpose OIL STUDY
ing their books, which they bought
by the yard, because he has been
unable to complete his college educa-
ton, and they agree to pay his way
through college, II at the end of five
years he will marry Maggie, provided
she will have him. His indomitable
ambition makes him consent The sec
ond act shows the election of Shand
six years later, to Parliament. and
foretells his marriage. to Maggie. Al
ron of ,1o &c cri1
up to the brilliant and successful eff
forts of Maggie to aid her somewhat
stolid husband In his career, and her
self-sacrihcing attempts to make him
success is due entirely to his own eff
forts. There is brief lovo affair in
Johns life, but 1t quickly comes to an
end when Maggie leaves him to his
all she has been to him. he comes
to his senses, and 'all's right with
the world"
But so brief a sketch utterly fails
to convey. the delicate. elusive humor
of the play, the quaint. fascinating
quality of its charm, and the human
natural beauty of its pathos. One must
see it in order to realize how perfect
1t Is.
we'll drawn. The three brothers, Aleck,
David and James, whose pictures-real
pictures-Were on the walls, were
without a fault. r. Peyton Carter
David Terrence and Fred Tyler, who
played these respective parts never for
an instant forgot their "burr" and
they simply We're the three elderly
brothers. canny and shrewd, but loving
and gentle to their sister
Arthur Byron had an exceedingly
difficult part as John Shand-ha I'd
headed, strong, as he thought, scrupu-
lousy honest, unconscinusly conceited
and utterly sure of himself, he was
thoroughly CONVINCING most excel
lent piece of work Dorothy Dorr was
more than good as the Comtesse de la
Briere. and Lumsden Hare gave nm
ished performance as Mr., Venables.
AS for Miss Adams herself, 1t is
hard to write moderately. Winsome,
lovable and attractive beyond words,
her personality her magnetism. her
3indlviduality, are potent and power
full always--whether she be young
girl charming the wits ont OF q little
minister, or half a fairy-child fascinat-
Ing children and grown-ups, or all a
woman. shielding and "mothering' her
heavy husband, she is Maude Adams
May she reyer quite grow up! And
nrmlySas she does?
And great star that she Is, her
name appeared Just 1Mapde Adams"
about In the middle of the program,
along with the rest of the caste-T-a
thing that one would expect OF q gen.
tlewoman. but thing that one star
In ia thousand Will permit
81 Es .N' - Ne