The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-24


Bifou--Continuou vaudeville.
CoIonial---vaudeville and motion
pictures.
Lubin--vaudeville and motion pic
lures.
Academy.
Owing to the sudden illness Of Miss
Catherine Carter. who had been Sc
lected for the title role of the play.
Merely Mary Ann" Miss Margaret
Field was Unexpectedly called upon
by the management OF the Benjamin
Players at the Academy Of Music Mon
day night to act the stellar part, and
acquitted herself with great credit.
Until a little more than an hour
before the curtain rose for the first
act all the players believed Miss Car
ter would be in her place. but at z
o'clock Stage Manager Bunkall an
nounced that she was 500 Ill to 20 on
and assigned the part to Miss Field,
who had not given the part the slight
est reh earsaI OF tnougnt except ~ 10
cues for her own appearance In a
small part.
With this brief notice Miss Field
seized the stars lines and hurriedly
prepared herself as best she could to
enact the role. While II Ia true that
she hesitated now and then and had
to be prompted as to the words she
should say, Miss Field scored a dis
tinct triumph for herself by her deep
understanding Of the character and
feeling the part. The demands upon
her art and nerves were heavy. but
she met them with cool assurance,
and while her speech was probably
not as fluent as that OF Miss Carter
TIL - 1,rc ctf
she made the audience forget all
about an Ill actress and upset plans.
and won all hearts with her realism.
II would be hardly fair to COM
ment on the performances of the 9TH
err members of the company Monday
night, for all OF them-but least OF
all Miss Field--seemed to be on the
nervous stage edge Of uncertainty for
fear Of first night fiasco after so
many successes by the company since
1t began its season.
Miss Lydia Knott was especially
good as the landlady in the play.
Stage Manager Bunkali and Fulton
Russell were also excellent In their
roles of publisher and-the vicar.
Playing opposite an understudy. whose
ability he evident did not know, SEEM
ed to hamper Franklin Richie.
Bijou.
All of the four acts billed by Man
ager kerby. of the Bitou, this week
lures among the highest class seen
in Richmond.
Miss Pearl Young. a pianist and
singer of great ability and talent, was
, probably the star of the quartet. She
started on the road with Paul Ode.
who plays the accompaniment for her
singing. but she announced Monday
night that she lost him In Philadel-
phta about ten days ago and han not
seen him since. Miss Young craved
the indulgence of the audience be-
cause her act would not be what II
should because of her partners alb
sence. Her apologies seemed uncail-
ed Tor, as she sang and played re-
markably we'll and brought down the
house"
While swinging on a high trapeze
Harry Davis does some wonderful
snarpshoottng. He uses human tar
gets. and his act Is one of the most
sensational seen In the capital city
Tor some time. Aside from the an
parent hazard Of life and limb in the
act. Davis Workmanship Is as
founding
Schnster and Cole sung a number
OF songs and clever parodies in gooo
voice. ana have some bright new
humor In their act. That the popu-
iarity OF contorticnists has not waned
one whit was attested by the generous
APPLAUSE given Sidney Tolde, the
human lizard, who seemed to do every
thing with his anatomy except tie IL
in bow knot
Colonial.
Although one of the performances
at the Colonial Monday night was
marred by an accident In which Mrs,
n. +. Levole. an acrobat. who does
slack wire act with her husband.
sprained her ankle, the Performances
were exceptionally good and the bill
strong.