The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26
ACADEMY Of MUSIC.
Friday night. Saturday matinee nnd
stght--otls skinner, TN s.SIrc.s
BIJOU THEATRE.
.eslS Cinderella Girl aiI the week.
1uHIN THEATRE. IS
Vaudeville.
Otis Skinner.

Otis Skinner.
William Winter is considered tho
leading authority on the drama in this
country. His writings on the drama
are known the country over. For fully
New York Tribune Al present. his
writings are TO be read III Harper's
Weekly. III recen, issue OF that pub
lication. MIR. Winter wrote the follow
ins iaudatorN criticism OF Otis Skin
Ter IN mis- new play Sire which will
DC presented by Charles E'rohmun a,
the Academy on Friday and Saturday
and saturday matinee:
The rc-cntrdncc in New York OF
AR. Otis Skinner, Who is acting at tho
criterion Theatre, in play called
Sire adapted from the French origi-
nal by Henri Layedan, is III important
dramatic event. particularly interesting
20 the older section OF the local the
rtrical audience aud not without in-
serest for the new generation. Mr.
skinner was educated in his profess
sion under the Immediate influence
Cand there has not. III our time. been a
better one, in point OF knowledge. sin
.erity and tastcl OF Edwin Booth
lawrence Barrett and Augustin DAILY
His style, which now is Individual
was originally molded and guided by
That Of tho strictly conscientious and
severe Lawrence Barrett, to whom act
ing was not only an art. but Il religion
In earlier times MIR. skinner stroligly
inclined towards tragedy. or certainly
towards subjects involving pasSionut.
md pathetic feeling. or late he has
5nclined more to that form OF comedy
which is tingcd With romance. and
that type Of character which admits
Of interpretation by means OF buoy
ant, picturesque dcmcanor, gallinrd
grace and certain reckless saiety
by which deep feeling is yelled, but
not concealed. The part he acts III the
play Of Sire IS d part OF that de-
:scription. and ne acts it III that free
way which, while carefully considered
sad exactly ordered, in every detail.
conveys the delightful Impression of
absolute spontaneity. The name Of
that part IS Denis Roulette. the spirit
OF It is that of the kindly, drifting,
romantic. half-sad, half-humorous
vaEabond Roulette has been an actor,
Int he has grown weary OF that voca-
ton. and he IS leading an aimless life.
dwelling in a garnet turning his hands
10 many Kinds OF employment, and OH
tanning a precariouS subsistence as
best ne can The place Is Paris. the
time of the French Revolution Of 1915.
Ghanco brings TINS romantic NaEabond
70 the notice OF n doctor and /, priest
attendant on a rich aud noble lady.
who, faithful 10 the old regime. be-
l!eves that the son Of Louis NNI. is
living and ardently longs for his re-
stora ton TO the throne Of France. The
doctor and the priest, solicitous for the
preservation of that lndy's reason, de-
ternnine TO humor what they believe TO
X be her delusion, and, observing that
Roulette resembles the deceased King,
4 they employ him 10 impersonate the
Il supposed SURVIVOR Of the old royal line.
In no way reiuctunt, Roulette accedes
10 that proposal ~ imposture discards
his coarse labiliments and shines forth
IN the fire raiment (hired from Il cos
4tumer) behtting his imperial preten-
sions- Meanwhile he has become in1pli-
Gated in the current revolutionary
movement, and likewise involved in a
love affair with a good girl. Those
are theHthreads OF the story. Taking
situations are provided for this inter-