The Washington times., 1911-04-25
MISS MATTH|SON AS
THE PIPER Wins BIG
BELASCO AUDIENCE
Lure in Name as Well as
Trooping Children and
Haunting Tune.
QUAINT FANTASY
APPEALS TO ADULTS
Male Role Given Charm by Woman
Whose Part Stands Out
in Play.

Lured by the magic in the name of
Edith Wynne Matthison, one of the
largest audiences at the Belasco this
season greeted The Piper" last night,
and the quaint fantasy cast its charm
over all and held them as spellbound
as the troops of children who danced
when the piper played and followed
gleefully wherever he led.
Despite its fantastic theme and its
poetry, The Piper is not a dream
play, for beneath the surface 1t deals
with conditions and people in a decidedly
practical way. While it is a play about
children largely, the thorough appre-
citation cf il must come from the grown
ups.
The first appearance of the piper is
made just after he has piped all of the
rats out of Hamelin, the scenes being
laid in 1884, A. D.. and is demanding
the reward that the burgomeister has
promised him. The rats being gone and
the. piper being a stroller, a mere no
body, the promised reward is refused,
and he and his two companions are
threatened with Imprisonment. Then the
townspeople leave him and file into the
church, while he stands outside with
folded arms and stern mein as they
pass.
Little Crippled Jan.
Finally none is left but little crippled
Jan. who sits on the steps gazing up
at the image of Christ, The Lonely
Man." as he expresses it, waiting for
him to smile.
The little lad seeing the piper, pleads
with him to play again the tune that
charmed away the rats and delishted
the childish hearts, and the piper be-
gins to play the haunting strain. One
nv one the children begin to gather
about him until none is left at hoEe,
and the piper leads them off, dane
inc and caperinG. Two little lads
aiding in the church services hear
the strains and come rushing out and
follow him. Then the alarm is given.
the great church bell tolls, and the
people come rushing out to find all the
children gone.
hidden inside the hollow HILL" first
sleeping peacefully, then awakening to
fresh happiness under the charm Of
The piper. The third scene shows the
crossroads, where the piper, hidden
behind a vine-covered well, pipes away
as the long procession of Hamelin folk,
bound to the convent with the young
daughter of the burgomeister, whom
they are making sacrifice. and sets
them all to dancing by the magic sweet
ness of his tune. All their supersti-
tions aroused, they dance from the
haunted spot and the piper saves Bar
baTa and brings happiness to Michael
the-sword-eater, who has met and loved
her.
JAMS Mother Searches.
A little later. Veronika. the mother
Of little crippled Jan, comes 10 the
crossroads in search of her boy. the
cDly one in the town brave enough TO
visit the accursed spot. She meets the
piper and pleads with hiIn to bring her
child back. At first the piper refuses,
but unable to resist the silent pleading
of THE Lonely Man he agrees TO bring
The children back.
The last act shows the market place
in Hamelin. Veronika is dying ard the
piper sounds the magic strains calling
the children. The natter of little feet
IS heard in the distance, growing louder
and louder. and in a moment the whole
troop of scurrying Youngsters bursts
onto the stage and thev are gathered
into the arms of crying mothers and
fathers. This IS. the most Impressive
scene Of the play.
After seeing Miss Matthison in the
title role, It is hard to imagine anyone
else playing 1t. The piper is a mans
about Miss Matthison's portrayal of 1t, !
though il is to be questioned whether |
anything is lost by the change There |
IS poetry and charm in rer conception |
that one cannot ina gine a man giving
It, which more than offsets the lessen !
ing Of romance and significance which |
a woman in the part gives it,
About Miss Matthison everything cen
ters, and none of the minor roles stand |
out with much prominence The We
ronfl<a OK Miss Olive Oliver, the Michael |
the SNord-Fater Of William Raymond. |
the barbara of Frances Jordan, and the |
Peter the Cobhler. of Edward Sec, were |
among the characters that were espe- |
CiallY we'll done.