Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1911-09-05
SUCCESSFUL AMATEURS
Do Themselves Proud in Splendid
Play AT St. Mar
garet's Hall
A TRAVELLING TROUPE
10 Present Same Play AT 0wensvilIe e
You Never Can Tell' How Well
Amateurs May Acquit
Themselves


Yesterday evening the Parish Hall
at st Margaret was filled to its
utmost capacity with a large and en-
thusiastic audience, the occasion be-
ing the presentation of play for the
benefit of st. Margaret's p. E.
Church.
The play, a bright little comedy in
three acts entitled "You Never Can
Tell, or "The Meaning of Gossip"
is the work of Mr.. Ogle Ridout Single
ton, a talented young Washington
lawyer, who also played the leading
role. The scene is laid at the home
of Mrs. Winston, the village match
maker and gossip, and the time is an
afternoon in August of the present
year.
Mrs. Winston is impersonated by
Miss Eleanor Ridout, who has invited
her nephew, Jack Spencer (Mr. Ogle
r. Singleton) to pay her visit with
the hope and expectation of making a
match between him and one of the viii
lage bellies, preferably Miss Polly
Watkins, Miss Nina Rebecca Petite
bone.) She cautions him that there
is only one girl who seems not to be
heart-free and that is Rose Middleton,
miss Mary Williams Wara Galt) who,
gossip says, has fallen in love with
someone while away at boarding
school.
1t transpires that Jack Spencer,
himself, is that man and that he and
Rose have had a misunderstanding
which she has refused to permit him
to explain and the real reason of his
visit to Elmville, (which he knows is
Roses home) is to try to find some
way of adjusting matters with Rose,
with whom he is still deeply in love.
Shortly after his arrival, he meets
Polly Watkins, whom his aunt is
particularly anxious to acuire for
niece, and Polly herself is very will
ling to enter upon little Irritation
in order to tease very devoted suit
or. Henry Summers Corner Ridout)
who takes it for granted that Polly
knows he loves her because he knows
it himself.
Jack tells Polly his troubles about
Rose, and she helps him out of his
difficulties, in the meanwhile making
her own lover very jealous and bring
ing him to the point at last. The
play ends with the engagement of
Rose and Jack, and also of Polly and
Henry Summers, being a great sur
prise to Aunt Winston and the whole
village, because everybody said,"
etc.
The play was very well rendered,
and the scenic effects were really re-
markable. In the first act, in the
parlor of Mrs. Winston's home, the
telephone plays prominent part and
quite hit is made over the acquisi-
tion of neighborhood news by the
promiscuous use of party lines.
In the second act the porch scene is
very pretty indeed, and well gotten up
with japanese lanterns, etc., and very
little time was lost between acts. A
very attractive dance with colored
scarfs is held on the porch, and adds
much to the interest of the play.
: All the characters were amateurs,
it being the first time many of them
had ever played and the work was ex-
ceptionally we'll rendered. Mr.. Cor
ner Ridout, as the jealous lover, is
very clever.
Mr.. Singleton was very good in the
impersonation of very clever part
making many local and timely hits.
Miss Mary Gait, tall and attrac-
tive brunette, was very charming as
the romantic school girl.
Miss Nina poftahopa a dainty, E4
tie brunette, was very fetching in
her role of village belle, while Miss
Eleanor Ridout, as Mrs. Winston, had
very trying part, so much of her
work being monologue. She did
splendidly and looked very quaint and
sweet with her powdered hair.
Miss Annie Gait, Mr.. George David
son, Jr., and Mr.. Orlando Ridout, Jr.,
added much to the success of the play
by their good work in the dance, one
of its most attractive features.
: Between the acts two vocal solos
were rendered bysMiss Virginia Hop.
kins, of Annapolis, who has a very
sweet and pleasing soprano voice
She also gave fine impersonation OF
the English dudes views of life "don't
you know?" The accompanist was
Miss Helen Duvall, daughter of DR.
Writ Duvall, of Baltimore, whose
music added much to the evening.
| enjoyment.
The audience testified to its plea
sure by its enthusiasm, calling the ac
tors before the curtain and calling fol
the author. Tomorrow evening the
party will embark on the Emmt
Giles to present the same play al
Owensville for the benefit of tn,
Episcopal Church there.
After the play refreshments were
served by the Ladies' Guild of tn,
/ church 0nifa q Yina IiA+lc r,,rr, .....