New-York tribune., 1911-01-07
THE DRAMA
"The Biaht Princess" Is Pro-
duced at the Bijou Theatre.

its hrst presentauo" W ~,
Bijou Theatre yesterday ai'eihoon. n'
play is Of special interest to Christiah 'ei-
entists. and is said to have had the ap-
proval OF the late Mary Baker g.. Eddy'
|; is SO beautiful In tone. so excellent IN
phras,ne and so admirably enacted that 1t
has q universal appeal, and 1t is to be
hoped that II will be given regular series
of nrasertations at some theatre in this
city.
The performance yesterday was special
one given under the direction Of the off,
cars ana managers OF the New York Diet
Kitchen. and the proceeds are to be de-
voted to the use OF that worthy ihsti'u-
ton.
The story concerns the cure OF william
Hereford, an English boy whose mino mas
failed to develop. as the result oi ia'i
from q sp,rited horse. He Is brought TO
Arer,ca. where he is kept In seclusion
under the care of his aunt. Miss Eleanor
Hereford and faithful man servant
Saunders. Billy, as he is called Is strohs
In body. has an unmanageaoie temper anu
Is master of all about him. Strapping Dig
fellow that he is-presumably ABOUT t"eh-
tv-one wears oId-his fondest diversion IS
playing with glass beads.
At the home Of Miss Graves, in Water
view Long Island. where the Herefords are
staying, Miss Frances Rogers comes 10
visit She Is a beautiful young woman,
and she takes an immediate interest IN the
unfortunate Bill. She disagrees with Billy
uncle. Guy Hereford. the villain oil the
piece, who falls in love at once with the
fair Miss Rogers. Hereford thinks that
Rulv should be put away" Miss Rogers
offers TO help Billy. Hereford won't listen
TO II. He insists that Miss Rogers be SAFE
guarded. Miss Rogers says: Il nave
safeguard that you know not or
When the hopelessness OF poor Billys
condition is being dwelt upon by MS reia-
tives Miss Rogers exclairns:
..Who knows what might be done II some
loving hand might strike the right spot
In a pathetic scene In the secohu a.'
Miss Rogers and Billy play at oeaus. biiis
insists upon making her ring OF sapphnes'
Miss Rogers wants diamonds, and she per-
suades Billy to make her a ring OF those
stones. Billy is violent in temper abuses
the patient butler and threatens MISS
Rooers with bodily harm. But Miss Rogers
or,ots hin, When he boasts Of his strength
she says: ..,
.Nonsense-that isn't strength; good is
the only power"
When he speaks OF compelling everybody
70 do tust as he commands, she says
mo more Of this anybody do anything
except by love"
When Billy tells her Of the dark clouds
that are continually passing she tells him
TT is never dark where love is'
ITO be good" she says, that is the same
thing as love"
AT the end Of the second act she has
taught Billy much. She has broken MS
will-or what passes for will. Between
the second and third acts year elapses'
during which time Billy has become cured
He appears now as handsome youns
chap, In full command OF his Faculties
News comes that he has succeeded 10 MS
fathers title and estates. The perfidy Oh
his uncle, Guy Hereford, is exposed. 1t
was he who was responsible for Billy
accident. II was he who dared him to
mount the spirited horse. for he hoped that
Billy would be killed and that he. Guy
Hereford, would inherit his brothers wealth
and position. Billy condemns his uncle
and would Kill him, but he remembers that
good is the only power and he drops the
uplifted hand. .-.-
Miss Hinford Is very grateful TO Miss
Rogers for what she has done for Billy.
She realizts that the young woman and
Billy love each other. but she Is AMBITIOUS
for her nephew and she asks Miss Rogers
to 20 away, rendering her check In pay
ment for her services" Miss Rogers
spurns the money and leaves the house.
Billy learns Of what his aunt has done.
His feelings are outraged and he demands
that his aunt go to the station and bring
Miss Rogers back.
Miss Rogers returns. and the play ends
with her In Billys arms.
The Right Princess" bears earmarks OF
the amateur. There is not a consistent de-
yelopment OF plot. There is little In the
second act to warrant the assumption OF a
perfect cure. But Miss Burnham has per-
haps done wisely in not trying to show
more OF this II would have been a great
problem for a far more experienced drama
tist But she has succeeded in introducing
the spirit OF the Divine into the play. and
she leaves that to work the miracle.
The play Is splendidly acted for the most
part. Mr. Dempster does an admirable
piece OF work. His performance OF the
most difficult role of the mentally unbal-
anced Billy was remarkably convincing.
And he was strong, manly and handsome
as the completely recovered Sir william
Hinford. He is a young actor Of no mean
talents, and he will be heard from in the
future.
Miss Maude Gilbert succeeded in giving
to her impersonation OF Frances Rogers
much OF the beautiful spirit Of love and
faith She acted with intelligence and was
altogether charming In appearance and
manner 1t is a pity that her performance
should be m8rred by even one slip. 1t may
be helpful to suggest that in the exquisite
lines,
Green pastures are before me,
Which yet 1 have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o'er me,
Where darkest clouds have been"
the last word rhymes WITH "besn."
Charles Lane had an unsatisfactory role
to enact, but he did It fairly well. Walter
Young was one OF the best stage buffers
seen In years The Misses Grace and
Frances Hoyt were satisfactory, respective
", as Miss Hereford and Miss Graves.
Miss Evelyn Warden was capital as Dudley.
the maid.
CAST OF THE RIGHT PRINCESS"
DudIey ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Evelyn Warden
Miss Hereford d...................G Grace Hoyt
Miss Graves Observation-Disclosures. Frances Hoyt
PiIIv ...,...............R Robert Dempster
Saunders Observation-Disclosures Walter Young
Guy Hersford. ......... ......... mar les Lane
Frances Rogers. .............'.. Maude G!lpert