The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-14
"Tess of the Storm Country"


l Emma Bunting comes to the Bijou this week, with matinees Tuesday, Thurs day and Saturday and performances nightly in Tess of the storm Country play never seen here. Of play and ac- tress the Nashville Democrat says:
 Most of us in childhood days have heard about a Baby Bunting, sung by daddy as he bounced Us Up in the air on his knee and grownups this week will hear some- thing about another Bunting-Emma Buntlng-a wee slip of a miss, who Mon day night at the Bijou appeared on tn |, stage, new to Nashville, in "Tess of the storm Country When the curtain had gone down on the last act, for her it was a complete triumph, and Caesar never conquered a country any more thoroughly than she conquered the heart of Nash vile
 The term artste has in sense become stereotyped, used generally and many times meaning nothing. but in the case Of this little woman, the word means what the dictionary says 1t does. The story is that Of half wild untutored girl the child of a squatter in upper New York state. On charge of murder. her father is taken to jail and but for the kindly of fees of young minister, she would have met with foul play at the hands of a young man who would have taken ad- vantage of her loneliness. Tn time this child of the woods shields the young min. ister's sister in time of peril, the young minister himself falls in love with Tess and-well, it's the old story of love laugh ing at locksmiths.
 Miss Bunting played the part of the squatter girl naturally as life itself In fact, while she was on the stage she was Tess; she left Miss Bunting at the hotel. The free. frank speech and man nerisms and magnetism with which she handled the role bespoke her a master hand in realism. Her work is a blending of humor and pathos, sermon in trust fulness. the story of one of Gods meek and lowly warriors, trying to spread sun shine (even If she did wax warm in lan- guage at times). This little five foot nothing of bouyant spirits averaged more than laugh a minute; and as a come dienne she is all good that the English
 language can say about her-and that's some
 Miss Bunting is ably supported by cast well balanced in every respect There are no weak spots, and one of the best char acter delineations seen in many a day was that of Ezra Longman, a fisherman, rendered witless by blow on the head as played by Raymond Bond. His scene ln the third act, when he recovers his mind enough to tell the minister who really committed the murder, instead of Tess father provoked a round of applause. The Rev Frederick Graves of George w. Whitaker, stands out clear cut and strong an able role. equally as well handled He is the sort of minister who can handle the gospel and his fists at the same time.
 Miss Bertha Leigh played the rather unenviable role of Teo1a Graves in man. ner which softened what might have been rendered as a harsh part John w. Rennie, as Tess father, got all out of the role there was in 1t, and the same was true of w. w. Blair, Harold Vernon, E M Leonard, William Lunn, John Fenton, Miss Grace Fillmore and Miss Louise Blakely, who enacted their roles we'll
 In picking his cast for 'Tess of the Storm Country Jake Wells did well when he selected a stock company. They are experienced in the business of pre- sentins a smooth performance, and Wells did an especially good turn when he chose Miss Bunting for the leading part Take the play from every angle. and acting as well, and the consensus of opinions of the Monday night audience was the best play seen at the Bijou this year, and in some respects the best ever seen here" The little leading woman waded into Nashville affections with a vengeance and will do a lot more of it this week Those who do not see her will surely miss some- thing: those who do will remember many a long day the elfsh figure crowned by luxury of reddish hair
 See Tess--that is, Miss Bunting. Those who do will forget to be grouchy the next day when things go wrong