The Washington herald., 1912-05-14
COLUMBIA.

IN All tne history OF drama tnere hhh
been no story which has made grester
appeal to both the mind and heart Of the
theater-goins public than '',rhe Dawn OF
a Tomorrow" which was first produced
at the Lyceum Theater in New York.
January IS. 1909; later in London. and
which is this week the offering OF the
Columbia Players in the popular F Street
playhouse.
Because this story Of Glad" the Gin
derella. Of the slums, teaches the wonder
ful lesson that. after all. the human race
Is not dependent altogether on environ
ment for the development Of the highest
and best there is in character that We
may keep our inner shrine bright and
SHINING In spite OF sordid conditions
which may govern the external existence.
The Dawn OF Tomorrow" immedi-
ately made peculiar and lasting appeal
to those who saw Eleanor Robson, who
made the little maid Of the slums famous
through her marvelously sympathetic
portrayal OF the role.
Glad Is a child OF the London tene-
ments, who has received the message OF
the divine law OF asking and receiving,
testing its worth in her own life with a
faith so sincere as TO bring each time an
answer TO her prayers.
The story opens in the palatial home
OF Sir Oliver Holt, In the fashionable
West End OF London, with a consulta-
ton Of physicians, who pronounce Sir OIL
ver's Illness an incurable one. a verdict
which Holt overhears. with a consequent
depression so great that he buys q suit
Of old clothes in which he successfully
hides all traces of his identity when he
goes forth to find a secluded nook on the
East Side where he may end his life
without the knowledge or comment of his
own circle OF friends.
In his search for lodgings suitable for
his suicidal purpose, he discovers Glad.
the slum girl. so full OF the happiness OF
just being alive, that she is determined
to have her chance, believing II will be
given her II she asks with all the
might Of her beautiful earnest, young
heart
To her quaint philosophy, her belief
in the brightness OF tomorrow, and
then another tomorrow. and weeks and
months and years Of tomorrow, beyond
the dreadful shadows OF her to-day. she
draws the man who is being eaten up
by disease. imbuIng him with some OF
her own faith; giving him an interest
outside Of himself which works for him
the miracle OF his restoration to health,
as well as a deeper spiritual awaken
ing to the fact that We seek too much
Of help in our troubles from outsiders
when help lies within ourselves.
In her own attic room Glad" tells
her new-found friend something Of her
own life, OF the life of her lover who
was born in a thiefs home, taught
thievery from the cradle, marked in
very babyhood by the police with never
chance to earn a living save by steal
ing.
And when her sweetheart is accused
Of a murder he did not commit. and the
one man who can prove an RlibI for him
refuses 10 lift a finger to save her Dan
dy." again Glad tests the trick Of Just
asking" and again the great power OF
good which responds TO faith stirs the
human heart TO response and the hero
Inc Of Apple Blossom Court" secures
her chance OF happiness and 'Dandys"
chance OF honesty.
In the role OF Glad Frances Nielsen
did last night the most appealing and
sympathetic work which she has ever
given Washington audience. One quite
forgot the favOrite Of the patrons of the
Columbia Theater, remembering only
Glad" with her contagious faith; the
child who had reasoned life out for her
self and found 1t good in the face OF the
most sordid environment; the tenement
girl who went for days without food
and still looked upon life with optimis-
tic eyes. speaking her belief that things
were never as bad as they seemed
wherever she went
In this sympathetic role Miss Nelson
had the biggest chance for emotional
work which her engagement with the
Columbia Players has offered her, and
she grasped II with a sincerity, sympa-
thy, and strength.
The role OF Sir Oliver Holt. played by
George W. Barber, was spIendIdly por-
trayed. HIS dellneation Of the desperate
ly sick baronet rang true, and left moth
ing to be desired.
Edward Hass Robins as Dandy was
little on the stage. but that little was
convincing. The role OF the thief Is
somewhat abbreviated one, but lends am
pie opportunity for the winning of the
deep sympathy of the audience. which
Mr.. Robins unmistakably accomplished
last night
To Godfrey Matthews fell the role of
the villain, which was most satisfactorily
handled, as was also the roles OF Powell
the trusted family servant Of Sir Oliver
Holt, played by Stanley James; Polly,
the little country girl. whom Glad be-
friended, played by Airline Pretty, and
Bet, the stanch washerwoman friend of
Glad and Dandy, whom Julia Blanc por-
trayed admirably.
The Dawn OF a Tomorrow was par
ticularly well staged In the second act
the curtain lifted upon a dense London
fog, the realism Of which quite gave one
the shivers.
From both the standpoint Of acting
and of scenic art the offering Of the
Columbia Players this week is easily the
greatest success which they have yet