The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-07
Grcnt stock Opening.

Grcnt Stock Opcning.
Joel Chandler Harris has made the
southern negro famous in legend ana
IN story To bring the eccentricitIcs
and the comlcalitics Of the darby clos
er 10 home. one may refer to our own
FOLK Miller. whose anecdotes of the
men and women among the darker
race have caused smiles 10 noun, the
cheeks OF thousands tt cnraptured
listeners But il has remained for Lu-
CHE LaNrrne TO take the negro out
of the realm of make believe and give
living. breathing huu.an being.
Last night Miss Laverne and her
players began an indefinite stay at tho
Academy II was not the first time
That these players had been seen. For
week previous they had entertained
large audiences at the Bijou. Last night.
however "Clarice' was presented.
"Clarice." for the benefit OF the un-
Knowing. is the play which Miss La
Verne made famous for william Gill.
cite. No reflections is intended upon
MI Gillette, either as uctor or a nu-
thor. AS to his ability in the former
| capacity there can be no doubt. AS &
dramatlst he has not lived UP to his
standard in his latest efcrt.
In "Ciarice" he has not written q
great play. Woven OUT OF the warn
and woof of the South, It SIN lacks
"iuch which is innatcly Southern The
p!ot Is by no means new. Lovers have
ioVed and women have wept before
william Gillette made his bow as q
deplcter of the modes and moods Of
the south. Not even William Gillette
IouId nave inquired upon a Lucille La
verne when he was wiring "Clarice s.
Yet, and again no disparagement NJ
me authors ability II intcnd ed. with
cut Lucille LaNerne 'Clarfce" could
not have been a success.
Originally a minor part Miss La
| verne has brought to the character Of
JUDITH clancy a world OF intelligence
NYFitaole mountain OF energy, and Il
knowledge of the Southern negro
which is wonderfully surprising, when
one comes to consider that she was
reared far north of the Mason and
DIXON line. She is not an actress
Certainly not in this particular role
She is Aunt" Judith Clancy. Every
line, every movement, every gesture,
every intonation. is that of the ruler
OF the household" which every man
and woman. too, OF the South knows.
lrasciblc. high tempered, loyal to a
degree. which cannot be appreciated
save by those who lived in the years
agone loving and loved. more dcspotic
than the Car of all The Russias
within her particular domain, she
wins and captivates, not because she
Is Lucille LaVcrnc in "make-up." but
because Lucille LaNerne In makeup
is Aunt Clancy. Until one has ac-
tually seen this wonderful--ycs. won
dcrful is the word-interpretatio OF
n character Which few actors have
either the sense or the ABILITY to por-
tray, these words may sound cXtrav-
aSant. When one has actually wit
messed, one begins to marvel at the
inability. or rather the lack of words,
In which to express appreciation.
In eptome the play tells of a
Southern girl. homeless. who Is found
at the opening of the comedy as the
ward of physician. She grows up
in his home, and both find mutual at
fractions. The benefactor has been
informed that he is suffering from a
tubercular complaint. which is sup
posedly contagious. after the ward
and the guardian have pllghted their
troth. enter insidious Invader in the
nature of guileful aunt. who is bent
upon marrying the ward to another
doctor. because of suit which has
gone adversely for her.
During all of this Aunt" Clancy
sees which way the wind is blowing"
lmpotent, unable to thwart the ma
chinations of the villains. male and
| female, she decides uuon q morose,
taciturn course, looking and listening.
but saying little. Her heart Is set
upon the marriage Of her master and