The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-23
Al the Biiou

It is well for the success of the "A Kentucky Romance" company that the fair Beulah Poynter, the leading lady therein, is as the advertising man says, the peoples favorite, and then 1t requires a certain amount of general partiality to something, even at that, to stamp this weeks offering at the Bijou as an en- joyable pastime for an evening. There are several actors in the cast who make a fair attempt at genuine character interpretation, but the support given Miss Poynter as a whole is very deficient in histrionic ability.
 The story of "A Kentucky Romance is the old, old tale of the love Of the wealthy young man in the "big house. v for the ragged beauty in the cottage, with the usual matchmaking mother for the young masculine and elopement of the young lovers to the bright lights of the city The scene is laid in Kentucky for two acts and in New York city for the remaining duet, which complete series of comparatively well staged pro- auctions. In the second act, for instance, the woodland tableau with the moonlight and swing dialogue between the leading lady and the man who is supposed to play the principal support, the scenic effect Is very good, decidedly the prettiest por- trayal in the performance.
 Mrs. Hannibel Jameson and her son, Lee, reside on a large Kentucky estate, which is under dispute and likely to De taken from them by missing heir. un- less this mysterious persons fails to make his or her appearance within the next three years after the time portrayed at the rise of the first curtain. On their enlarged farm lives a drunken laborer, James Hargreaves, who was overseer during the lifetime of the dead master, and his daughter. Cynthia, whose fiaxen curls had won the heart of Lee Jameson. Meanwhile Mrs. Jameson has pied with her son to marry Marcia Talbot, young lady of immense wealth in tobacco lands, but he refuses. He learns that Cynthla s father treats her brutally, and moved by pity and love for the child, persuades her to run away with him. They go to New York, having their marriage cere- mony en route, where Mrs. Stubbs, Mrs Jameson's erstwhile housekeeper, keeps them in hiding, which is Lees plan to keep the news from his mother. The mother finds them, of course, turns oyn- thia out into the cruel. cruel worid' when welcomes her as a Broadway star But everything turns right after Lee has travelled around the globe looking Tor the marrying minister, who carried thelr marriage certificate off to the foreign mission fields with him and the naughty mother has humbly bowed her head pe- fore the missing heir in the person or Cynthia, who proved to be the daughter of the dead owner of the enlarged farm in question.
 As everyone expects. Miss Poynter as Cynthia is pretty, an actress or grace and displaying talent in her line reaa- ing. Why John Bowers was chosen to act as Lee Jameson. the leading man. is not apparent, unless 1t was because he could sing in the second act better than the only other songster. Ted V. Ar mond, whose tenor outranks Bowers par itone several degrees as voeanzer. ied V. Armond as Joshua Tubbs, the son of the Jameson housekeeper, IS one oi the best of the cast while Sam J. Bur ton as Uncle Nose, the old negro butler, and Harry Gasell as Russell Maitland are not half bad. Edwin Dale as James Hargreaves overdoes both his playing and his facial makeup. but shows an interest in what he is doing that might be utilized to a better advantage.
 s'Ted Armond's singing of the ilcKie Song in the third act made the hit or the evening, and Sadie Steelsmtn as his mother, Mrs. Tubbs. certainly looked her part. The usual matinee will be held Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and per formances each night.