Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-01-28
THE SERVANT
in The H0USE"
harrisburg Talent put on Successful
Play in Congregational
Church in That
Place.
AUDIENCE GREATLY PLEASED.
Cast is an Able 0ne-Production
May be Put on in Webster
City.
AUDIENCE GREATLY PLEASED.

House." was very successfully pro-
duced by local talent Friday night
in harrisburg. The new opera house
was not finished, consequently the
play was staged in the Congrega-
tional church. The play is unique
and very impressive from the open
ing lines to the final drop of the cur
faint audience following incident
and plot with breathless interest
From every point of view the play
was success.
The leading and most difficult
role, that of Manson. who is 1.-THE
Servant in the House," was played
by the pastor of the church, Rev.
Walter Metcalf. The part was we'll
assigned, and throughout the diff
cult lines Manson seemed to be a
real person. His fine declamations
We're received with applause and
people were set wondering whether
he were a better preacher or actor.
The aristocratic, worldly-minded
vicar, Rev. William Smythe, who
could not possibly spell his name
plain Smith," was staged with con-
vincing effect by Mr.. Ray Stafford,
and Martha, the wears wife, was
played strongly by Mrs. w. c..
Merryman. Much of the acting falls
upon these two, and they did their
parts with distinction which earned
and received frequent recognition in
front of the footlights. James Pom
sonby Makeshyfte, the Most Rever-
ened, the Lord Bishop of Lancashire,
a Bishop of stocks and shares, a
Bishop of the counting house, a
Bishop of Mammon, the DEVILS own
Bishop" at a great climax in the
play, the vicar very properly de-
nounced him, was we'll played by
Mr.. Ernest Stoufer. His makeup
and his acting of the part of an in
tensely worldly old ecclesiastic fire.
quently brought down the house. He
greatly pleased throughout his part,
which was very difficult, as is true
of the entire cast in this unusual
play. Mr.. Lynn Doty played the
role of Mr.. Robert Smith, the plain,
matter-of-fact, dissipated, drunken,
down -and-out brother of the wealthy
vicar. and his acting was unusually
good. The strong psychological ac-
| ton of the drama centers about the
person of Robert. He is the disturb
ing element in what would other
wise be strictly a society play. At
the Wears aristocratic dinner table,
seated with the blind, deaf and dod-
dering old bishop, in company with
the benign Manson in the oriental
robes which reproduce the effect of
Jesus Christ, serene and compelling
amid the ruck of sordid human af-
fairs, Mr.. Doty convulsed the house
with his unmannerly eating of 'sas-
singes." The part of Mary-sweet,
| happy, joyous Mary, in whose nature
commingle all the graces of human
summertime-was well carried by
Miss Iva Bartlett. The scene where
Mary discovered the identity of
Manson was thrilling and intensely
dramatic, and Mary's lightsome,
happy part was presented by some
fine acting which the audience both
enjoyed and appreciated Perhaps
as good acting as was seen in the
play came from the Interpretation
Of the lines of Mr.. Ray Wilson who
played the minor part of Rogers.
the English page boy, the part
known in the parlance Of the Amer
lean stage as 'Bell-Hop." The lit
tie part is difficult, rendered so by
its exquisite Cockney dialect Those
| who know the English page boy in
flesh and blood could well have i'm
agined that this Rogers was a
genuine imported article from the
| land where witches are dropped or
taken up according to varied passing
fancy. The acting throughout the
entire play was unusually good. To
the end the characters were we'll
sustained, and the audience dispers-
ed feeling that 1t had witnessed
something extraordinary and very
much worth while.
There is some talk that this play
and cast may be brought to Web
ster City. II this is brought about,
Webster City people would greatly
appreciate the play. With better
stage effects possible in a regular
| opera house, with the control OF