The Washington herald., 1914-11-18
FAREWELL WEEK
OF POLL PLAYERS
Patrons Flocking to Popular Theater
to See Favortes in
Madame K"


Farewell week OF the present COM
pany Of Poll Players at the big avenue
playhouse bids fair to prove the most
successful OF the past twelve months,
not only in point of attendance, but
from the standpoint of artistic achieve
ment, for never before has the gifted
stock company given a performance
which for sincerity, gripping intensity
and dramatic power equals the present
Interpretation Of Alexandra Bisson's
greatest drama, Madame X"
1t would seem that each member OF
the present Poll organization is deter
mined that his swan song" in Washing
ton should mark his finest effort, and as
a result the performances OF Madame
X" are being given with a virilIty. a
power and a moving sincerity which
carry the audience through every scene
OF this absorbing and human story.
1t Is doubtful IL a performance Of
Madame X" has ever been received
with greater enthusiasm than last night.
Every scene and situation was followed
with the keenest interest and time and
again the players were interrupted by
spontaneous applause. The life story
OF Jacqueline, from the time that she
leaves her luxurious home, through the
trying hours OF her return to France
after twenty years, through the trial,
and up to the final moment when she
is reunited with her own son who has
succeeded in having her acquitted OF
the charge OF murder, kept the audience
in suspense, often moved 10 tears and
then provoked to hearty laughter by
such unique comedy scenes as that in
jected by the hotel porter in the hotel
at Bordeaux and by the oily blackmall-
ers
The title role of this remarkable play
Is being interpreted this week by Miss
Jane Morgan. 1t is by all odds her high
est dramatic achievement. II is a char
acterization Of infinite pathos. OF brill
liant emotional intensity. Her court
room scene is q striking demonstration
OF the emotional gifts of this talented
young woman, and her performance is
proving a surprise even to her most ar
dent admirers
Russell Fillmore is playing the most
engaging Of juvenile roles, the son, who
Is appointed by the court to defend the
mysterious woman. Madame x. who has
refused to say a word since the hour of
her arrest, charged with having murdered
her lover. Mr.. Fillmore's address to the
jury is one OF the highest moments in
the drama He delivers IT with a fervor
and an eloquence which is truly moving.
and there isn't q dry eye in the theater
by the time he has completed his plea
for the poor, friendless creature, whom
he Is to learn a few moments later is
his own mother.
In every detail OF stage business and
scenic accessory this weeks production
OF Madame X'' takes rank with the
finest presentations ever made by s. 2.
Poll in Washington. The stage settings
are carefully built and show. first. the
luxurious home OF Jacoueline; second, the
strange hotel bedroom in the French port
city OF Bordeaux; then the garden scene,
a beautifully idyllic picture, showing the
young lawyer and his fiancee, in striking
contrast to the grim courtroom scene OF
the final act. with its uniformed gend-
armes, Its red-robed jurists, its somber-
faced Jurors, and the great, seething
crowd Of witnesses and idle spectators. 1t
requires a large cast OF principals and
many superrumeraries to give this final
scene a graphic background, and Mr.. Poll
has not stinted in any particular. In
other words, Madame X' Is being given
with the same elaborateness and spec
tacular completeness as II II were an
initial production through which the pro-
prietor hoped to establish a record in the
community.
Judging from the heavy advance sale
for the remaining performances of
Madame X" this final week OF the pres
ent company promises to assume the pro-
portions Of q triumphal farewell. It is
expected that toward the end Of the
week the various members will say their
adieux TO their friends either from the
stage after each performance or else In
the commodious foyer, in rear Of the au
ditorium.