Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-09
ADJUSTMENTS
ONE LITTLE Girl. AND OTHERS
MAXI: "LONE.IiS, LANE,, real

By It's cmincntly satisfactory per-
iormance OF CLYDE Fitch's Lovers
Lane at the Bijou Thcater last night.
me Grayce Scott Company fully justi-
Hci MY. NcwinC's selection OF that
Striking!y -Fitch-like play for pro
Sentation by his popular and record
prcaNlng stock company. 1t would he
difficult TO recall Il play more utterly
dissimilar to the Clyde Fitch STYLE than
Lovers Lane" That. however. isn't
vi the least Importance, and is only
noted by way of leading up TO the
statement that IL would also he difficult
20 choose play moro wholly adapted
10 the attachments and talents Joint
ana several! OF the company.
Lovers Lane" does not abound in
mo sinartncSs that distinguishes many
or inc fltch plays. nor has II any of
the starting climaXes or moments that
marx his moro familiar manner: II is
II rural comedy-drama, pure and sim
PIE. Al times. 1t suggests the th,mo
OF The Little Minister" though it
n.ust be remembered that Fitch, Of
course, never approached Barrie But
II IL impossible not 20 reflect that Mar
garct Mayo must have seen it-heroro
sho wrote Polly OF the Circus"
mere IL the same narrow little vii
rage, hi!cd with the Same narrow lIttIe
people, thinking the same narrow, little
,ihouRhts ana harboring the same nasty.
ilttio suspicious and jealousics: and
there is the Same broad kindly clergy
man. who refuses to he guided I'm his
conduct and Acknowledging charity nv
mo hidcbound views and opinions OF
his stupid parishioners. True. tho
clergyman In Lovers Lane" has
opened his house TO others than tho frirI
OF ms heart, and there arc further com
plications than those brought about Inv
ms championing Of ono girl But, after
an, the theme is the samc-the conflict
betwcen real charity and conventional
charity. There Is, almost incidcntalIv
love story as well: and there arc
many moments of comedy, supplied
either by the words and actions OF
pucoiic types or by the amusing in
righteousness mu OF remarkably precocious
enid while there is n hccting GLIMPSE
now and then of still another compli-
cation involving tho hcart-interest.
AS n drama. Lovers Lane" is OF
interest because OF tho conflict indi-
cated; MS nm entertainment, n thing TO
enjoy, 10 laugh at, it depends upon
It's characters. Its types, and upon-in
this Casa wonderful child And this
brings us to the point of tho talo or
TO tho star Of tho evening, of the
whole pcrformancc-thc little MYRTLE
Mountcastlc Although this little girl
has been seen and admired with any
amaZenent number OF times, sho
seemed. sho was. marvellous last night
In the part of Simplicity. She not only
read. spoke, the lines OF n long part
without an instant's perceptible hest
tation. but she playcd--actcd, if you
llkc-every scene In which she ap-
peared. with that scmblance OF nat
uralncss that is sheer art Beside
her, Mary Miles Minter and all tho
rest are forgotten. And what n VIrgic.
in THE Littlest Rebel" sho would
make!
Miss Scott has no opportunity in the
conventiona!ly sweet little role of tho
girl who wins tho clcrgyman's love;
Mr.. Warner is sincere md manly in
tho somewhat sticky part OF tho oler-
gyman himself; Miss Crawford In at
her best in rough character part;
Mr.. Bassett Is permitted to be n decent