Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-06

or Mrs. Kate Douglas Virgins RE
| pecca stories" Charlotte Thompson ac-
compnshed rare work Of art-she re-
tanned the spirit Of tho stories made 1t
possible to present upon the stage a
living embodiment Of the dauntlcss.
hcipful, little soul that Rebecca was
ana Is. Ana the result Is n play that
teaches. without dldactlcism. and
breaches. without priggishness, a sort
OF workaday gospel of the good that Is
created by goodness, of the brightness
that may be shed upon others by one
bright spirit. and Of the desire to helm
mat Is fostered by the unconscious in
iluence of one helpful person--even
though that person be only a little girl.
Rebeccn Of Sunnybrook Farm" was
seen at the Academy OF Music in 1911,
ana practically everybody has read Mrs
Wiggin's stories. SO 1t is necessary only
10 say that the play begins at the time
when Rebecca comes to North River
boro to stay with her aunts, Miranda
ana Jane. and extends--with intervals
permitted by dramatic liccnse-to q
sunshiny day when Rebeccn's "Mr.
ALADDIN comes and asks his fairy
princess now grown girl Of seven
teen, to let down her golden hair that
nc may climb up to her window.
There isn't any plot: there are no
dramatic climaxes; there lis nothing OF
W.T. and it's comedy is Of the homeliest
but It's the PROTEST sort OF play: so
pretty that plot would be out of place:
rs much out OF place as n plot would he
in "Pollyannu." which somewhat resent
Dies IT. except that Rebecca doesn't con-
sciously play the glad game"
MISS Scott has rarely had a part that
n'teo her more completely, and she
mas rarely played any part more sin
cereiS' more captvatingly Although
many OF us have grown accustomed,
during the months of the company,s
TWO seasons. to seeing her in grownun
emo,lonal parts, 1t is easy to forget
All those and see in her only the SUNNY
tempered child. Rebecca.
MIR. Riddell, too. is provided with
part III which he shows at his best. and
gives additional reason for reErettinr
the approaching departure of the com.
pany. MIR. Bassett Is altogether salts
factory as the shftless man or odd
JOBS, and Miss Ball gives the best per-
formance that she has offered since
the company played What Happened to
Mary"
The production, thanks to Mr.. Berthe
lot and the new scenic artist, Charles
St!llwcll. Is remarkably good-cven for
Mr.. Berthelet
There Is every reason why "Rebecca
OF Sunnybrook Farm" should draw big
audiences to the Bijou all the week
Douglas Gordon.
Al the Lyric.
Ethel Green's showmanshfp alone
makes her tho bill-toppcr mt the Lyric
this week. as she proved again yes
terday afternoon before an audience ,
that filled literally every seat in the
thcater, including those In the boxes |!
She can't sing and can't dance: she
isn't particularly pretty and isn't In |!
the least stunning, yet she puts over
everything that she attempts. from
her opening song. which is off-color,
to Annie Laurie" which she can't sing |
Therefore. she is all sorts OF 1, show /
man, and therefore. again. she s "A
ill-topper.
Daniel Josephus is a juggling seal.
whose fsh-catching aptitude has been
developed by careful trainer until
Daniel Is n high-class opening act On
vaudeville. He catches everything
thrown at him with the unerring GER
tainty of a jitney aimed at a motor
cycle. and is rs much Of musician !
as his untuned apparatus will permit !
him tn be
Voicciess Billy and Edith Adams offer
solo and duct dances In front OF their
own plush curtain and Billy Tuitc's
Collegians, four men and n girl, batter
each other about and provide plenty
II slapstick amusement for the audi !
ence.
John Is. Hymers AT Jimtown juno.
ton, a peculiarly unappctizing lunch
room sketch closes the bill, and was
we'll received yesterday afternoon.
The motion picture program is quite
up to the Lyrics standard.
strand Packs Fin In.
Crowds poured into the Strand all
day yesterday to see that tremendousIv
popular screen star. Marguerite Clark
in her newest photoplay. "Gretna |