Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-03
ADJUSTMENTS
MISS ANGI.lN AND FINE CAST
IN DIkILI.Ih MI OLD PA "

Although II Is almost IL classic Of
, the stage. Lady Wlndcrmcre's Fan"
was presented ut the Academy OF Music
last night by Margaret AnElin and u
company OF ull-actors In so brilliant q
manner that Oscar Wildc's most gilt
terinG play reflected light from facets
that had never even been exposed at
any or its previous performances here
According to our modern ideas as to
realism in the drama, the play is. In
many respects. distinctly old fashioned:
II aDoundS in usidcs, even in soliloquys;
It's serious moments are often stilted
ana it's expressions OF emotion are ire
uncntly mock heroic in form. to ears
attuned, as ours are. to a different key
or dialogue. On the other hand, II Is
quite out of the fashion for another
rcaSon--that no other man has yet been
able TO write such flashing. biting lines
OF cynical wit. of keen satire, of start
ing paradox and of twisted hunior as
those put into the mouths of his char
acters by the twisted genius who wrote
Lady Windrrmcre's Fan
Nearly every one has either seen the
play or read IL: its story Is not new
nowadays. nor it's plot novel, but TO
those who have both seen and read it
no matter how often--the cleaning,
inc:sivr dialogue takes on new shades
iof meaning when it is read by such n
company az that formed by Miss Anglin
and her associates. And the one, biz
moment of the plny--whcn Mrs E;rlyunc
pleads with Lady Windcrmcrc to go
home-faniliar. almost banal, AS such
a scene is To us of to-day. becomes n
very real and tense situation when it
is played by Miss Anglin
Two years ago Margaret AnpIiD
stepped into Green Stockings" ana
proved herself to be a rare coincidence
Last night she continued to display n
sinilar dizziness and lightness In the
frothE comedy intervals. but when she
reached the scene mentioned she at
tanned her full dramatic stature before
us. There was no tearing of passion
to tattcrs-indccd, she barely raised
her voice; there were no tremendous
gcsturcs--sho hardly moved from her
stili pose. and there were no contor-
tons Of her FACET simply remained
mask Of tragedy. and OF tragedy 80
pathetic that the woman's pust was
forgotten and forgiven, and only the
lMnediat" moment remembered What
she did was admirable: what she re-
trained from doing was superb. and the
whole waS--art.
In the cXtrcmcl. trying and ,,usyrn
pathetic part of Lady Windcrmcrc.
''iorehcc ntcr--rcmnrkubly Hike.
by I'll" way. to Catherine Garter who
Is remembered in tile rolc--pluycd With
co'r'ncndablc reserve ard effective APP
peal: Ruth Holt Bouc!cault skiJIfuIlv
"sS OF Berwick with Il great deal Of
hulEor: Caroly., Darling spoke her lit.
lie y eth, Mamlaa," just as il should
nay" been spoken. and the rest of the
women hlicd III the smaller churnc-
tcrs with the utmost satisfaction
v allacc WiddcCon,bc achieved merit
not Only by his clever performance Of
the haw-lnw DUMMY, with it's many
Tat lincs--for that portion OF his work
ena oleu him 20 characterize broadly
ana hence somewhat eusily--but pur-
iicularly ri the closing moment of the
third act, when the unexpected en-
trance of Mrs Erlynne startled him
int" disclosing tn" real man. Stanley
')nrK ana Donald Cameron were capable
as DARLINGTON ANA Windcrmcrc; Harry
itcdding got fun value out OF The
parklins speeches OF Cecil Graham
and most OF the other men were as
satisfactory as the other women Ana
best Of All, they all looked as IL they
were az horne at an ai-home. sidney
,irc"nstrcet. who WAS FAR and AVA
the best Jinimic yelling ton, III "t.x-
"u$c Me. that the town has seen, and
who played with SO zinc a. swayger the
rich part OF Straforel in Rogtand's
THE Ro:nancers," with the Frank Lea
short Company, had II bad makeup as
Lord AUGUSTUS ana nevcr go. beneath
II, though l." got many laughs from
the audience.
Lady WinGerirorc's Fan is nearly
Twenty-Five year OLD and hasn't
earned single new step. Neverthe-
less. as presented b. Miss Angiin and
her company. II is completely New
even though il is illcd with quotations,
SO 10 spcak--and II is certainly II thing
OF joy.
There will he Two performances to.
day
Douglas Gordon