The Washington times., 1917-10-30
NATIONAL.

typical mld-season Washington
audience last night allied the National
Theater to capacity for the first per-
sormance here OF "a kiss for Gin
dereila," Barrie's delightful fanciful
play. with Miss Maude Adams in the
title role. The author himself best
describes it as "a fancy, so Won
drousiy light that It scarcely touches
the EARTH" and those who saw it last
night laughed much, wiped away
tears occasionally, and applauded
vigorously.
The story Is IN -Barrle's- best vein.
a modernized version of the oldest OF
fairy tales, and it plays upon all the
chords OF sympathy, pathos, and
humor. All the time the author pokes
fun at the foibles Of the time with
bis happy faculty Of hiding tear
In q laugh. =.
: The fancy gives Miss Adams free
rein for all of the artistry and whim-,
sical charm that made her Peter
Pan" SO wonderfully appealing and
has endeared her to the nations
theater-goers. In # she Is seen as
slavey, a wistful. hunger and, love
haunted little drudge, given the name
of Cinderella by the kind-hearted old
artist whose studio she keeps in
order.
The story opens with the old artist
explaining TO "Our Policeman the
mystery Of the disappearance or
every board from the place and his
much regretted suspicious OF Gin
dereiia because OF her peculiar Ques-
tions and references to mysterious
boxes. The story fs Of the present
day in London and pathetic wartime
touches creep in. Then the scene
shifts for q moment to the streeus'
then 10 the hole Cinderella caiIs
home. Here the mystery OF the noxes
is solved as there she Is DONG heI
bit" by mothering four orphans, one
AZ them a little German, which ac-
oonnts FOR her fear OF the censor.
Then the Rodmother enters and the
sutbor takes the audience into "A
corner Of her brain" and pictures the
hall in, all the splendor OF the httle
sIayey's fevered Imagination. Ihe
music IA that 10 which she has oeen
accus.omed, the ragtime airs OF the
burdy-eurdy. The king in his royai
robes. talks with q cockney accent
the queen is none other than Mrs. MA
honey in real life, the prince pears
a startling likeness TO our policeman,
the censor is pictured all in black aho
with face masked Lord Times is
sort of visualization of Lord North-
cliffs Times and tells the king IN
bored way to stop talking.
All of the beauties are characte[s
the little slavey has been IN touch
with and when the time for the cere-
mony arrives IL is performed by pen
pIIin. Cinderella has marveled al a
stuffed penguin in the studio and the
artist had iaughingly told her 1t was
a bIsbop. On the stroke Of twelve
the scsue vanished and the anal scene
shows Cinderella in q hospital SLOWLY
from the fever brought on
by near starvation and overWork-
Once again the policeman appears IN
uniform and in a delightful hnale'
after granting her request to let her
refuse him "just once" puts on his
idea of an appropriate engagement
ring, a pair OF glass slippers.
The play is, elaborately staged ana
calls for a large cast. The support
given Miss Adams is most excellent.
william Boyd gives an ideally SYM
pathetic portrayal OF the policeman,
Morton Selten makes the kindly old
artist very real and lovable. the four
war babies are delightfully."- appealing
and the entire cast is nearly enough
perfect to disarm all criticism.