The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-30
Grumpy"
THE CAST

THE CAST
 Andrew Bullivant, Grumpy" ...... ................... Cyril Maude
 Ernest Heron, his nephew, ....... ! ..........- Herbert Ranson Ruddock, his valet, ... James Kearney Jarvis ...-........... Leonard Wiley
 Isaac Wolf ............ Robert Aryton
 keble ................ Mir Noel Leslie
 MerrideW ........-.. F. Gatenby Bell Dawson ............. Reynolds Evans Virginia Bullivant ....... '........ Miss Muriel Martin Harvey Mrs McClaren
 .'........ Miss Louise Van Wagenen
 Susan =. Miss Betty Murray In Grumpy" the querelous, high tempered, but withal kindly character, which Cyril Maude played at the Jeff ferson theatre last night before an au- dience that completely filled the thea tre, he has contributed to the gallery of stage portraits a type which will live. He has won in this part a notable
 success, although he is one of the most distinguished of English actors, who has stood for years in the front rank
 of his profession,
 Since America became acquainted with Mir Maude, both as an actor and as man, he has been one of the most
 popular English players who has ever visited this country, and he bids fair as time goes on, to be a universal favorite, such as the late Henry Irv- ing was. He has Iryings ability to
 make friends easily, off the stage as well as on it. In fact, his reception ll et 11iQht such a spontaneous tribute from peo- pie to most of whom he was a stranger, that he made one of the hap piest curtain talks delivered from the stage of the Jefferson theatre in a
 long time. This little speech, in which MT. Maude appeared as himself, and not as Grumpy" cemented the bonds Of friendship which he had already formed by his delightful personation. As for the play, it is an ideal vehicle for the star, and while it has an abundance of refreshing humor there are melodramatic moments which ar- rest the attention as forcibly as any of the strong scenes in the famous
 "crook' plays.
 Grumpy" is the nickname of MT. Andrew Bullivant, formerly a great
 criminal lawyer, but grown old and
 crotchety and apparently in his dotage. Grumpy has granddaughter, Vir-
 ginia, and nephew, Ernest Heron, whom 1t is his fondest wish to see
 married. He also has devoted valet in the person of Ruddock, of whom more later The nephew is entrusted with a diamond valued at f90,000 which he is carrying secretly from South Africa to London. gentle man thief" of the Rallies" type, in- graduates himself into the Bullivant family with the purpose of robbing young Heron. He also beguiles the rather adventuresome Virginia. When all of the family except Heron have retired for the night the thief, Jarvis inserts an arm through door switches off the lights and takes the diamond from Heron's waistcoat pocket. but not until after fierce struggle in the dark--by the way, 2 thrilling moment in the play and ar admirable bit of stage "business." A
 camelia is torn from Jarvis coat lapel during the fight. The flower disap- pears, but with this as a clue, in g cleyerly wrought plot Grumpy whr puts his criminal Knowledge to good use and Is not quite the feeble old mar | he appears matches his wits against 1 those of the thief and recovers the diamond.
 mere IS wealth of detail in the | play and some admirably drawn char. acters, in addition to Grumpy" who | Of course. dominates. Mir Maude does | a superb piece of character acting which has already been conceded to bt one of his finest personations The l supporting company was excellent ir | every respect. James Kearney, as a de. voted survitor, enduring his masters l outbursts because he knew that mas. | ter's kind heart, presented character | next in interest to that of the star Leonard Wiley was well cast as Jar. wis and met every requirement. of 6 difficult role. Herbert Ransom as l Ernest Heron and Miss Muriel Martin Harvey as Virginia Bullivant, were I others among the principals whose ability should be commended. Rober' Ayrton as Isaac Wolf, the fence looked like Dickens character an6 during the few moments he was on tn: stage, made realistic impression.