The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-25
Another FJtieth Anniversary
HHIN)LEAsE tell me who The Bat
 " l Isl" pleaded yesterday as
l dropped in to seq Miss

S I dropped in to seq Miss Lizzie Evans, the charming love- ly lady who plays "The Female Detective" in the thrilling dra- matic mystery play which Mary Rob CTS Rhinehart and Avery Hopwood have so cleveraly exploited.
 T couldn't possibly do that,r re- piled Miss Evans evasely for then 1 the play would be spoiled for you"
 Yes. 1 Know. I had one of the mo- tices sent out by the producers of The Bat saying that we must not pass the secret on because then we'd spoil things for the next one" l went on but Honest Injuu, I really would like 10 know"
 "Td far rather talk to you about Birmingham wonderful seuli-cen- tennial" said Miss Evans and miner
 "What"' l exclaimed as this tured lady made the announcement. Why that's impossibier'
 T have been on the stage practi. cally all my life" said Miss Evans whose name even Is old fashioned. Lizzie Evans" they are all Eliza beths' you know these days. 'T made my debut when l was about a H ear old-uot professionally of course but in church socials and amateur plays-'sort or a child prodigy | pre- sume you would call me; anyway up in Mount Vernon, o."
 You and the President-two of our distinguished visitors this week from Ohio l interpolated
 Exactly sor said she Well any way this year is my semi-centennial, have been on the stage 50 years and inf1sS4 I played here in Birmingham at OBrien's o6era house when 1t was quite new and very attractive and Mir Frank P OBrien gave our com. psny a supper party afterwards. remember that the supper was served on wooden benches and all of us, made speeches and everybody had a wonderful time.
 Birmingham was a tiny little vil- lage then--thats been 37 years ago and when l stepped off the train yesterday and saw the skyscrapers and the splendid buildings and hotels and churches and every thing. l ex- claimed with delight for I have never seen such charming 5e-year-old city anywhere in all my life" said Miss Evans.
 When I came to Birmingham in AoSf was ptaylHS Tn fogg Ferry she continued Following Mrs Fiske and by the strangest sort of fate do you know that the first actress I ever saw was Effie Ellsler who Is playing the same part in the New York company of The Bat that 1 am playing here. And> more than that Fife Ellsler's brother is the manager Of Nour company which is playing in in Birmingham.
 My debut?' Miss Evans said after me, I followed Mrs. Fiske with Bar ney Macaulay in The Messenger From Jarvis Section.' and I have fol- lowed her In many of her other plays~
 How old-fashIoned the plays au seemed--"Fogg's Ferry" and "The Messenger fSom Jarvis section"-and 10 think of this delightfui lady still young and lovely, talented and clever. playing In the modern. up-to-d date plays, with all the f;ntsse and grace that Is possible for any actress to put into the roles.
 But then. there was Mrs. Leslie Carter, whom I saw in New York last week with John Drew in 'The Cir- cle"-one of the most chamingly act ed plays I saw during my entire visit, which goes on to prove that the &C., tresses of other days still hold their own in the affections of the public which has adored them for years past
 As for my role in The Bat" Miss Evans said, please let mo tell you how perfectly stunning it is. Tn the first place, of course, you've read the 'Tish stories of Mary Roberts Rine- hart's, and you know 'Tish as the