Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-23
WON AT List.
The Opening of the Steele -Mackaye Com
binatiOU.

The Opening of the Steele -Mackaye Com
binatiOn.
The Steele Mackaye combination COM
menced brief engagement at the Opera
house last night with the presentation of the
popular society drama "Won at Last" which
was played to an appreciative and first class
audience. The drama is is in four acts of suf.
fcient interest to please the average play goer
and bring into fair play the strength of the
company, which is very evenly proportioned.
The plot Is somewhat after the pattern that
the Augustln Daily and BARLEY Campbell
school has succeeded In popularizng, and
from which the present dramatist has drawn
some very clever material. 1t is execrably
French in style, which means that vice
is CLOSED over and virtue deprecated.
The curtain rises on wedding scene, at which
the audience is introduced to the leading char
acters of the play. These consist of a young
Englishman, who has inherited fortune
from his father, its control being subject to
the condition that he selects wife in Ameri-
ca. Having passed number of years amid
the gay and dissipated scenes of Paris, he
makes up his mind to renounce the follles of
his youth and settle down, in compliance with
the wishes of his father. In this country he
is introduced to young lady of great personal
charms and attractions, and speedy court
ship results in their marriage, on which the
play opens. The hasty wedding is scarcely
consammated before the disturbing element
appears on the scene in the person of the for
mer mistress of the young husband, an art
full and maliciOus French woman.
She is despera y in love with the young
man, pursues hin. 10 America, and on hearing
OF his marriage, resolves to wreck their hap
piness, and, in order to carry out her plans,
she contracts marriage de convenience with
a person whose low intellectual calibre is ad-
mlrably suited TO assist the working out of
the plot.
The interest Of the plot is further increased
by the unexpected appearance of an old sweet
heart, supposed to be dead, who returns from
a long sea voyage in time to become involved
in the deception by the cunning and intrigue
of the discarded and passionate French WON
an. From the groundwork an interesting
plot is evolved.
The denouement is brought around by the
discovery OF the depraved character of the
Partisan, whose guilt is unveiled by an Italian
count former acquaintance. The means
employed by the woman to disrupt the mar
riage is billet doux written some years be-
fore the time of action, and owing to the
omission of the date, the amorous epistle is
admirably calculated to deceive the wife, who
accepts the sentiments as evidence of her hus-
Dand's perndlty and love for another.
Mr.. Steele Mackaye takes the role of the
young husband, John Fleming. and makes
strong part of it. AS Grace Fleming, Miss
Belle Archer appears to good ad-
vantage aud treats the audience to
several hits of ii e emotional acting.
The characters of Will Tracy, the youthful
lover Of the heroine, is well taken by Mr.. F.
Oakes Rose and Mr.. Frank F. MacKaye, makes
a pleasing and semi humorous personation az
Prof. Tracy the father of Will.
As Mrs. Bunker the designing and disap-
pointed French woman, Miss Louise Sylvester
appears to excellent advantage. That is to
say, she makes the character as detestable as
it could very well be, and in this it success
Her resentment, cunning and rage are vel
depicted. As the Count Marnano, Mr. Archer
does some good work, and Mr.. Sands makes
an amusing Mr.. Bunker, the silly liege of ths
artful ParIsian. The remainder of the cast il
evenly impersonated. Tonight the s'Fooli
Errand' will be presented.