The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-01-24
Paquita.

matters. were aware that PaQuita had
been the --LATEST kind of failure first in
New York, second in San Francisco,
and then everywhere else it had been pre-
scented; such people went to the Theatre
last evening more to learn what there
was in the piece that had determined
Lewis Morrison in keeping it alive, than
from any other motive. The absence OF
any public reputation to the play
caused the lightest turnout the com
panv had vet played to, though it was
not by any means bad audience.
1t is easy enough to see why Paquita
has been a failure, though we confess
that we we're pleasantly disappointed
in findings it, much more meri-
torious dramatic work than good
many eastern papers had represented
it. The whole fault is in the
very flaring and broad sensuality of
the piece, and any amount OF good act
ing. and any number OF strong Incl
dental situations-and there was sutfi-
cheney of both last evening-could not
make an audience overlook or forget
the motif of the play. In another zone,
PaQuita might be very popular-we are
liCtle too far north for it here. A doc
tor (Morrlson) and his wife Miss Wood)
are living a retired life in Mexico, the
husband buried IN his studies, the wife
young, pretty, frivolous. and pining for
excitement and admiration. a friend
(Rolden) arrives to spend month and
has not been lodged in the house half
that time before he has won the wife's
affections and dishonored the husband.
The lovers are betrayed by Paqulta,
Mexican girl who has long
loved the doctor despite, the fact that he
was already married. The wife is
driven out and her paramour Is driven
after he--a departure from the old
routine. Before he goes, however, he
has the gall to put up as defence that
the husband was in fault for allowing
his wife to be so much alone with him.
The wife's brother in the meantime,
arrives and proceeds to do what the
husband should have done-ayenge the
familyf horror by vowing to kill the
false friend. A duel ensues, and
the paramour falls dangerously
wounded. A consultation of the
doctors is held-a difficult operation
must be performed-and there is no
physician bold enough to attempt 1t.
Stopl There is one-Manuel-th the hus-
band, of course; he has, however, ceased
10 practice, and it is cQubtful whether
he will come from hisstNrmit-like retire
ment. He does come finally, but when
he discovers who his patient is he
refuses 10 aid him. Prevailed upon by
his brother NJ. DIS, at last. he performs
the operation-and scornfully filings the
bullet he has extracted, at the feet OF
his agonized wife-a situation decidedly
ingenious, and one on which Morrison
won a recall. In the last act the wife OF
course comes in dressed in black with
her hair down her back, and dies
repentant in her husbands arms,
Ieavingf the fate of the villain undeter-
mined and the love of Paquita-who
has chung to the doctor through thick
and thin-unrequited.
Morrison has kept Paquita from being
shelved, it is evident, because the
character of the doctor is one which SO
eminently suits his quiet, reserved style
of a,.trng: ne was, we think, more in his
true line than in anything we have seen
him do during this engagement; Miss
Wood also played her very repellant
part extremely we'll; Mr.. Wills had but
little to do, but he did that little well.
Mr.. Holden is never bad, but he was
not the man for the false friend, to Sc
cure whose love the wife wrecked her
soul; he looked more like sophomore
out for a vacation. The other parts,
except that of Stephano. were filed &C
ceptably; if this gentleman was tough
as the TAILOR IN the Galley Slave, as the
Mexican in Paquita he was simply
gristly. Miss Roy played the title role
neatly and charmingly; it was very
graceful without being great perform
ance. A little singing outside the
scenes, done by two or three people, was
quite bad; as it was introduced at the
time the false friend lay dangerously
wounded, it is probable that it finished
him, and hence we find no further men,
ton of him in the play.
During his recall Mr.. Morrison ad-
vanced to the footlights and made
very neat and happy speech, thanking
the audiencej for having contributed to
the success of his engagement. and
stating that possibly, not positively, he
should return week after next and rem
der Hazel Kirke for one night only.
Mr.. Morrison will be welcome whenever
he sees fit to return, as will also Mr..
Wills, Miss Wood and the other lead
ing people of the company.