Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-12
AT THE THEATERs.
Tho Henrietta Revealed = Ballets and
Scenery-Other Plays.


Scenery-Other Plays.
In spite of the obliging hints.of the lucky
elect who saw Bronson Howard's 'The Henri
eta" in New York most Pittsburgers till, now
have been at loss. to know what 1.-THE Henri
eta" might be. Was it chestnut flly, a
ballet girl, the witch of Wall street, or
what? Now, everybody who has
small store of coin to spare can discover
hat 1.-THE Henrietta" is one of the best, If
not the best of comedies written by an Amerl-
can author. Last night 1.-THE Henrietta" was
produced at the Grand Opera House before an
appreciative audience. Taking the perform
ance as whole it is the best Pittsburg is likely
to see in long while. Seldom is company SO
carefully and artisticaIly combined sent upon
the road to play to provincials. The provincials
may, with good deal of gratitude, take on
their hats to Messrs. Robson and Crane.
The strength of "The Henrietta" lies equally
in plot. situation and dialogue. The plot Is IN
gen1ous and absolutely new. and though the
possibility OF a shrewd old broker like Nfehotds
VdnGtsty1e fighting his own son and partner
on the stock market without knowing who his
adversary was may be doubted, the lines OF the
plot are led so deftly TO a climax that in the in
tive is lost sight of. The situations are con-
cedyed with a wonderful eve to effect The
glimpse of "Old Nick's" character
which his words, Not cent
a cent more, I'll turn him adrift on the world"
at the end of act l afford strikes like ham,
mer on clear bell, the tone of the play. The
most dramatic situation is that which con-
cludes act IL. The younger brother, the hope
less dude, heroically shields the elder-in ST.
lence throwing the eliminating letter, that
would clear him into the fire.
The comedy itself-the main skeleton of the
piece. exhibits Mr.. Howard's fancy in its hap
piest expression. The interview between the
old bull of the Exchange and the fashionable
widow, In which the former is trying to watch
the course of the stockmarket on the ticker
and to propose to the lady at the same time, is
deliciously funny. So in everything that in
wolves either of the principal actors, Messrs.
Robson and Crane
Now as to these principals, one might write
all night and yot fail to convey how natural
and how harmonious is the old stockbroking
king of Wall street of Mr.. Crane, and how en-
tirely laughable from make up to the accent in
his laconic utterances is the Anglomaniac dude
of Mr.. Robson. They have caught the idea of the
dramatist; they have photographed two Ameri-
can types OF character, and with just shade
OF eXaggerat1on present the pictures in the ad-
mirable frame provided for them. Some may
say Mr. Crane grimaces little too much, or
Mr.. Robson relies too often on tricks of his
throat and eyes, but no one can deny that they
have stolen couple of cartoons from natures
magazine and reproduced them with truth and
spirit.
But not all the good acting was had from the
stars. Mr.. Charles Kent was powerful, though
perceptibly striving after the Irvingesque in his
Characterization of the villain, Nicholas VdedL-
Styne, Jr HIS death as far as the physical phe-
nomena were concerned was terribly realistic.
Mr.. George woodward, triumphant carica-
ture in makeup Of the fashionable minister,
was excellent. So was Miss Ellie Wilton as
the sprightly widow. All the rest of the COM
pany can be accorded praise in different de-
gress, excepting possibly Mr. Lorimer Stoddard,
who makes the burlesque of an English lord so
thoroughly absurd and unlifelike, that the
real satire in the character is concealed.
ilan Il ,.I1--
of the best. The production is delightful in
every aspect