Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-22
AT TIE THEATERs.
Little Lord Fauntleroy Himself-The Byrons
-Other Plsys md Piavers

Other Plays md Players.
Every man, woman and child who goes to the
Grand Opera House this week will be the bet
ter for the visit. To the average man 1t will be
a glimpse of the best and most gracious hours
of his boyhood that little Lord Fduntteroy will
bring back to him; to every woman, and
especially to every mother. the revelation Of
that almost divine sympathy between mother
and child which Is the keynote Of Mrs. Bur-
nett's story, must prove indescribably touching,
and to the children all the natural truth Of this
portrait of princely boy cannot fail to be de-
lightful.
The reader of the book "Little Lord Faunt-
leroy' is prone to doubt the possibility of
translating the story into the drama without
losing the wonderful charm of Mrs. Burnett's
style, and the delicacy of the touch, as it were
We are free to admit that we expected to find
Lord Fduntleroy in her play very much
coarser character than the hero of the book.
Those whom the footlights shine upon have to
be made up to stand the glare. The
lights of the stage are artificial; and
the great charm Of Mrs. Burnetts
tale is its naturalness. the accuracy Of
the distribution of light and shade. Well, we
were disappointed, for all the charm Of the
book is in the play, my little lord loses none OF
his nobility upon the stage. and the only differ
ence is-and it is desirable-that the play tells
the story more dramatically than the book.
Last night Master Tommy Russell stepped
out of one of the illustrations of Mrs. Burnett's
book upon the stage of the Grand Opera
House, and large audience had the pleasure
of making the acquaintance of Little Lord
Fuuntleroy himself. Never was there in the
world prettier picture of a sweettempered,
high-spirited boy than this theatrical Lord
Fauntleroy A beautiful boy with golden
curls, and bright, honest eyes, and straight
limbs, and ruddy cheek, and voice that would
melt q stonier heart than his lordship's
the Earl of Dorinc0urrs. In his white blouse
and knickerbocker, as Cedric Ferrol, the son of
a poor widow in New York, the intimate friend
of Hobbs, the groceryman and Dick, the boot
black, he was as delightful as he afterward was
in the fastest Of clothing befitting the EarPs
son and heir, Lord Fduntleroy. And as'he is
graceful and fair, and sweetvoiced and the
very image physically of Mrs. Burnett's crea-
tion, so Master Tommy Russell by his extraor-
binary ability as an actor succeeds in bringing
out every point Of pathos, every jot Of humor
that lines or situation contain. He never made
YOU remember he was merely acting. Self
consciousness he apparently knows nothing Of.
None of the defects of child actors-that awful
cleverness that makes the spectator desire to
hide his eyes-or the forgetfulness so natural IN
ayoungster; none of these has he. The result
was that the beauty of the character in living
flesh and FLOOD was set before the audience.
How they admired it was shown by the laugh
ter tears and applause in all parts of the house.
The company supporting Master Russell Is a
very good one. The Dearest of Miss Elizabeth
Garth had a rare sweetness and dignity which
personal beauty and refinement heightened.
Mr.. Aiken was admirable as the Earl Of DORM
court, simply admirable. Mr.. Snyder gives
very fair picture of an English family lawyer.
Hobbs, the groceryman, could hardly be made
more humorous than Mr. Parkhurst makes it,
and Dick has at least the true New York Bowery
accent in his impersonation by MI. Henderson.
There is just room for question as to whether
Miss Emily Lytton does not make Nina, the
pretender, a little too offensive, but there
is no doubt at all about the cleverness
of her acting of the part. The scenery is not
wonderful, but good enough. It ought not to
take such an awful time to set as it did last
night The play ought to be over by 1870 in
stead of II, and as SO many children will be pres
sent each night this matter is worth attend
ing to.
In conclusion it may be said that such re-
freshing and beneficial play as Little Lord
Fauntleroy" is rare treat indeed. 1t is unlike
anything in the catalogue Of plays.