Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-24
AT THE THEATERs.
The o. 8. Mail : Miss wainwright In
Twelfth NIght-Other Plays.

A farce comedy, with subject entirely new,
could not but be welcome and the consequences
was that the Bijou was packed TO the doors
last night, even standing room being
hard to get. "The U. 8. MAIL" written by Mr..
George G. jerks. is farce comedy absolutely.
There is not the slightest danger of anyone be-
ing in doubt about what it is. A ceaseless en-
deavor to provoke laughter underiies the
whole piece, and when the laugh is gotten that
is the end of the episode, situation, joke or
song AS to the plot, "The U. s. Mail" hardly
boasts any that is worth mentioning. Silds
Hokum (Kirtland Calhoun), the editor Of a
weekly newspaper, has been commissioned
postmaster. He has had for an opponent in
the struggle for the position an Irish drug
gist, Major Cunning Orchard Quilter). who
tries all he can to get Hotum out, and hires a
tramp printer, Hi Hand (Frank Dayid), to
medium of his own paper. Further than that.
he persuades everybody that Hi Hand is an
English lord in disguise, which character the
obliging printer is willing enough to MI.
Nordh OFTynn. an Irish housemaid (Kate
Davis). and the postmaster's pretty daughter,
Ida mamie Haym AMI, with four young school
companions of Ida, fill in the picture with
pretty faces and prettier dresses.
In the cast Mr.. Frank David occupies the
principal place. Upon him the burden of the
work falls. He is quite equal to the task. and
makes his embodiment Of very impecunious
act Mr.. David brought down the house repeat
edly with his comic endeavors to obtain 2
breakfast To him Miss Kate Davis should
have been partner in creating laughter but
the part assigned to her gave her very small
chance to do anything. Miss Davis is so seldom
on the stage that it seems species Of satire to
print her name in extra letters on the
by the author apparently to NIL
an important place in the play,
but some higher power seems to have cut out
same, what Miss Davis did she did as usual,
with all her might. She gave several imita-
tions of voices, from soprano to bass, and
pictured most truly the antics of child pleased
applauded highly, she could not do, for the
simple reason that her part in the play ended
there. It was wonderful. indeed, that Mr..
Frank David contrived to make all the fun
Mr.. Kirkland Calhoun gave mildly hu.
morous rendering Of a brightly conceived char
acter in SiLds HokuD1, the postmaster. = Rich
ard Quilter, as an Irish,druggist. who sings an
against the postmaster. was funny. Miss
Mamie Hayman was principally effective with
her ''Cry Babyp' song. and the other girls sue
ceeded in looking bewitching in the prettiest
dresses that have ever been provided for
shapely young women in farce comedy. The
accOrdeon skirts of delicious and very vivid
shades Of silk makea novel and charming ef-
feet They would be seen to still better advan-
tage if the wearers danced more often and
better in them. Miss Jennie David, one of
these accordeon-draped damsels, also appeared
in masculine attire, and it proved becoming to
her.
The audience unmistakably approved the
play. The first act is as good as anything we
have seen in farce comedy; the second act is
fair and can be easily made immensely taking,
and the third act is comparatively weak. From
the general appearance of the play we should
imagine that the dialogue has been slashed TO
pieces, the situations torn from their original
moorings and the greatest liberties taken with
the sketches of characters. The subject is
novelty, and the clever usage of it in the first
two acts are enough to assure the success OF
the piece. With very little expense of brains
and money the third act can be made climatic
instead Of slumpy, and then "The o. g. Mail"
will be the best farce comedy on the road. As
it is the fun of the piece is enough to delight
audiences, but with SO much material going to
waste greater results ought to be looked for.