Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-17
AT THE THEATERS.
The Old Homestead-0ne Of the Old Stock
and Other Plays.

The Old Homestead-0ne Of the Old Stock
and Other Plays.
''The Old Homestead is a sweet rural story,
suggestive of all the pleasant side of country
life, descriptive of all that is good and loveable
in simpleminded honest old farmer. 1t is
not drama in the right senseo of the word
There is so little of the truly dramatic in it that
one is surprised that it holds the attention of
the audience SO closely for more than two
hours. In its success it is, shown that the peo-
pie like story simply and sweetly told, with
out the jar OF rapid action, without the force
of climax.
What is the storyr 1t is nothing more than
this: Joshua Whitcon,5 Down East farmer,
goes to New York to find his son, who has
wandered off to the great city with no definite
purpose. He finds the boy in evil ways, and
induces him to come home Ali the rest of the
story is byplay, and little of it deserves no
better name than padding. But it is all fresh
and wholesome, and true to nature Joshua
WhitcoDlo is farmer of the old Eastern type;
and Matilda Whitcon,b is peculiarly clever
portrait of a woman who is to be found in
many farm outside as well as in New Hamp-
shire.
Last night THE Old Homesteadn was PLAYED
at the Grand Opera House. 1t is nicely staged,
although the scenery is not calculated to do
more than aid the imagination of the beholder.
Inc dapm scene Is intensely realistic sithough
with TWO unhappy pigeons in it. The Grace
church scene, with its stained glass windows
and the moonlight effects upon the graceful
Outline OF New Yorks fashionable Episcopal
church, is pretty, and the other pictures aIe
satisfactory. so much has been said about the
minute accuracy OF every detail in the scenery.
about the broad and artistic representation of
life itself in this play that unwillingly we are
bound TO confess that this production of The
Old Homestead is somewhat Disappointing
When we come to consider Joshua Whitcon1b
himself as delineated by Mr.. Archie Boyd, how
ever, the very highest praise can freely be
given. 1t is unnecessary to compare his concep-
tion of the character with Mr.. Denman Thomp-
son's-they are practically the same-and it is
needless to 60 into details in lauding Mr..
Boyd's work. The old farmer is a delicious
sight to the eye, the hearty tones of his voice
are welcome to the ear, and whether it be his
quiet humor or as quiet pathos the impression
made is sudden and powerful. No better piece
of comedy has been seen here for long while.
Miss Henrietta Irving made an excellent Aunt
Matilda, the Rtcketty Ann of Miss Florence
Wyatt had the ring of nature in it and some of
the other characters were well presented. In
minor places tEer is an exaggeration of eccen-
trio characters which greatly damages the per-
fOrmance as whole. The incidents supposed
to occur on Broadway suggest farce comedy
rather than life. To the general attraction of
the play is added some singing OF very high
order. The double quartet is above the aver
age in voice and musical training. The au-
dience thoroughly enjoyed 1.-The Old Home
stead' from beginning to end.