Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-26
THE TWO MASKS.
Tragedy and Comedy nt the Opera House
| and Bijou Theater-Vaudeville Stars at
the eAcademy-Other Amusemenfs,


and Bijou Theater-Vaudeville Stars at
the Academy-Other Amusemenfs.
With all the charity that we feel at the be
ginning of the season it is impossible to say
very much about "The Banker" in which Mr..
George Edgar and his company appeared last
night at the Grand Opera House. The play
has some strong situations and Mr.. Edgar is
undenably impressive in the title role. but taken
as whole. "The Banker is amateurish. badly
constructed, and tedious to degree. The
second act, in particular. is tiresome. Two
thirds of the act could be dispensed with; 1t is
irrelevant to the story of the play and in itself
devoid Of interest. Another cut that might
well be made would remove 1fltey EtIts. an
impossible girl masquerading as newsboy,
entirely from the play. What she mas 70 40
with the plot it would be Interesting to know.
Mr.. James Schonberg. who constructed "The
Banker" borrowed all that is really powerful
in the play from novel.of Mrs. ..Braddons. II Is
the story of an innocent man who has served
term IN prison for a crime committed by an
other, who in personal appearance was MS
counterpart, and thus able to throw the crime
on his shoulders After leaving the prison, on
hearing of the real criminals return from
South America, he goes to see him to secure
his aid in obtaining position. Meeting with
scorn and ridicule, in the heat of passion, he
kills his opponent, and as the man is stranger,
even to his daughter, who has not
and clothes with the dead man, allow
ing his own daughter to believe he has been
murdered. But his daughter, who In the hrst
act has been told the story of his early life Dy
himself, throws herself heart and soul into the
task of hunting evidence to convict her fathers
murderer. By woman's cunning she forces
herself into the apartments of (as she sup
poses) the murderer, only to recognize her
father, who tells her the whole story OF the
meeting of the two men. The daughter. by the
aid of her lover is able to prevent the arrest OF
her father as the murderer, and as he is serious
ly i'll when found, the excitement of the meet
lngs between his daughter and vagabond who
has been bleeding his pockets by the knowledge
of his secret is too much for him, and he dies
as a finale to the last act.
The discovery with which the third act closes
terest flags after it. Mr.. Edgar was able to
make Waiter Stanley intelligible at times only.
The character is very poorly drawn. In the
intense passages which have been noted above
Mr.. Edgar rose to the occasion with all
his old-time Are, and the audience enjoyed the
luxury of emotion. But in such an unnatural
and prolix story no actor could shine for long.
and the company one and all seemed weary of
the struggle with tons of needless dialogue.
Mr.. Harry Eytinge as very customary sort of
scamp was amusing. and the brief efferves-
cence of Miss Jessie West as farce comedy
soubrette. with an old but amusing little song,
was gratefully received. The audience en-
dured the performance patiently and kindly;
they could do no more. The Grand Opera
House looks very bright and clean, and the
chairs have been made comfortable enough.