Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-20
entertainments.
HYPERION THEArHR.


Mr.. E. Il. Sothern and company from
the Lyceum theater presented ''The Mais-
Ter of Woodbarrow" to a large audience
last evening. The play is from the pen of
Mr.. Jerome K. Jerome and the scene is laid
in a village in Devonshire 1t is a comedy
fully up to the high standard of the Lyceum
theater, and the title role of 'tAllen Rollitt"
is worthy of the best efforts of the talented
young actor who assumes it. The plot is
simple, not too probable, and intensely in
teresting. The comedy element prevails,
but there are situations, notably the escape
of 'tDan Cassidy" in the last act, that are
most serious and dramatic. The fun is
pure satire and the pathetic positions are
real touches of nature. The play opens at
Woodbarrow farm, and the fact is maids
known in good old Devonshire dialect that
<tAllen Rollitt' is true hearted lad, be-
loved by his mother and Deborah Dea-
ningford," the rightful heir of the Wood
barrow estate, has been in America since
childhood. Toward the close of the act
f'Dan Cassidy" appears and introduces a
gentleman as the long absent Orchard Har-
rington," now returned to claim his. estate.
just as this gentleman is presented to the
village folk, he is stricken with heart dis
ease, and by this sudden death "Allen
Rollitt," being the next of kin, becomes
master of Woodbarrow. The second act
finds the Devonshire boy in possession of
his estate and living in Piccadilly. His
valet trys hard to teach him to eat and
dress and walk like gentleman, and Dan
Cassidy" and his associates try equally
hard to make him smoke and drink and
gamble like real swell. In this latter
undertaking they are aided by CLARA
Dexter" who cancels her marriage
with "Dan Cassidy" and allows the parvenu
to make love to her. In the third act the
real Orchard Hamingford" makes his ap-
pearanoe. He tells how dan Cassidy"
tried to murder him in America, of his
miraculous escape and of his great desire
to find his would-be assassin. "Allen" is
about to surrender the villain, when
"Clara Dexter" confesses everything, and
for her sake "Allen" spares her husbands
life and assists him to escape to Australia.
Tired of riches, the boy surrenders his es-
tate to the rightful heir and returns
to the farm and Deborah" The
character of "Allen Rollitt, with its
Devonshire dialect, the ludicrous attempts
at dandyism and the true-heartedness that
shines through all, is the best which Mr..
Sothern has yet given us. His great sue
cess lies in the earnestness with which he
part, but puts his whole heart in it, and if
he has mannerisms they do not seem to
grow upon him. But Mr.. Sothern did not
| do all the acting. Mr.. Augustus Cook as
| the valet made fully as much fun
as his master. Miss Jennie Dunbar
made a very sweet "Debora'," and Miss
Virginia Harmed was admirable in the
thankless role of "Clara Dexter" Taken
| altogether, the performance was as thor.
oughly enjoyable as that given by the
observation-disclosures company few weeks
ago. In fact, there are many who prefer
new comedies to old ones, especially when
as perfectly presented as was "The Mails
ter of Woodbarrow" last night The play
will be repeated tonight, and another
large audience is assured
| GRAND OPERA HOUSE. --
| Edgar Selden makes his two last appear
ances in his picturesque Irish play, evil
o. the wisp," this afternoon and evening
The play is good one and has been mos
cordially received.
''The Waits of New York" comes on tn
first half of next week, and ga Bunch o
Keys" Hoyt's funny farce, on the las
half.
PRocToR's OPERA HOUSE.
Emmett, the merry ''Fritz," was enthu
siastically greeted last night. The audi
ence was large and the remarkable patho
of this popular comedians songs and tn
spontaneous humor of his comedy wer
roundly applauded. s'Fritz" never ha
been seen here at better advantage thai
he was last night in sUncle Joe, or Frit
in q Mad House, There is but little dra
matte strength to the play, but one forget
this while entranced by the clever work O
the actor. The charming naivete of hi
leading lady, Miss Helen Shedwick, wa
in happy harmony with his own artist
performance but the rest of the compan
was ordinary. 'Fritz" is always sure of
hearty welcome here.
AN EXHIBITION OF FAT WOMEN.
There will be novel exhibition at th
Atheneum next week. It will consist c
ten fat women, the largest ever known
They will arrive in this city to-morro'
morning, and several of Smedleys lare
trucks have been secured to transport thel
to their hotel. esa-' ~ 50 -s-ss ,zS2as =
u - - +