St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-20
PEACEFUL VALLEY.


There is an element of enthusiasm about
first night audience that any other assem-
blage of people utterly lacks st. Paul first
nighters go with the laudable intention of
being severely critical, and of judging the
production solely on its merits; but they
don't do it-not a bit of it. They applaud till
their individual and collective palms are in
dividual and collective masses of blisters
They applaud every time there's the slightest
encouragement to do so, and oftent1mes
when one heartily wishes they wouldn't; but
they are good-natured, easily pleased, and
heartily enjoy themselves
il
Last night was the first night of Sol Smith
Russell at the Metropolitan. incidentally,
Mr.. Russell appeared in a three-act drama
called Peaceful Valley As dramatic
construction Peaceful Valley is a remarka-
bly, fiat affair." AS Sol Smith Russell it is a
tremendous success. 1t is conventional
lied example of the Old Homestead type of
plays, and has as its central feature the
character of Hosea Howe. The play has
nothing at all new about it, ard toward the
last drags a little. Sol Smith Russell is Its
salvation. Hasea Howe in his hands be-
comes a classic A more wabbly pair of
comedy legs, or more beautifully expressive
face than Mr. RusseIl's was never seen.
From the first word he spoke his audience
was III sympathy with him. His innocent
smile is so iTresistibly full of quiet humor
and his serious moments so touched with ex-
qulsite pathoS that not to be charmed by his
conception of the character would be i'm
possible.
j
Miss Minnie Radcliffe has never been seen
to better advantage. As Virgie Rand she is
as sweet and lovable a bit of femininity as
stageland ever sees. Her gowns are as
charming as herself. In the first act she
wears dancing frock of SALMON pink surah.
The V-shaped bodice and the puffed elbow
sleeves are studded with steel nailheads
which decoration is continued on the gilt
tinsel girdle. The skirt is slightly draped
and demiirain. Miss Radcliffe wears
brown gloves and shoes, and carries pink
gauze fan to which quite a history attaches
1t has painted on 1t a bull fight and was
brought from Cuba as a mascot. In the
second act Miss Radcliffe wears an i'm
ported gown of dark blue serge and pale
blue crepon. The dark blue overlook
opens with frogs on the left side over pale
blue undertakes. The frock in the last act
is simple white India silk with Vaen-
themes lace.
Il
Miss Anna Belmont as Niobe Farquhar
makes the most of every opportunity in
rather limited part She is eharmingly nat
ural and dresses well. Her first costume is a
demi-train, slightly decollete gown of pale
| green Pompadour silk. with an odd but
| pretty trimming of gold passementerie. Her
gloves are white, and she carries green
feather fan. In the second act Miss Belmont
wears white and red French flannel dress
that fits maryeloIsly. Her shoes, gloves,
parasol and hat trimming are red, and alto
gether, she is very good TO look at In the
last act she wears cinnamon brown wool
street gown trimmed with broeade velvet.
- -
Arthur Byron as Jack Farquhar does a
very clever piece of work. Charles Brandt
makes very viliainOus villain. Mrs. Lester
is, as always, conscientious and pleasing.
The rest of the cast is very pleasing.
Peaceful Valley is distinctly a one-char-
acter play, and that one character received a
perfect ovation last night Every utterance
was greeted with applause. After the first
act repeated calls brought Mr.. Russell before
the curtain and induced him TO make
| characteristic speech. thanking the audience
for their kind appreciation Of his efforts and
those of his company. He said he had
desired the favor Of a ST. Paul au-
| dience because he had feared that
his kind reception in Minneapolis had been
| due to the fact that as he was a resident of
| the town the audience was made up largely
| of friends ana creditors. He hoped he had
| presented play and a character full of hui
man life with a nervous system everybody
| could recognize. His remarks were inter
rupted by frequent applause. and his every
entrance brought down the house.
Il
The audience was in summer attire, with
fans that stopped fiuttering only when the
| interest in the play grew intense. All the
| boxes were filed, two OF them by party of
| young men from Minneapolis, who wed with
the gods in, applause. Most of the women
in the boxes were without bonnets in accord
anee with the pretty custom in vogue in
larger cities. Among the occupants of boxes
were: Miss Alice Day. Miss Sophia Greve,
| Miss Josephine Kalman, Capt. Porter. Mrs.
| Arnold Kalman, Mr. and Mrs. L. u. Cowles.
| Miss Cowles, Mrs L. N Scott and party, Mr..
| Dixson and party, Mrs. F. IL. Peavey and
| party, DR.. and Mrs. c. E. Lawton, Mrs. c. W.
Peet. Miss Andruss, Mr.. and Mrs. Hamilton,
| Chicago, Mr.. and Mrs. De Wore, Miss Mat
! thews, T. E. Bentley, George Belden, Tom
Wallace, L. Wreen, P. Wreen. Victor Eliing,
T. Haffelfnger, w. H. Heffelfnger, l.. C.
! Newell II u Todd and II Griffin