St. Paul daily globe., 1891-09-14
MINNEAPOLIS.
AMUSEMENTS. A

1t is not often that the opportunity is
afforded the people of this generation,
much less the people of this particular
community, to witness the production
Din the stage of the work of modern
genius. In the opinion of many that
opportunity was offered at the Lyceum
last evening. where Henry Guy Carle-
toms play, The Lions Mouth" was
presented by Frederick Warde and
company Mr.. Carleton may not be a
genius, but the lines he has written in
This play proclaim him as related to that
family. This is play written in blank
verse. 1t is strong play, abounding
in dramatic situations, and affording
opportunities for the display of dramatic
genlus-a complete play in all that that
Implies. More than tnat, it is poetry
genuine poetry. Fortunately the stage
production of 1t is III the hands of ca
pable actor, who has surrounded HIM
self with capable company. The plot
Of the play has already been outlined in
The columns of the GLOBE. The scene
Is LAID in Venice amid those stormy
times that have come to Venice more
than to any other spot on earth-tO
the Venice of old, that is, in the
days OF the Inquisition. 1t is story of
love and war. 1t deals with the strong
est passions that animate men, love of
country, love Of woman, and revenge.
With it is told the story of the gentle
maid whose heart is torn by the conflict
eff her love for a man and her sense of
fiial duty. The story is well told by
the author. 1t is more than told, it Is
represented by the actors. In the char
acter of Rinaldo Mr.. Warde is seen at
his best The part fits him. He graspS
and conveys them to the au-
ditor Enthusiastically. Mr.. Warde
is, with the exception of Edwin
Booth, the only really great tragedian
on the American stage. His reputation
suffers none 10y his rendition of Rlnaldo,
in The Lions Mouth" In Charles
Herman, Mr.. Warde finds an able as
sistant. He has the part OF Friar An
geo, and it suffers none in his hands.
He looks and acts the character. Harry
Leighton is excellent as Marco, the
man has the leading female part, that
of Linora, Rinaldo's love. The good
opinions that she won when here last
summer are confirmed. Miss Fannie
Bowman, the Marcella, is clever little
woman who fills partly comedy role.
As a whole, the balance of the cast is
good.
The Old, Old Story'' company
opened yesterday with Sunday matt
nee at the Bijou to a fair house. The
play is production OF the high order
of dramatic art, which always chal-
lenges the admiration of an audience.
IT is beautiful story, written around
the wholesome home life of New York
city, not emitting some of its caprices
and pretenSiOnS. The sentiment of the
play is happy and enobling, though at
times most provoking, intermingled
with the Sterner realiStics Of the finan-
cial and business life. The vicissitudes
and sorrows, which human nature i'll
heTts, make them felt throughout the
play in natural ways. The sufferings
of the people who tell the story are
brought about as in life, by the cruelty
of circumstances, not the mechanism of
of bloOd-drinking stage villain, there
by spaIing the audience the unnecessary
torture of such presence. The plot
upon whole is somewhere near pict-
ure of real life. 1t is not great play.
neither is it one burdened with tireSome
abnormal ideas or heroic stage rot lines.
1t affords one couple of hours of pleas
ing entertainment. 1t pretends to no
more. The cast consists of ten cOmpe-
tent artists. who have been carefully Sc
lected for their parts, among them
MeSSrS. Charles L. WatrouS. Emmett T..
King, Wilton Deal, Misses Fannie Nc
1ntyre, Bertlne Robinson, Isabelle Mar
tin. Wilson Deals presentation of
Cyrus Bliss, NJ. D., is as good piece of
eccentric comedy as one often sees.
Miss Mclntyre's many friends of this
city will be pleased to see that she has
become an actress OF such real merit.
She has a correct conception Of her part
and the artistic worth to keep within
appropriate limits.
Tonight at the Pence the Criterion
Specially company, an excellent organ
iZation, opens weeks engagement. 1t
comes highly praised, and, the advance
sale being big, will have large business.