Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-21
In THE COMIC VEIN
Run Most of the Attractions at the
Theaters This Week.
CRANE A SUCCESSFUL SENATOR.
Blue Jeans and the Comic Opera Ship AhOy
Two New Works.
VARIETY IN MANY ATTRACTIVE FORMS

Alter the food of worthless plays and bad
actors from which Pittsburg has suffered OF
late the advent of such play as The Sem
ator" and such an actor as William ID.
Crane is a blessing of no small dimensions
to theater-goers. Pittsburg has chance
now to recover from the attacks of the the
atrical grippe, of which the influence
and the fashions" appear to have been
alike dangerous and disagreeable.
THE Senator" was produced last night
with every desirable adjunct in the way of
scenery and cast at the Duquesne Theater.
1t is the New York production in very
truth, and it need hardly be said, very
finished performance. The play is clever;
its plot ingenious and interesting, and es-
sentiallv American in local color, in incl
dents and characters. The Capitol at Wash
ington impends upon the play; you see
its white dome through the windows
of one scene, and the interior OF
one of the Senate committee rooms is repro
duced in another scene with remarkable
reality. In fact, the play is Washington
Congressional life slightly caricatured. Inc
late David D. Lloyd and Sidney Rosenteld
are its authors, and they deserve-tne
former in greater measure-credItt for having
made an American play without leaving
the country to borrow materials, manners,
or men. The Chinese Secretary of Legation
and the Austrian diplomats are foreigners
to be sure, but they domiciled in Washing
ton and very familiar figures in society at
the capital.
In the very plain and natural story about
which the play is built Mr.. Crane stands
out boldly as a representative American-a
Western Senator such as occasionally slip
into the "Millionaires Club" by accident or
popular tidal wave. Mr.. Crane is entirely
at home in the character; his attributes are
those of Senator RiCerS, and his voice, his
manner and his temperament enable him to
give a manliness, a rugged virtue and charm
TO the impersonation which entitle it to
high place in the gallery of American stage
creations. The Senator RirerS of Mr.. Crane
will rank with the Bardl0eH Slote OF Flor
ence, and indeed it is a companion picture
10 some extent
The company surrounding Mr.. Crane is
exceptionally strong, and the play doubtless
owes not little of Its charm 10 the conf
pleteness of the presentation. Miss Hattie
Russell gave a delightful picture of
young widow of highly developed sus-
ceptihility and great heart. The natural
volatility of Miss RuSselPs manner is
very amusing, and she resisted with great
bravery the temptation to exaggerate which
Overcame one or two of her associates.
Mr.. Herbert, Tor instance, mars slightly
a capital 0elineation OF an explosive scamp,
very common in Washington, by magnify
ing the humorous high lights, and Henry
Braham, as Baron Ling Ching, also over
does the Mongolian emotions little. Miss
Katharine Florence is very sweet aud
gracious as the heroine, Mabel DenmGn,
and the work of Miss Annie O'NeiIl, Mr..
Devere, Mr.. Frawley and Mr.. Bergman
may be classified as artistic in high de-
gree.