Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-31
AMONG THE THEATERS.

| E. II. Sothern Scores q Success in a New
Play at the Duquesne-Sol Smith Russell
at the Grand-The Ever-Popular scanlan
at the BUou.
"The Master of Woodbarrow," as rendered
| by E, Fl. Sothern and company, is a forcible
| illustration of the axiom that the merit of a
story lies in the telling. There Is nothing new
in a country lad suddenly finding himself rich.
and teing transported into a world of fashion.
for which all his former habits and associations
unfit him. We have read and seen such stories
dozens of times, and very often have felt that
this motive for q novel or play is so trite and
hackneyed that it has nothing either interest
ing or amusing in 1t.
"The Master of Woodbarrow'' is this old
story over again. and Jerome X. Jerome has
shown his ingenuity in giving it flavor OF
originality that is not developed, however,
until about the middle OF the first act. There
is too much talk az the beginning of the play,
and it is dry and dreary talk, too. But when
Sothern steps upon the scene as Allen RoHttt
| with Devonshire dialect and haughtiness
that is in thorough keeping with the homelike
surroundings of Woodbarrow Farm, the
tagging attention of the audience is arrested
and the real enjoyment of the performance
begins.
Mr.. Jerome has shown that he is an actor
and a stage manager in his construction OF the
play. His climaxes are startling very often,
| but they are always natural. We are taken by
| surprise, but after the first shock Of astonish-
| menr has passed away we recognize that the
| circumstance that startled us is what we might
have expected. Even the sudden death by
heart disease of a scheming villain in the first
act, and the return of the rightful heir In the
second do not seem to be forced situations
We argue, why should not man under the
pressure OF strong excitement be stricken
with death, and why should not the rightful
heir return at such an unopportune moment
for Alien, when he had been making his way
FrArr f4r 70 q
| could? 1.-THE Master of Woodbarrow'' is not
such polished work as 1.-THE Henrietta" per-
| haps, but it is full of human feeling, and its
carpentry. is that of master mechanic in
stage work.
"The Master of Woodbarrown abounds in
| character studies, but whether this is due to
| the author or the company can hardly be deter
mined. The performance is so neat and each
member of the company fills his part SO easily
| that one can only judge of the general effect,
| without going deeply into analysis:
Mr.. Southern. as the unsophisticated coun'
try lad, Allen Rot1it,g gives us one of those hon.
est ideal characters that we are pleased to asso-
| ciate with the rustic surroundings of the En-
| gish counties. His dialect is good, and 1t
seems to drop easily from his tongue. He has
keen sense of humor, too and exercises it in
dry way that is intensely enjoyable, while In
his tender scenes he is altogether delightful
Miss Jenny Dunbar, as Debordh Deacon. the
country girl, who loves AHsn, is simply be-
| witching. There is too much natural refine
ment in her accent to be hidden under the
rough Devonshire dialect, however. The same
| objection applies to Kate Pattison-Selten as
Mrs. RoLIttt although otherwise her perform
| ance is excellent.
A very clever character hit is that of Angus
tus Coole as the finicking valet, Mr. Pt1tn.
morton Selten, as heavy swell. is, OF course,
in his element, and Virginia Harmed, as the
cold, beautiful woman of the world. Clara
DEXTER, is awfully magnificent. Rowland
Buckstone Owen Fawcett and C. B. Butterheld
are other good members of the cast.
The play is well mounted. The kitchen at
Woodbarrow farm is perfect. 1t is no imita-
tion, but real kitchen, with real range upon
which real fish is cooked in a real irving pan. as
is proved by the smell OF fried fish that per-
meates the auditorium in the first act.
"The Master Of Woodbarrow" is an IN
eQulvocal success in Pittsburg.