The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-02
TIRE CHARITY BALL"
The Lyceum Company Played Before .
Magnificent Audience.


The largest and most brilliant audience of the
Lyceum season witnessed the CHARITY Ball.
last night at the Seattle opera house. and
throughout the four striking acts of the play
laughed and wept as humor and pathos passed
in breathing panorama, telling the story of the
play. The plot of the "Charity BALI is familiar
from repeated explanation. 1t is sufficient
to say in brief, that its main feature deals
with the;evil OF stock gambling, and exempliies
the degradation to which man may fall by
making ambition and money the sole object of
existence. Around this idea the playwrights
have weaved plot and counterpart, reveling in
sparkling high comedy, in genuine pathos,
until structure has been formed that proved
living, breathing creation. The "Charity Ball.
is q wonderfully clever play because it gets so
close a grip on human nature, and because il
is a series OF experiences, logically thrown to-
gether, that might have come into ordinary
lives About the play, from O literary stand
point, there is but one adverse comment to be
made. The character of the rector, John Van
Buren,, is overdrawn. In his perfect goodness
he resembles John Halifax, and those intimate
with human nature well know that Christlike
men are few in these degenerate days. 1t is,
however, commendable that those who teach
the popular mind from the stage should set up
high ideals, and thus elevate, encourage and
awaken the nobler sentiments in human nature
Herbert Kelley played the Rector. He threw
into the character the permeation of that tender
and affectionate love that makes the philan-
thropic pastor a friend of all mankind. Never
in the theatrical history of Seattle has finer
dramatic work been done than in the scene
wherein John VanBuren pleads with his brother
to wed the true woman of his choice, even
though she be all the world to the pleader. In
his denunciation, cutting like steel, he seemed
almost like prophet of old, learlessy criticising
the sins of the people.
Nelson wheatcroft played the brother with a
nervous, restless energy that fitted well the
character portrayed. His delineation of passion,
ambition, remorse and final repentance, were all
done with fe-lke fidelity.
Hardly less in importance was the work OF
Miss Csyvan Ann Cruger. If the ordinary
New York girl were like the picture of her, pre-
scented by this talented woman, the poor Of
Gotham would have a deeper and nobler feeling
for the rich and socialism would droop and die.
''In the watches OF the night" she did her finest
work. In the rector's study she goes with her
rival and pleads that q wrong be righted, and
when all turn from "a woman sinned against"
abe filings wide her door and throws around the
innocent at heart the mantle of her womans
love- In voice, feature, facial expression, in
every act and gesture Miss Cayvan was all that
the most csptious could have wished for The
Phillis Lie of Miss Crosman was strong foil to
Ann Cruger, and she showed emotional powers
of very high order.
The humor of the Charity BALI deyolyed
upon W. J. lie Moyne as Judge Knox, Charles
Wsicot as Franklin Kruger. Fritz Williams as
Alice Robinson, Miss shannon a. Bess Van Bu-
rem, and Mrs. Charles Walcott the widow de
Peyster. MI lie Moyue had the part of good,
kind-hesrted Judge, engaged ito a widow, who
ne was afterwards informed had had the misfor-
tune to lose her feet. He was genuinely hum
orous, and together with Mr. Charles Walcot as
the King OF W all street, furnished much merrI-
ment and produced many flashes of sunlight
into the play.
The underplot Of love was most charminsly
carried on by Miss shannon and Mr.. Fritz Will
Jams. They made love charmingly, and their
quarrel aud subsequent reconciliation were an
exceedingly neat and amusing piece of
work. Mr. Bellows, as the old orgenist
had little TO do, but the true artist
shone through his humble and thankless part
The Cain of Master Harold was clever, and his
simple appearance was suggestive OF society's
duty 70 outcaSt children neglected by vicious
parents and thrown in daily contact with vice
and crime. Mrs. Walcot made q gracious and
seductive widow. and Mrs. Whiffen PLAYED the
blind old lsdys part with that rare and
tsletioUs fidelity that has characterized her en-
tire artistic career.
stage settings and costumes were -ovally wei
in hand, and the performance ss a whole WAS a
model for neatness and smoothness in exscu
ton.
" The ldler," which by many is considered the
strongest play in the repertoire Of the company.
viii be given to night only.