Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-29
SOME NEW PLAYS.
The Merchant at the Alvin-Carleton's COM
pany in Indiyo-Apraham Lincoln
oliver Byron-And a Host Of Lighter

| The Merchant at the eAlvin-Carleton's Com
pany in Indiyo-Apraham lincoln
oliver Byron-And a Host Of Lighter
Amusements.
1t isalways pleasure to witness the pro-
duct!on of a drama of the calibre of the
MERCHANT" presented for the first time
here at the Alvin Theater by the Madi-
son Square Theater Company. 1t is
not only strong in incident, but it moves
with a quick action and a brightness of dia-
| logue that are characteristic of most of the
dramas hailing from the Madison
Square Theater; 1t was was aa,upy pity
but there was more than an average attend
ance, and the excellence of the performance
ought to undoubtedly draw increasing
crowds until the end of the week. A light
vein of comedy dominates the three acts,
although some of the situations verge upon
the extraordinary The interest of the piece
centers in Carol Cotton VdnderStyle, young
New York merchant who, IN his haste to get
wealthy, involves himself in pecuniary dill
culties. He lives in the height of fashion
in villa on the Hudson, and surrounds
whom, Fred Dupre, falls in love with Mrs.
PdnderstyIe who has deep seated fondness
for her husband and is willing to bear dis
comfort for his sake D,pre loans a large
sum to PdnderStyle and afterward endeavors
to shake 1hS. HnnderStyte'S allegiance by
revealing her husbands real business s1tua-
tion. Mrs. Tdnde7Styte repulses his advances
and Dupre afterward asks her forgiveness.
To this last scene VdnderStyte Is listener
and realizes the horror of his position.
Through the kindness of his creditors
he is enabled to pull through and with the
aid and sympathy of his wife starts on a
surer road to financial success than by deals
in slippery stocks. As Vdnderstyte MI. John
Glendinning is at his best and that Is saying
a great deal He invests the character with
all the attributes it is supposed to possess.
AS Mrs. VunderStUe, Mazda Craigen-a
charming picture she made-interpreted the
lines given to the ideal wife with faithful
ness true to nature. Carrie Radcliffe as
about and talked with sprightli-
ness that seemed to belong to her,
and delightfully."- funny were her love
making scenes with Lord Dudley Nortt,cick
in the person of Mr.. Edward Poland, who
gave Il somewhat unconventional type of
English aristocracy with marked ability.
Frank B. Hatch, as Professor Matthew Higgins,
the uncle of TdnderstyLe, was exactly what
man who cares for nothing but his library
might be supposed to be- Anna Cowell, as
Caroline Fan OeSte'a, a rich, elderly maiden
lady, who never forgave the professor for not
with a determination to make up for the
lost past. Eugene Sanger, as WI Rob
bins one of the fashionable friends
of the VdnderStvles and Marie Dantes as Helen
Mdrchmont were all clever. Colin Vary
made a very good Chef, w. b. Murray, the
Butler and Messrs. j. H. Ferris, G. W. Pike,
r. C. Gilbert and J. Flood, filed small parts
well. "The Merchant" is a strong play deal
ing with the life of to-day, and presenting in
powerful dramatic FORM one of those social
problems in which most Americans are
deeply concerned. A more complete con-
sideration of its merits must be deferred for
the present. The audience expressed its ap-
proval in unmiStakable fashion.