Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-05
AT THE PLAY.
Several Novelties, Good and bad, ON the

Several Novelties, Good and had, ON the
Local Stage.
Nothing 30 entirely complete and satisfac-
tory from an artistic standpoint. has been
given in Pittsburg this season as Captain
Swift" by Mr. Palmer's Madison Square The
ater Company, at the Duquesne Theatsr last
night. The prominence Of the actors
as individuals was indeed guar
antee that the performances would
be interesting at least but the event proved
that the company Is homogeneous and happily
combined in a wonderful degree. The play
itself won considerable praise when it was pro-
duced in New York last season In addition to
the success 1t had scored In London, where 1t
had It's birth. Captain Swift'' is remarkably
strong drama of original color, IL conventional
texture and the author, Haddou Chambers,
has certainly succeeded IN giving the stage sew
eral sharply drawn characters, and one at least
that has powerful and romantic quality. The
general aspect of Jim, the Penman." The
central figure is young man of decidedly
shady antecedents whose evil deeds as a push
ranger or Australian horse thief and highway
man. find him out in the course of the play and
crush him finally, together with the unhappy
mother whose struggle to shield him, forms
the pathetic appeal Of the plot. Maurice
Barrymore makes an ideal scamp-with all re-
spect for Mr.. Barrymore be 1t said-of the
modern JackSheppard dtype-ahandsome athlet.
lie. manly fellow, dangerous in peace as In war.
horses Captain SsUtt is intensely picturesque
as Mr.. Barrymore plays him, and the object of
more sympathy than he deserves. There is no
reason why Mrs.. Seabrook, the mother Of Cap
tain Stcff, should not command our pity and
respect, bnt as Miss Ada Dyas enl-
bodies the character its positive de-
mand upon our sympathies is sim.
the high-born woman that Miss Dyas presents:
q woman of acute sensibilities and refinement,
whose maternal instinct triumphs over every
conventional claim the world, caste and family
pride prefer, even though 1t bring the BITTER
ness of shame in the sight of which death
loses its sting. In all the niceties of
by-play and facial expression, as well as
in the grander strokes of dramatic action, Miss
Dyas showed her wonted mastery of ART
Everyone of the other characters was in
competent hands. Mr. E. NJ. Holland as an
alert but polished Queensland squatter-for
York business mar-Mr J. Il. Stoddart
as an English butler OF very
strongly.marked individuality, were es-
Maud Harrison Miss Mamie Craddock and
Mrs. f. ]. Phillips we're successful in present
ing familiar phases of the Englishwoman. and
Messrs. Fred Robinson. F. II: Tyler and Reub.
with invariable truth to nature. And It may
be added that we have omitted no actor in the
cast in this recognition Of admirable art and
exceptional training. All the accessories were
and a large and distinguished audience was
luckily present to enjoy the performance. To-
night the play will be "a Pair Of Spectacles."
BUou Theater.
The lobby of the Bijou presented midwinter
appearance last evening For an hour Man.
ager Gulick was kept busy dispensing PASTE
boards to the large crowd eager to see the ini-
tial presentation in Pittsburg of the new farce
comedy. ga Pair of Jacks" ''The Jacks"
drarx 1,or4o afr,l oF
whom the skit seemed ample compensation for
their loss Of an arctic evening out Of doors. The
farce possesses the merit of uewness. and in
this respect. at least it has an advantage
over farce comedies familiar to the public
Much of the business" and some of the jests
are amusing, and as original IS one can expect
In performance whose novelty lies chiefly in
the manipulation Of the material and NOT so
much in the material itself. Much of the sue
cess OF fine comedies depends upon the COM
psnSy pany sna t1e well east sSoss0 OF itb Pair Of
to the entertainment Of audiences.
1.-THE Jacks is farce comedy, coueocted for
the sole purpose of amusing an audience by
is constructed on plot that is sufficiently well
Knitted together TO ring in these brilliant
specialties. and q spectator will never have the
hsnd the mis- Ths fG Is pTos
ably the reason the management
calls it the "cheer-up" festival
Everything is built on basis of unalloyed fun.
r 9. Knowles, as Judge JACK was the leading
genuine merriment by his clever speeialties.
The rendition of his latest songs, never heard
~ ~ rrtssou,R H.s oenoIe Tses anu aaron anu
Booker as Dr.. Jack, showed himself ca
pable comedian. Mr.. Stanley's burlesque
cIarionet piaying anu MS stutterlng
ImtaLons anu Ml: Atmssrongs singing were
johnson is justly entitled to the claim of being
gEeas oanJo Ies soios On snas anstrumens nn
c,erer r .onicai s,ngsrs WaIviifs and s.a,s,n ae
ers we'll rscsiyed ann also tbs nsw sonns
ou Hatcu M On anu He isa Name " oee
saw. Iney wete encoreu sga,n ana again,
anu anu sne iarse @uuienoe never seeineo 10 tfe Oh
Grand Opera House.
rumor that the police might interfere with
the performance of Thou Shalt Notn did NOT
nrevsnt every sea. in the house being sold he.
lore tne curtain rose at tne orano opera
House last night Women were very scarce in
the audience A few rows from the stage
sat Assistant Superintendent of Police
por.- O,M.r. .nd Tnenoc,or Ne AIoa,a rhou
A'osei ~
were AZ Si9sely ms.oneJ IN. tne sctoIs'
Dut tney uiu notning' anu atsel Tue periolm-
ance aecilneo 70 Say more 'Ian nan 'nas tney
would report upon the play to Chief Brown in
tne morntng- II Is uHuelsloo9 .nat Iney VIII
MI LA .no p,aJ 70 ~ ~, .h any aoSs
lie moraiitX.
IIo9 onAs Mos % oLSma ~ i've acss.
ROUNDED upon AlDer hoss novel OF the same
name' ,,.4 Mu1 Leemsn - zSeuseu VI maklng tne
play Taiiks tue .aup;d;. ne pay more re-
mar maIKapis ior s.uPlay .nan inaecency
Of the. concrete vileness OF the book
renrodnced nau on the stsce were disanno;n,ed
"Thou Shalt Not'' IS as tedious as a Census re.
port, and almost as tame SO far as the action