Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-11
"Aunt Bridget's Baby,

BJou Theater. ''Aunt Brideets Baby
Grand Opera House.............-......Ro Roland Rec
Duquesne TheRter. and the Tarta
Alvin S. Willar
Williams Academy.-..........GusH Hin's Noveltie
Worlds Museum .Curiosities, etc
DAVIS Museum. Curiosities etc
Harris Theater........' ''The Shawdow Detective
The above are the theatrical attraction
for this week.
with Mr.. Roland Reed theater goers hav,
been very well pleased for long time, bu
his plays have not been worthy of him or o.
very serious consideration. Therefore his
visit to the Grand Opera House this week
with "The Club Friend" will be watched
with deeper interest because creditablt
critics aver that this play OF Sydney Rosen
feld's is a remarkably clever work; the best
indeed that the author Of "a Possible Case
and part author OF 1.-THE Senator" has done
It is for one thing q much more serious
vehicle than any Mr.. Reed has tried
before, and according to good
display of his undoubted talent as an actor,
not only in comedy, but general hfstrionic
expression. Joseph Jefferson after seeing
THE Club Friend" said: cit is more than a
legitimate play, it is n classicT' The good
qualities Of the play are said to be princi-
pally in the satire, wit, and humor OF the
dialogue, the novelty OF the plot ana s1tua-
tions and the strong character drawing.
The play is modern and the personages are
of the everyday type.
There is the bustling man Of business, the
speculator who is always looking for some
thing big and invariably has good thing"
peculiar but somewhat natural type of
American youth, and three charming young
girls. MIR. Reod portrays new and inter-
esting style Of character. a very happy
going man Of the world, who has amassed
considerable OF fortune, but whose one
regret in life is that he is never "taken"
seriously. 1t affords him the opportunity of
appearing as himself and not as an old man,
as be has always been seen here. The pro-
duction here will be in the same magnificent
style as marked its presentation in New
York. The same cast as appeared there will
also be seen. The company comprises Miss
Isadore Rush, Miss Percy Hsswell, Mrs.
Mary Myers Miss Edna Wallace, George
Fred Mast, William Davidge, Charles A.
Suaily, William Friend, Julian Reed.
A telegram from New York 70 THE DIS
PATCH lastnight says: A novel performance
was given this morning In New York by Mr.
Roland Reed and his company at the Star
Theater 1t was the first morning perform
ance ever given in that city. The play was
THE Club Friend, and the curtain rose at
1850. The performance was given on ac-
count Of the many urgent demands of the
sectors and actresses now playing in New
York City to see Sidney Rosenfeld's happiest
comedy. The theater was crowded. Among
the many prominent people present were
Joseph Jefferson, Mrs. John Drew, W. j.
Florence, De Wolf Hopper, Henry E. Dixey,
Marie Wainwright Z. H. Sothern, Della Fox
Charles Frohman Daniel Frohman, Thomas
Q. Seabrook, Marie Stone, Tom Karl, Jessie
Bartlett Davis, II. G. Barnaby, Carrie
Turner Marshall Wilder, Edward Harrigan,
calls at the end of each act, and at the end
Of the thirdact both the author and Mr.. Reed
were recalled several times and at last re-
sponded with very happy speeches. To-
night Mr.. Reed played 20 another unusual
audience, one com posed entirely of dramatic
authors, including all the leading lichas.
Mr.. warde fulfilled his promises as to
THE Lions Mouth Henry Guy Carleton's
new play. 1t is play OF remarkable merit
aud great originality in matter If not SO
much so in form. Mr.. Warde's company
rendered il artistically and the scenery and
costumes we're such as to complete a fairly
accurate picture OF mdiavaI venice No
doubt next year the play will be given even
worthier setting and Interpretation, as Mr.
Warde tells me that he has already engaged
Louis James, and hopes to fill up
his company with other good actors,
including leading woman of national
reputation; In fact, MI. Warde's plans from
now on will possess a dignity that they have
hitherto lacked. When Mr.. Louis James
Joins him Mr.. Warde's repertoire will in
cluCe THE Lions Mouth" "Memnon," a
tragedy in the classical style OF Mr.. Carle-
ton; "0t ellO," and Francesca da Rimini,"
all Of which will be mounted in the best
fashion. For the two latter plays Mr.. Warde
viii have the scenery and costume used by
the Booth-Barrett Company, which are the
nnest the American stage has yet known.
Mr. warde is ,;reatly impressed with
"Memnon," the second play of Mr.. Carle- |
toms that he has accepted. 1t is a tragedy |
written in blank verse. The Aemnon who |
Is the hero of the play is not that Ethiopian |
Prince who went to the assistance of the |
Troians when besieged by the Greeks, and |
whom Homer describes. In fact, he is a |
creation of Mr.. Carleton's, arch-prophet in |
the Egyptian hierarchy, when Amasis was |
King, about 4S0 B. c. and in the intrigues Of |
the Egyptian court he figures somewhat as |
Rlchelieu did at a later day with the Most |
Christian Monarch. One reading of "Mem- |
lend me, is hardly enough to enable one to |
judge OF its literary merits, much less of its |
strength as drama to be acted. But no one |
can read Mr.. Carleton's blank verse without |
realizing that he has more than a common |
knowledge Of his art fund OF language |
and a poetic Imagination which no living |
dramatist, as far as the American and En- |
ghsh stage are concerned, possesses.
In "The Lions Mouth" as has already |
been said in THE DISPATCH, passages of rare |
beauty are frequent, and the touches OF |
humor are often light and fanciful. In |
"Memnon" the language is more dignit1ed |
in keeping with the subject which is as it |
were shadowed by the Pyramids and the |
great head OF another "Memnon," the son OF |
the morning; but the figures are often of |
great beauty and there is music in nearly all |
the lines. OF course there is very little |
numor required in q classical tragedy, but |
here and there it bubbles up very brightly, |
breaking pleasantly the solemn, sad course |
Of the story Of LnteSttS, the Egytian Princess. |
4arNra In etc ~ ia
takes care to explain in preface, has been |
used by George Ebers in his novel, "The |
Egyptian Princess" but there is not the /
slightest similarity, and indeed il would be /
singular If there was, for Mr.. Carleton |
printed his play in 1854, before Mr.. Ebers |
published his novel
Mr.. Warde told me yesterday afternoon
hat some chang es OF importance, which he /
indicated, are to be made in "Memnon," P" and /
am inclined to believe that its production
next season will create something of a
sensation; Of popular success it is well-nigh
assured for the scenic OF pictorial poten-
ialities Of the piece can he readily seen.
The great situation of the play, where
xe'1lzon Y curses Egypt and her king, admits
II scenic effects like those Of the famous
torn scene in Cleopatra" which was |
trOng enough to be the chief instrument in
he salvation ofa very ordinary play.
While Henry Guy Carleton's reputation as
ournalist is of some years standing and de-
ervedly high. he has not won as yet what
he world calls fame as a dramatist. If
hese plays, THE Lions Mouth" and 'Mem-
on" are any criterion, fame will soon be
is. He is a very young man to have
chieved SO much. Now he is 35 years old,
,ut when he wrote "Memnon" he was but
9 That play, after being accepted by John |
Mccullough, was pigeon-holed for many |
ears. 1t Is remarkable play y, anyhow, but,
$ the work Of SO young man, it is a little
hort OF marvellous,
Mr.. Carleton has had an eventful and STIR
ing life. am not quite sure where he was