Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-01
BIJOu THEArER



| "A pleasant diversity is to be observed
In the attractions at the various theater
this week. At the Bijou it is old-fashionet
melodrama, at the Alvin new farce come
dy, at the Duquesne legitimate drami
| played by stock company of the highes
| reputation, at the Grand Opera House, one
OF Hanlon's excellent spectacular pieces al
Harris Theater, an Irish comedy, and al
Williams Academy and the museums varie
ty and kindred entertainment Every
tneater ought to draw to its full capacity.
After Dark at the BUou.
There Is no DENYING the sensational
and dramatic interest of Boucicault's "Afte1
Dark" OF its class there is probably moth
ing better. This year that enterprising
Young giant among managers William A
Brady, promises to produce it in better style
than ever, and it may be expected to please
the BUou's patrons as well as ever, though
| this is its fourth annual production here in
| succession. The company is said to be the
stron est yet engaged by MI. Brady. and the
scenery of course will be strong point
Some novel effects Of a startling kind are to
be introduced in the railway tunnel scene,
and the view of the River Thames at Lon
don Bridge is said to bo unusually realistic.
In the music hall scene, Jim Corbett, the
Beau Brummel, of the pugilistic world, will
put on the gloves with Jim Dalv, the cham.
L
| scene Sweeney and Ryland, the Irish pun.
sters, a well known variety team, will make
their first appearance here in four years.
Boys and Girls at the Alvin.
If the Eastern critics know anything
about such things. John j. McNaIlys Boys
and Girls'' is one of the best laugh-makers
turned out this season. We shall have a
chance of Judging for ourselves this week
at the Alvin Theater Mr. McNally showed
knOWledOa what
farce comedy when he wrote ga Straight
Tip but it is said that in Boys and Girls"
he has uaid more attention to the construc-
tion of the play as play. The first act de-
pends upon its lines, its comedy situations
and absurd characters, and it has but one
specially; the second act is a burlesque Of
third act is mainly devoted to specialties, so
that comedy, roaring farce and variety are
combined in the play. Mr.. McNally has
lo built his plot on the fact that young man
that he spend $4,000 in six weeks and get
married within that time. The other char
acters who inherit in case the heir does not
succeed in spending $4,000 in the allotted
time resort to all kinds ofexpedients to pre-
vent him from parting from his money.
The company includes May ana Flora r.
win, George Marion, Otis Harlan, 1gnatus
Martinetti and other clever people. May
Irwin as a fashionable dressma1er and q
tough waiter girl ought to be happily cast,
and they say she is funnier than ever. A
to be bizarre to degree.
The Pitou Stock Company.
IA Modern Match" and "Geoffrey
Middleton, Gentleman" are the two new
American plays that the Pitou Stock Com
pany are to produce during their first engage
ment in this city, which begins at the
Duquesne Theater tomorrow evening. ga
Modern Match" is tho work of Mr.. Clyde
Fitch, the author Of that bright comedy,
"Beau Brummell," in which Richard Mans
field achieved such success. 1t Is a society
Its story in many respects is a new one, as
Mr.. Fitch aims by contrasts to re-
ward patience and virtue. Synnott and
Hunt well-known Wall street firm
of bankers fail in business and their finan.
cial ruin wrecks both their homes and fur
nishes the lot of the play. Mrs. Hunt, un-
willing to give up her luxurious life aban-
dons her husband and elopes with wealthy
man about town. Mrs. Synnox, on the con-
trary, proves her womanhood in the hour OF
trouble. and in every way tries to tighten
has become wholly discouraged, and fear
ing the future, seeks suici:e's grave. Mfr.
Hunt, the junior member of the firm, al
though harassed on all sides and betrayed at
home, rises above his nisfortunes, and in
The comedy element of the play
Young sna ex fE9 se cR RhT rSs
play ends happily. "a Modern Match" is
announced for iour performances only and
will be followed on Thursday evening and
for the balance Of the week with "Geofrey
Middleton, Gentleman"
Miss Martha Morton wrote this comedy to
order for the Piton Stock Company and it is
q genuine stock play, tn at is, there are no
star parts. 1t is divided into three acts and
treats of the marriage question.
In "Geoffrey Middleton, Gentlemen" she
proves that only love marriage can bring
true happiness to husband and wife.
Hanlons' Superba at the Grand.
The reward of keeping faith with the
public and allowing nothing even savoring
of improprfety in their spectacular pro-
ductions 1.-The great popularity to Hanlon
Brothers have attained. There is no theatrt-
cal performance given in the course Of the
year in Pitrsburg that commands the pecu-
liarly family patronage that the Hanlons'
always receive. This week they bring to
tine Grand Opera House 'Superba," which
was accepted by large audiences last year.
"Superba" is said to Lave been entirely
revised since its production here last year.
and the W scenery is said to be s almost
new, particularly the transfOrma tion, the
latest pain ting OF Mr.. Fl. E. Hoyt. The sue
cess of the HanlUn productions is largely in
the clock-like precision with which they are
worked. There is greater occasion than
ever for this precision, 1t is said, in the new
edition of "Superba." The sceney, elaborate
q
square foot of it but what is used for some
mechanical illusion or another. Clowns
and sprites appear and disappear through |
seemingly impossible entrances and exits,
and the wonder is that the scenery under |
such circumstances will hold together at |
all. The story upon which the spectacle is |
based remains as before. There are but lew /
changes in the cast, the only ones of i'm |
portance being in the roles of soubretre and |
clown. The former is now played by Miss |
Daisy Remsden, and the latter by Mr.. Will |
lam schrode. Miss Maud Midgely, a ma
tive of Pittsburg, and Miss Mildred Holland |
still play the rival queens. Among the new |
specialties introduced the most prominent |
is that of the famous European acrobats. |
the Schrode family.
Wedding Out the Weakest
The weak and worn among the lesser
travelling attractions are falling fast by the |
wayside. The Mirror this week contains a |
column of disasters of this kind, and among |
the companies upon the rocks are The Run |
away Wife, Quack NJ D., Neil Agrah |
Fitzgerald Murphy's venture), Wills Two |
Old Cronies The Devils Editor, the An
nandale Opera Company, The Boomer. A |
Pair of Tramps and Uncle Isaac. 1t will |
be noticed that most of these are farce COM |
edies, and altogether since the season began |
at least a score of these things must have |
subsidized, after a brief struggle, into the |
soup. This tulfils the prediction of The !
and it is a melancholy pleasure to |
record it. Next season the variety stage |
will recover most o! the deserters who have |
zone beyond their depth and swallowed a |
Gallon or two of failure in farce comedy, |
The farce comedy that succeeds now must
have unusual elements of strength in the |
players, ii not in the play.
La Cigale's Success In New York.
"A. p. Dunlop writes to THE DISPATCH
from New York:
The much-talked OF la Cigale" was
brought out at the Garden ,Theater on Mon