Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-19
4 VERY FRENCHY PLAY.
DR.. Bin is We'll Received, Notwithstanding
Its Suggestiveness.

DIR. Bin is We'll Received, Notwithstanding
Its Suggestiveness.
cdr Bill as produced at the Alvin last
night, is comedy in three acts. 1t is ad-
vertised as "an adaptation from the French. ~
The last word of the preceding sentence
must be again used as descriptive of the
play, as it is ''Frenchy,'' and that in the
extreme. 'Dr. Bill' is really not a play.
Merely collection of incidents, not very
well strung together, but so arranged as to
cause a laugh. Those who find amusement
in suggestive situations will laugh, in fact,
they will laugh heartily; but others who
hold the opinion that to create mirth it is
not necessary to imply naughtiness, will
not be very much amused or interested in
"Dr Bili' They may even grow impatient
for change before the play is ended
Knowing the character of this production,
it is hardly necessary to state that strictly
trst-class actors are not required to do it
justice 1t only requires ''touch and go. -
and like the camera with the button, the
situations "do the rest" Miss Emily May
nard, as the wife of Superintendent of
Police Horton, a former actress who had
previously taken part in numerous ''good
old sprees, and is still willing to enjoy
herself at any opportunity, makes as much
OF that character as is possible. Miss Belle
Stokes as Mss FdWtieToy, professional with
Kangaroo Dance" speciality, made an in
stantaneous hit. Her delineation of a vi
vaclous vaudeville star was fair piece of
work. William Wilson as Dy. Bill
did as well as could be expected with the
material he had in hand. The best char
acter work was perhaps that of Leighton
Baker, as rather impressionable dude,
whose admiration for the ladies leads not
only himself but a number of others into
trouble. When Daniel Jarrett came upon
the stage IN the second act there were, no
doubt, many IN the audience who thought
. that our fellow tOwnsman, Detective Sol
Coulson, mad been employed to impersonate
III. Horton, Superintendent of Police. Mr..
Jarrett.s makeup was almost the image of
the well-knOwn local officer.
Preceding DIR. Bill, "a little one-act play
by Jerome Il Jerome, called 'tSunset, was
given. AS a play TO be read and not acted.
Sunset might serve to while away a
quarter of an hour. The story is per6aps
only TOO common in everyday life.
but ia the shape given IL nv
Mr.. J rome and for stage purnoses
it should not be taken seriously
The cnrtain falls with the audience nncer-
tain as to whether the play is to be contin-
ued, and if not, wondering why il was ever
begun. ''Sunset" served one purpose. how
ever. 1t gave MISS Stella Lawman, a Pitts
burg girl, more of an opportunity to dis
tingulsh herself as Joan Rirery than was
afforded by her part as Mss Fip7laan in CDR
Bill" In the latter she had but little else
to do than look pretty; in the other She
gave rather clever impersonation of a
Young girl with her first lover A large
audience under any circumstances, and par.
ticularly large considering the weather. was
present. If continuous laughter indicates
enjoyment, then the audience was pleased
with 'sDr. Bill"