The Jersey City news., 1892-04-26
1.-THE STILL ALARM"
Almost Raises the Roof at the New
Opera H0use-Little Tuesdays
Clever Work.

The architect who planned the roof of
the New Opera House should be con-
graduated on his work. The fact that it
was not lifted bodily into the air last
night. when 1.-THE Still Alarm" held the
boards. speaks well for its construction.
Nothing Is still about the play except its
name-certainiy not the audience last
night.
Joseph Arthur's "The Still Alarm" was
pioneer in its way. 1t turned the tide
of stage realism from tank dramas to
horses and harness. 1t is plHy built
around fire engine. The fact tnat "The
Still Alarm" has held the first place in
its class since the first production is proof
of its superiority.
The plot is after the usual model a
fond papa in the hand of designin z
villain; daughter parted from her over;
another abducted iu her infancy; love I
in the fire department, and a drunken
reprobate who turus out well.
William S. Harkins made the hit of the
evening as Jack Mauley, and deserved
every bit OF the wild applause he receives d.
Mr.. Harkins brings to his work singu
lar breadth of conception and manliness
of action; he developes every possibility
of the part bv his perfect Identification
with 1t. There have been few better bits
of work on the stage this winter than the
scene In which he works off his emotions
ON his boots in the second act or in the
fourth. i'll which he comforts his foe over
Il twelve-lnch bowie knife. Mr.. Hark ins'
excellent work may best be described in
the words applied to Jack Manley durin q
the play:-"You may not be scholar,
but you're man and we're proud OF
YOU"
The strength of the leading character
was all the more prominent against a
background Of rather colorless perform
ers. Miss Nellie Yale Nelson. as Eleanor
Fordham, was graceful and lovable, and
said, "We must part-farewell," exactly
as she said, Jenkins is waiting with the
cab" Miss Kenyon Bishop sho uld be
congratulated on her pluck in com ing on
during the last act, for a sudden throat
affection kept her in great pain. Her
dance and song as Cad Wilbur was bright
and piquant. Thomas McGrath sue
ceeded In making the loathsome charac-
ter of John Bird as hideous as the author
could wish. aud Jacques Kruger, as Doc
Wilbur, spcrted q lurid makeup, and
came in like good angel at the finale.
Harry CoIson Clarke. AS the gay Willie
Manlev, succeeded admirably, and Mrs.
Selden Irving bronght out excellent char
aoter study in her scene with Jack as
Mrs. Manley. Jenkins (James Davis)
aud 10 Jones on. j. Gallugher) present
we'll rendered Hibernian roles, aud. be-
-yond a tendency to speak his lines as If
he were reauing the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, aud move as IL he were au ex-
hibit from the Eden Musee, Mr.. William
Maxwell made a success of franklin
Fordham.
OF course the horses brought down the
house. This pair are beautiful creatures
with creamy coats aecked with black,
much as a coach dog or a white cat that
has been used for pen wiper. The most
lovable of all child actresses, dainty
Little Tuesday," comes on for brief
dance and song or two in the third act,
and dances her little self straight int
the heart of everyone present from the
time she enters throned on tall tiremau's IS
shoulder to her merry exit in whirl OF
fluffy skirts and twinkling feet.
The Still Alarm will continue until
Saturday night. with Wednesday and
Saturday matinees.