The morning call., 1892-07-12
THE THGATERS.
Slim Houses All Round. but Good
Bills Presented.
Gloriana"-A Neat Curtain Raiser" The
Last Word" ~" Herminie ~ CloYern
Hoss and Hoss"

Mr.. Charles Frohman's company pre-
scented a double bill at the Baldwin last
evening, where the players opened the. en-
gagemen with a curtain-raiser called 1.-THE
Majors Appointment" by Nelson Wheat
croft and George Backus. and James Morti-
mer's three-act comedy, "Gloriana." adapted
from the French. The lever du rideau,
as the French call these monoact pieces
that precede more important ones. is
an illustration of the oft-repeated express
sion that Republics are migrate
full" An old and faithful soldier, Major
John Huntely (Mr. Edwin Stevens), waits
years for a recognition of his service that
never comes. except at last In a cruel practi-
cal joke on the first of April perpetrated
by some treasury clerks, and on the discov-
cry of the cruel hoax his age-weakened
frame yields, and by a revulsion of feeling
he dies in his granddaughter's arms. The
idea is somber one. but it Is full of truth.
and the authors have pat 1t in a forcible
way, so much so that there was
a subdued murmur of applause among
the audience as the purpose OF the
little drama was evolved No doubt
there were many in the house. particularly
in the gallery, who had during some part
of their lives been in the majors unhappy
situation. Mr.. Stevens played the disap-
pointed old man with good deal OF acting
sense, and Miss Margaret Robinson his
granddaughter J0celyn, on whom the care
of the home deyolved, with that sweet sense
of self-sacrifce we see so often on the stage
and so seldom In real life. The other char
acters are not Of much account, excepting
that Of Mr.. Roxey, roofer (Mr. j. Allen
who calls on J0ceIyn to have six months
duebill paid, and who is a rough, railing
sort of roOter; but the gentle Jocelyn re-
turns his railing with Kindness, paws him
his money and gives him handful Of
flowers for his sick wife. This man. Allen,
startles US. He is so much like the GATE
Charles j. Bishop, In person, speech and
action, that we thought the lamented actor
medico had como TO lite again. Allen s
presence breaks the prevailing melancholy
of the situation; but even he is reduced to
tears at last by the unexpected gracious
ness OF Miss Jocelyn, the granddaughter.
"GLoRIANA"
Is a farce-eOmedy, opposite in all its essen
tial situations To the curtain-raiser. 1t is a
funny and spirited comedy affair, aud may
be called continuous laugh from beginning
to end. The points made are funny. the
humOr clean, crisp and natural, though at
times a trifle slow in action. Miss Hen
rieIta Cr0Ssman as Mrs. Lowering (Gl0-
Tiana), charming young widow who
will have every thing her own way,
makes very good play, and here Allen
Cphco lh again 40 AhAoth1 NHdu NICh, Il It-
tired tanner, with such rush OF the Wis
cOmca that we are more than ever per-
Suaded that Bishop has thrown his mantle
over this porily comedians shoulders. The
acting Of Mr.. Frederick Bond as Fritz Joce-
lyn's valet and Mr.. b. J. Rignold as Rich
ard. "Gloriana's" servant. is In the best
style Of the comic vein without trenching
on the broad. The comedy will only run
for one week. and there is no reason to
doubt that for that time it will be both artis-
tically and financially successful. In dull
times everybody wants TO laugh.