The record-union., 1892-02-13
AMUSEMENTS

There was very fair audience at the
Opera-house last night. 1t was the occa-
sion of the first presentation of the meIo-
drama, mingled with hearty low comedy,
entitled among the Pines" 1t was well
! acted. Some little friction and timidity
were apparent, but of the character that
disappears on second presentation. The
! play we'll pleased the audience, and the
applause was very fattering. Miss
| Woodthorpe as Little Butterfly was at
| her best; it is a part correspondent to
those that depict the courage, sweetness
| and animal spirits of children of mount
ain and plain upon the wild border West.
| +. A. Cooper as Hop Sing made capital
| Chlnaman, an imitation rarely eQualed
! Mr.. Craig, the versatile actor, was the
villain of the drama, and a thoroughly
! effective one. The Judge Blossom OF Mr.
| DeLano was unctious with humor Mr.
| Wood as the hero of the drama filled the
| part well, and Mrs. Bishop as Amanda
was an admirable foil in the low comedy
scenes with the Judge. The play is filled
with sensational situations and striking
tableaus. The scenery was excellent. Mr.
! Duckett is to be congratulated on the ex-
| cellent effects from his brush. The
| Sugar Loaf Mountain scene was one of
great beauty, the perspective effect especi-
| ally fine. The scene is a rugged mount
| ain slope, taking in the whole width of
! the stage and rising almost to the borders
above, to small plateau, beyond which
are glimpses of mountain peaks and cata-
racts in the far distance On this terrace
the action takes place, and down the
rugged mountain-side a tragic effect is
| worked out. The mining camp at
night and the cabin scene in the first
act were excellent scenic effects, also,
The play will be repeated tonight and
tomorrow night for the last times. This
1
Fauntleroy" will be given for the last
time.
The Metropolitan Theater was crowded
in every part last night, standing room
was all many could secure, and there was
no vacancy of seat in the entire house.
1t was a representative and brilliant
audience. The comedy-farce, ''Mr. Will
kinson's Widows kept the audience in
constant laughter-two hours and three
quarters of laughter, which at no time
relaxed into less than ripple of aud
ible smiles" The applause was plenti-
full, too.
The play was admirably acted and
handsomely staged. All the people in
the piece are competent, and most of them
well known TO Sacramento audiences as
among the especially skilled performers
of the day in society plays and brilliant
u.
Georgia Drew Barrymore, Emily Bunker
and Thomas II. Burns. While what
they did was capitally done. and while
they were as broadly farcical as such fine
actors generally consent to be, the great
est skill in character assumption must be
credited to Matte Ferguson as Susanna.
and to Annie Wood as the cook. The
first gave us the best example of the maid
of all work, and the latter the best low
comedy example of maid of the kitchen
that the stage has here ever seen; all upon
farce plane to be sure, but as character
acting, unsurpassed and rarely equaled
''Mr. Wilkinson's Widows" fills the
full measure of its purpose in provoking
laughter with the most absurd and ridic-
ulous situations imaginable. But it is q
farce stretched out; elongated until it al
most wearies. The whole story and all
the situations could be put into two short
acts and be made more enjoyable. The
auditor knows the secret of the complica-
tions too long, while the farce work
is devoted to clearing up for stupid fell
low, who NEEDLES with other peoples
affairs, mysteries the auditor understands
from the beginning.
The play is the story of the trials of
two women who are widows, each claim
ing to be the widow of the same
man. The proofs that he did
maintain two domestic establish
ments. but kept the truth from the
victims. Not high motive for a play.
certainly The curtain goes down with
the villainy of Wilkinson still resting
upon his memory, and as to which of
| two innocent women was the legitimate
widow unexplained. Each marries Sec