The morning call., 1892-05-17
THE THEATERS.
The BaldWin's Audience Have a
Fill of Laughter.
Blue Jeans" - Greene's Golden Giant
The Gossoon Marriage Bells-The
Morgan Concert Tonight.

The Baldwin had lively opening last
evening with Frosrs "Chums" and the
N!chols-LestOcQ comedy-farce "Jane." If
the preceding engagement was all sob and
sigh, as some complained, this only promises
to be all mirth and laughter. Hlarity was
the rule throughout both pieces. There is not
dull situation nor a turgid line of text
anywhere "Chums" is mono-act curtain
raiser; it Is one Of the New York Her
AIDS prZe-plays, and while it might
be improved in spots is clever
little eonceit and was well sustained.
The motive is that Lieutenant Jack
Bandle. U. S. \. (Mr Paul ARTHUR, returns
from cruise to iud his old chum. Mr..
Patterby, a stoekbrOker (Alr. Herbert For
tier, married, and makes the mistake all
along of dOE-collar, of suppOsing his chum
had married an old flame of his, Leila
Sterling Miss Lizette LIE Baron). he also
blunders in taking Mrs. Patterby Miss
Katherine Gray for Winnie" a caprice Of
his and PatteTby's bachelor days. and is
generally the cause of more trouble than
enough till the whole business is explained.
The piece has a strong smack of comedy
Charley Wheatley used to play once, called
"a Bull in q Chna-shop."
JANE"
Followed, and everyb body in the audience
seemed eager with expectation to see Miss
Johnstone Bennett, who is in the title role.
She came on and received good many
hands. A pocket edition of feminnity is
Bennett, mannsh In her ways, and who
affects, We are told, masculine rather than
feminine accomplishments. AS Jane she
is, using a phrase girls indulge in when
they particularly admire an object, too
cute for anything" She is the servant
maid Of a spendthrift master. and has mar
ried William, the valet, on the sly, because
her employer, Mr.. Charles ShakeltOn
(P aul Arthur, objects to married ser
wants, being a bachelor himself. Jane is
material IN her character and has thrifty
disposition. Her ambition is that her hus-
band and herself may acquire means enough
to own what she calls milk walk" what
ever that may be. But the spendthrift
ShakeltOn owes both a large arrear of
wages. and she has strong doubts whether
she Will ever see the color Of the money.
When, therefore, ShakeltOn promises her
the overdue wages in full with a bonus of
800 if she will play the part Of his wife for
a few hours to deceive a Mr.. Kershaw,
agent of an aunt from whom he has great
expectations, she jumps at the chance bit
without Informing William or the bargain.
Out of this spring amusing complications,
especially when an old maiden lady,
played by Miss Maggie Holloway Parker,
assumes the wife position unknown to
Shakelton or Jane. William, the valet,
having made the arrangement. One Of the
most Imaginable anu best-played passages
in the comedy is the interview between
Kershaw and the supposititous wife, in the
absence Of all the rest of the parties. The
bluntness of Old Kershaw in crlticizing to
her face the Anticipated old maid sent the
audience off into roars Of laughter. VIII
liam, the valet, is played by Mr.. r. f. Cat
ton. tall young man with pronounced
Bowbells accent, and a capital actor he is,
making his personal peculiarities and speech
contribute greatly to the fun of the situa-
ton. Buttons" (Claude), in the hands Of
Master Joseph Totteu, is a rare example of
page-like pertness and impudenee Miss |
Katherine Gray looked exceedin ely pretty |
and ingenious as Miss Lucy Norton, niece |
of tie old maid. II amusement be the chief |
end of modern theatricaIs, as some contend, |
the present engagement meets the PROPOSE |
ton gUuarelV