The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-25
The J. c. A. c. Dramatic
Company Makes It's
Debut Before a
Crowded House.
FORTNIGHTLYS AND GOSSIPS
The Former Study GIuck, Greig
and Lassen-The Latter Trip
The Light Fantastic.

that which assembled last night. 1t
seems to be growing more and more the
proper and accepted thing to show one
self at a J.. G. A. C. entertainment.
especially for the younger set. and the
result has been that when the new
Dramatic Company of the club made
its first bow to the public in the comedy
1.-THE Serious Family" it was greeted by
a packed house which might be said to
be fairly representative of jersey City
society.
Cranmer's orchestra began the evening
just about on time, a preceding so I'M
heard OF at an amateur play that it
should be put away carefully in the
memory. The curtain-raiSer was a farce.
announced In the bills as Roaring" in
which, however, none of the characters
INDUCED in any such vocal gymnastics:
1t was called 'Dunducketty's Picnic"
and set forth the attempts of an elderly
bachelor to get away to a picnic where
he is to meet a charming young widow.
He is detained by his ward, who has just
been married and mas reached the quar-
reling period of her matrimonial career,
by the Jealous RACES OF his ward-in-law,
and the waiting of his wards
rejected lover. who Is of q poetic turn of
lilly Il y 90 ~ w
reads, IF you have not yet started. don't.
The widow has just eloped with Art.
Soper," whereat the luckless Dun
ducketty collapses as the curtain falls.
Mr.. George Nj. Christian appeared as
Dunducketty, in a costume To which the
rainbow was pale and insignificant. Miss
Nellie CrossmaD, wearing a charming
heliotrope and white demi-toiletLe. per-
sonated Letitia Langton the aggrieved
and inconsistent wife, and Mr.. Charles
Langton conducted his conjngal tifs with
q spirit that " as quite alarmingly natural.
Mr.. Otis Smith made a great nit AS AL
phonse de P~entonville. the lovelorn
swain. Miss lola Honeywell, as Mrs.
Muffit a landlady, Mr.. G. Beltair as a
wandering MINSTREL, and two "un-
knowns'. in heavy thinking parts, were
entirely successful
THE SERIOUS FAMILY"
The ease and huency OF the actors in
the first production SET the minds of the
auditors at ease as to the quality of the
rest of the evenings work-a reflection
which upheld them through the long
wait which is considered indispensable in
amateur theatricals, and wnicn was en-
livened in this case by several orchestral
selections ranging from 'The Last of the
Hoghns" and The Darktes' Jubilee" to
De Koven's tuneful numbers. When at
length the curtain rose on the first act of
1.-The Serious Family and displayed
Aminadab Sleek g. Gordon Emmons)
Lady Sowerby Creamy (Mrs. J. Pierce),
and Mrs. Charles Torrens Miss lilly
Repsleyl. reading instructive literature at
one side of the stage, while Charles Tor
Fens &c, w. Hodson) slumbered peace
fully on the other, there was general ap-
plause which continued for some seconds.
The blonde gentleman, whose first
appearance was with his eyes shut,
had married into a real serious
family" where mamma-in-law ruled the
house, and one Sleek, a urab skirEed text
monger, ruled her. Mrs. Torrens CON
siders her duties to I'M take prece-
dence of those to her husband, so taxing
it all In all, forrens has a sweet time of
it. When psalms aud charity circulars
get too unbearable, he goes off for a
days shooting" which expeditions lead
him into strange fields, after unusual
game. On one of these sporting tours. he
meets a charming widow, Mrs. Ormsby
Delmaine. represents himself an unnar-
ried man, aud ungratiates himself into
Nelly Crossman) is to be given in mar
riage to Sleek's nephew. but her own
inclinations led her to choose one Frank
Vincent wv. Fl. Starrett). Upon this
troubled scene enters Captain Muir ply
Mcguire George M. Christiau), an old
the dowager and her sanctimonious
friend. The second act shows the home
of Mrs. Delmaine Miss Lottie SuIley),
where the wife AND m~amma-in-law cali,
and meet their recrea1t huntsman. Act
third is given up to explanations and
old love in Mag uire. Torrens and his
wife reconciled, and Emma happy with
her Frank.
AMATEURS AND THEIR WORK.
Mr.. j. Gordon Emmons had a hard
piece OF work cut out for bin in Amina-
dab Sleek, and the result put another.
plume in his cap. 10 BEGIN with, his
makeup was a work of art. and how his
mouth ever Kept the triangular shape
that it did. no one but Mr.. Empoons can
tell. The g1oan with which he greeted
all ~frivolity. and the croak in which he
delivered various Scriptnral quotations.
Were inimitable. Mr.. E. w. Hods1op
as Charles Torrens, looked and acted his
role as If to the manner born. The fact
that he was always ready at his cues mav
seem an unlmportsnt one, but the ams-
teur stage manager knows how much
it counts. Upon Mr.. Hodsdon's interprs.
tation of the part, the bulk of the action
was dependent, and the result showed
that his selection was q happy one.
Mr.. q. w. Christian was Captain
Mcguire, a character entirety different
from thai In which he had previously
acted, and one in which he appeared to
far greater advantage, especially In the
hAo oNShT- NIL Ns u. 0biiEI6LbI
whirled around The stage like the alleged
comet round the earth, ami H. G. Beltair.
as a serving man, might have been carved
out of lockwood. SO infiexible was his
English deineanor.
Fl BEWITCHING WIDOW.
1t o be nard to say too much in
praise of the ladies of the cast. Miss Lot
tie Sulley. who appeared as the widow, is
Il graceful blonde whose striking beauty
reminds one, in facial expression and a
certain turn of the head. of Lillian Rus
sell. When she made her entrance, In a
black velvet tea z own, the entire front of
jets. she was a picture OF r~auianU lowell
ness, which not even the ghastly ball
dress she Wore in the last act could OBJ
scure.
Miss Tiily Hepsley. the injured wife,
Nas proved her position among the bright
est stars OF he amateur stage, and last
nights performance WAS an added dem
o~nstraton. Miss Nelly Cro-sman dressed
her dltge1ue part TO perfeeGiolt, and, be it
saId, acted it in a corresponding manner.