Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-02
THE PLAYS THIS WEEK
Sol Smith Russell Forced to Respond
to the Applause.
THE WITCH Is VERY REALISTIC.
Mr.. Potter of Texas Makes Splendid I'm
preston Here.
AGNES HUNTINGTON is APPRECIATED

At the Alvin Theater last night Sol.
Smith Russell came out before the curtain
at the close of act IL Of peaceful Valley"
and, after thanking the big audience for their
enthusiastic applause, said: 81 know that
speeches before the curtain are violations of
the Characterization and the play which
people come to see, but I think 1
deserve chance to explain that the peculiar
manner, awkward gait and odd speech of
the character I have been playing are all
assumed-entirely assumed, / assure you.
In justice to you and myself feel 1 must
reveal my graceful personality"
Then after warranted allusion to the
favorable reception Of the play Mr.. Russell
night when this play IS done with some
pleasant reminiscent feeling. l should not
have talked so long had not known that it
takes the carpenter some time to set the
scenes"
This little speech was delivered with such
humor and quaintnesst that the house roared
1t is safe to say that Nj. Russells hope that
pleasant memories would go with every one
who had seen Peaceful Valley" was full
filled. Nobody could see sucha wonderfully
picture Of loveable human nature
as Hosea Howe without deep and
agreeable emotion. 1t is indeed
to Mi Peer
Mr. Russell possibly has refined and ella Dor
ated his art, but it is after all his per.
sonality, that Is 70 say that compound OF
soul and mere mind, which catches hold
upon the heart of the beholder, that is
chiefly triumphant.
Hosea Ho,Ue is a poor but honest man, and
unlike the usual ideal and impossible being
who is dignified with these adjectives,
a splendid fellow, as free from guile as his
native mountain air is from malaria. Where
these selfsame mountains are is not made
1noI. ca1r halt 4, ha
in the Catskills, the Green Mountains of
Vermont, or even our own Alleghenies:
Hosea is simply a healthy, spare
but hn. hardy %ountaineeT with 5d no dia,
yet Enthusiastically Western in his spirit, and
to great extent in his manner of speech.
He speaks in that jerky, particular style
population of Illinois and Indiana, and
somehow reminds you of James Whitcomb
Riley. Hosea is waiter at the mountain
hotel, earning money for his education; and
the play is of such simple construction and
light material, that the whole story, so far
as the audience is deeply concerned, con-
sists of nothing more than the love
really very smoothly, considering the inter-
ference of a very clumsy villain, to a happy
conclusion. Mr.. Russell's touch in this
simple play is in two keys, of which the &C.
though the other, the pathetic, swells to
grand chords now and again. TIE humor is
spontaneous, racy and entirely of Mr.. Rus
sells own brand, and the tears tremble on
the edge of the laughter rs lightly and
brightly as dew ON the laughing lips of a
rose.
Mr.. Kidder has not written great play or
a very new one, SO far as motive and plot
go; but he has conveyed picture OF life
that is in the main true and touching. The
dialogue is especially sharp and witty,
though maybe a few OF the jests are slightly
motheaten. The play goes well enough for
it is acted in a harmonious, inteili-
gent fashion all through. Miss Minnie
Radcliffe is the pearl of woman
hood, Tor which Hosea Ho,0e is a
successful fisherman. and graceful, girlish
and genuinely accented character it is as
Miss Radcliffe plays 1t. Arthur Byron is
clever as a rascal who reforms betimes.
Sickness in the company has thrown some
larger burdens upon one or two actors than
they can sustain comfortably. But. taking
it all in all, the performance of Peaceful
Valley" is artistic and it is beautifully
staged. The mountain scenery is really
exquisite. Mr.. Russell was called before the
curtain and generally applauded whenever
the audience, very large one, had the
chance.