The record-union., 1892-07-16
ADJUSTMENTS.

A very large and brilliant audience
witnessed the production at the MetrOpol-
itan Theater last night Of De Miles new
drama, The Lost Paradise" as played
by Charles Frohman's New York stock
company. The piece took at once. 1t
is a play of quickly awakened interest in
the first act, and suggested trouble and
storm arising out of conflict as to wages
between a mill-owner and his employees,
with the hero, the superintendent, stand
ing between the two forces. In the Sec
Ond act there is strike, and the dramatic
situation is almost painfully tense.
The audience is held in breathless
interest, forgetting for the moment that
Ii is play, and apparently expecting
tragedy to result from the storm of pas
sion manifest. In the third act the de-
mand OF labor IS satisfied, the cause
of the strike on the part Of capital is re-
moved, the superintendent, who has held
his men from assault, affects a settlement
with the mill-Owner, wins his daughter,
and the curtain goes down on peace and
love, with the wheels of industry once
more moving and all parties satisfied.
The second is the beStacb; the third is a
little weak, inasmuchf as IL is left uneX-
planned how the increase in wages was
effected, when the contention had been
that contracts made and binding pro-
hibited any additional expense in
the mill except at the cost of
bankruptcy. However, the play is
one appealing strongly to the sympathies,
and giving a woman opportunity to prove
how heroic she can be in acknowledging
error and frankly asking forgiveness. 1t
is a strong play, in that it affords oppor-
tunity for man to prove how unbend-
ing, impoliCic and suicidal a stubborn,
passionate fellow can be who has no
knowledge of the real situation Of the
industry he controls. It is a strong play,
in that it gives a splendid opportunity to
a fine actor to pose as heroic workman,
who holds q body Of strikers in check for
the sake of the daughter of his en-
ployer, who has scorned his suit, and for
whom he made sacrifices that, in this day
OF coin and money getting, are alto
gether too romantic to be common.
The people in the play are supe-
riOr actors-all. IF the most of them
had not one positive fault they would be
realizations Of the ideal demands for the
play. That error is rapidity of enuncia-
ton. Much Of the text OF the compost
ton is lost to to the ear because of rapid
ity Of speech. The company says that
intensity Of passion, emotion, feeling.
Justify and demand the method en-
plOyed. But intensity of emotion and
passion is also made manifest by deliber-
ton of utterance. 1t is replied that De
Mile trained the company to this rapid
rigidly adhered to asto augment by habit,
for certain it is the play bristies all over
with fine points dependent for effect upon
clearly hearing a very few words, and if
these are SO rapidly spoken, or in so low
a tone as to be lost TO the auditors, it is
an objectionable fault. The company
is one of the best balanced that has ever
played here. There is no weak timber in
it; it is a group Of artists competent for
just such, and good deal higher work.
AL that they do is done with that ease,
naturalness and perfect assumption of
obliviousness that there Is an audience,
that constitute the chief charms of acting
No one plays over the footlights. The
work Is on the stage, and not line, look
or word is aimed at the audience virtue
that cannot betoo highly commended. Mr.
Morris, the leading man, Miss Tyler, the
leading lady, Annie and Maude Adams,
James .. BarrOWS, Elaine Ellison, Orrin
Johnson, Cyril Scott, w. II. Crompton are
worthy of the cOmmendation true art
always deserves. Indeed all the people,
and notably the low comedy actors, Miss
Hawkins and Mr. Perkins, are deserving
Of the applause the audience so literally
bestowed. Several times the curtain was
called up three times, and twice the entire
troupe was called out. Rarely is a drama
better received, still more rarely better
PLAYED. II will be given for the last time
here tonight. There will be no matinee.
The company does not go north, but to
san Francisco from this city, and the
positive assurance is given that there will
be no cutting of the piece or hurrying OF
the action because it is last night.
c. H. Beede, advance manager for
Thatcher's NIinstrels and Rich and Har-
ris' Comedy Company-the troupes COM
bined-is in the city arranging for the
production next week OF the farce comedy,
Tuxedo in the second act OF which
Thatcher's Minstrels appear with Hughey
Dougherty, George Thatcher, ii. w.
F'rillman, Bert Shepard and others.
Sloan Lodge, Independent Order OF
Good Iemplars, will give grand
musicale on Monday evening, the 18th.
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL
e. a. Burr has returned from the East.
Mrs. F. T. Tebbets is sojourning at
Bolinas Bay.
William Irvine and family have gone
TO Santa Cruz.