The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-02
PLAY OF LONELINESS.
socI1I STARS PREsENT"oUR BOYs"
TO A brilliant AUDIENCE.
The Play Was Preceded by Beautiful Tab
leau and Dance, Which Was Literally
Applaudcd-Aii Scored Triumph.


brandt. a building crowded with the fash
,onable and cultured folks of Richmonds
society; a house filed with bevies of the
most beautiful OF Virginia women. who
briiliancy.
The event was the production OF "Our
Boys" at Mozart Academy last evening.
and long before the curtain rolled up
wards the foyer was filled with the mem
bcrs Of this city's exclusive set. eager to
gain admittance and their seats TO
what proved 10 be one OF the
most brilliant social successes that has
taken place in Richmond this season.
The beauty of the house was perfectly
indescribable. All were in perfect fun
dress I'm the orchestra and the first rows
OF the dress circle. and the many lights
shining down with uninterrupted flow
from incandescent globes and gas lets
made the scene one Of brilliancy and
beauty.
In the audience could be seen the beau
ties OF Richmond's fashionable world,
and after the tableau and dance there
were many who participated on the stage
who came in the audience. and made
most beautiful embellishments.
fully in these columns. the curtain was
drawn upon Our Boys
Miss Langhorne. as Violet, the naughty
helress. played that exceedingly trying
role in manner that showed that she
had n thorough appreciation of the part,
and lent to the characterization a bright
ness and a spirit that elected most spon-
taneous applause from the audience.
Miss Elizabeth Macgill Bridges. as
Mary. was most piquant and pleasing.
and delivered her lines with an i'm
petuosity born of n debutante. She Is
lovely brunette. and completely capti-
waited the house.
Miss Judith Darlington as the spinster
sister was irresistibly splendid. and gave
10 her lines that spirit. that dash. that
thoroughly amused the brilliant audience
present
1t remained for Miss Bessie Cabell Pace
to almost carry the house by storms in
her role Of Belinda. She was, perhaps.
the best actress on the stage. and some
OF her movements and sayings were
perfectly irresistible.
Mr.. George Gibson as Perkyn Middle
wick was perfectly splendid; Mr.. Allen
Potts did extremely well. Mr.. Roosevelt
Page made an admirable old country gem
tleman. and the makeup" Of Messrs.
Preston holland and Horace Halves
Mr. Henry Cabell made a capital lead
ing man. He makes love in a most ardu-
Gus manner.
AS a whole the play is. perhaps, the best
ever given by amateurs in this city.
The scenic effects and accessories were
in complete keeping with the high order
of the entertainment
The cast of characters was as follows:
Sir Godfrey Champneys. a country mag
Talbot Champneys. his sOn..................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Allen Potts.
Perkyn Midllewick, a retired butterman.
......................Nfr George Gibson.
Charles Middlewick. his son...............
.......................M Henry Cabell.
Violet MelrOse, an heiress...................
..................Mis Irene LanGhorne.
Mary Melrose. her poor cousin.............
.................Miss Elizabeth Bridges.
Clarissa Champneys, Sir GeOffrey's sis
Miss Judith Darlington.
Belinda a lodging house slave..............
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Miss Bessie Pace.
Kempster, Sir Geoffrey's butler. "..........-
....................Mr Preston holland.
Poddles, Middlewick's butler...............
.......................Mr. Horace Halves.
When one remembered that the roles
were assumed by amateurs. they at
once came 10 the conclusion that the play
was a splendid production. Crudities
there were. but not enough to detrsct
from the artistic action of the play. and
every lady and gentleman taking part
showed an especial aptitude for the role
he or she assumed. One cannot reason
ably expect to see at amateur theatrlcals
n play possessing the smoothness ana
finish seen in performances by PROBES
SIGNALS. but few in the audience last
evening were prepared to witness a play
Ton vi oh y
and TO see roles conceived ana acted so
cleverly.
The play. "Our Boys" Is not an easy
task for any company of amateurs. 1t
demands from the first to the final drop
ping OF the curtain an amount of acting
not usually attempted by others than
professionals, and all the lines have that
significance which requires more than the
usual declamatory effect given by anna
tours.
The curtain first rose upon a tableau
taken from that Justly celebrated picture.
"A Dancing Lesson OF Our Grandmoth-
ers" by Rosenthal. an artist or the Ger
man school, The work OF the painter
shows the old dancing master. clad In the
odd dress OF his time, with knee breeches'
long frock coat. and bucked slippers
with hosiery. His left hand is raised In
graceful posture barely touching the
left side She is in the act OF taking
step, her right hand daintily holding up
her old-fashiOned skirt. She leans Dack-
ward displaying an arched instep, and
the pose is one full of grace and spirit.
II is as though she were beginning the
stately minuet with the dancing master
as her partner. About the ancestral-look-
ing apartment are grouped bevies OF in
terested young ladies. while the effect is
Heightened by one in the corner In the
act OF tying her slipper laces, ana
another behind the foremost attempting
20 get a glimpse of the proceedings by
standing upon chair.
The whole, as a picture and as a
tableau. is a perfect glimpse into the
past. when gallant men and ladyes
faire' met. flirted and loved upon the
ancestral timbers OF some home OF the
nobility.
Miss Mary Stuart Hayes posed with
tia dancing master. She is lovely girl
~ decided brunette type. not yet
debutante. She possesses a graceful and
pleasing figure. and executed her rather
trying part in most captivating man
ner Her pose was the complete embodi-
ment OF charming grace. She wore
beautiful gown or Nile green brocade.
accOrdiOn-pleat with the skirt trimmed
with pink and gold and black touches.
The bodice was Of the Louis Quiaze style,
and diamond necklace made fitting
establishment. A diamond star was worn
IN the hair. and the same gems glittered
from the buckles in the pink slippers.
The reticule was also embellishC1 with
Jew els
The other young ladies taking Fart
aconfttcd themselves snlandiily They