St. Paul daily globe., 1893-08-26
WILLARD In COMEDY.

In ''The Professors Love Story'' ]. NJ.
Barrie has imbedded some of the brig ht-
est gems from his prolific pen. The
genius which made possible The Little
Minister" and has given US some of the
quaintest bits of Scotch coloring has in
this comedy achieved triumph in
dramatic realism. Not the realism
which lays bare the disgusting Zola-
esque honorS of la bette humane, but a
realism which is as real as life Itself.
The Professors Love Story" is a
bit of life, not acting, and Mr.. Barrie
and Mr.. Willard have concurred in
making il such. There is no
dominant motive, such as would
make 1t study in economics or
sociology. There is no attempt to prove
theory or make vivisection of the
soul. The only motive running through
is the law of love, and in the case of one
SO absent-minded as Prof. Goodyillie, it
becomes sub-consciouS element. The
lines flow simply from one another like
the melody OF an old tune; the play is
as bright as life was Intended to be,
with that one pathetic strain toward
the last which shows what life is. MIR.
Barrie has woven some of his book
sketches in this play, notably the love
trio OF Effie, Pete and Heuders. and i'm
his take-Of concerning the cigars Miss
Goodwille had given her brother the
writer's ardent devotion to My Lady
Nicotine is shown.
The character Of Prof. Goodwilie
does not require an earnest interpreta-
ton, but it is apparent that Mr.. Willard
has given it careful study. else
strained creation would have resulted.
The humor is never overdone, the COM
edy never is overdone, and the fneSse
of the acting saves it from grotesquerie
In no play presented has the magnetic
strength of Mr.. Wizards mere presence
been so potentlv manifest as in the first
act. where the professor sits at his table
without uttering word, and conyulSeS
the audience by his every act
In the third act, after rejuvenaton has
taken place, and the professor has
solved the problem.of cherchez la femme
when he is so happy IN the solution,
nothing could be more pathetic than the
sudden return of old age. The bent
figure and clouded brow. the very tones
of the voice, Mr.. Willard uses skillfully
in depicting this change
As Lucy White, Miss Burroughs pre-
sentS one of her sweetest. most winning
characters. She is delightful in the
comedy scene with the old doctor, and
charmingly sylvan in the wheat fiel1s:
but it is in the third act. where comedy
and pathoS crowd each other so closely.
that her powers are best displayed.
Miss Burroughs undoubtedly eXcelS in
the serious, earnest roles, and one longs
to see her assume such as will test her
powers in tragedy.
Nothing can exceed the perfect fit
ness of Harry Cane for the part OF Dir.
CosenS. He divided the honorS with
the principals. Mr.. Cane assumes all
his roles with perfect ease, but those in
which he eXcelS are such as the Scien-i
tific skephc Jopp and the genial doctor.
Surely the gods must have given him
an unusual share of tendencies patho-
logical. The combination of humOr and
the serious is SO complete that the char
acter forms one of the most telling-in
the play. In the memorable shadow
scene DR.. COsens adds not little TO the
complete humor OF this part, and his
contagion is the reason partly for so
lively appreciation by the audience.
Royce Carleton as Henders played
his part TO completeness, both from the
Scotch aspect and the nearest approach
which the play gives of villain. His
duping of Pete is fine bit OF acting;
one knows just how Pete must have
felt when 1.-THE risky business" was
brought before him in Heuders' lawyer
like arguments. And Pete--weil. one
doesn't feel that he is ''deiI of fell
low" but he certainly is the man for
the play.
Tie same comedy occupies the
boards this afternoon and evening.
-"
Two performances of "The Waits of
New York." this afternoon and tonight,
VIII bring the engagement of the COM
pany named at the Grand to close.
-
Tomorrow afternoon the first of a
series of mirthful performances Is an
nOunced at the Grand, with ''rhe
Hustler'' as the moving cause of the
fun. 1t has been quite time since the
city has seen a thorough out-and-out
farce-comedy company, and the advent
OF the merry comedians going to make
up 1.-The Hustler" company should be
greeted with that for which they are
SeekiIg-a laugh. The company EN-.
braces number of the leading lights of
farce-cOmedy. and the skit affords them
great scope. The former presentations
of The Hustler" Ill this city have al
ways been most prolific in financial re-
turns and a series of pleased audiences.