The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-12
BLUE GRASS HERE.
An Excellent Play With an Excel
lent Company at the
Academy.

II there were mora plays like "Blue
Grass" which opened last night at the
Ac deny of Music, there would not need
to be much talk about elsvating the stage
The stage Is elevated just high enough
in blue Grass''--to III level of a strong,
simple story. whose moral force fs none
the less strong because ii Is inferred
without being spoken. John Brand
makes the mistake of putting systemati-
caliy out OF mention a certain episode
of his past on entering a happy married
life. Tue oma In che case Is not SO
considerate Of the wife's feelings. aud
uses the threat TO. tel ner as a blackmail-
Ing scheme In favor of her lover. Ut
timately the lover betrays her; in her
revenge she returns Brand his letters,
frees him and is killed by her companion
for her pains. Suspicion attaches upon
Brand, and he barely escapes lynching.
The entirely natural and intense way OF
strengthening out matters sustains the
Interest to the fall of the curtain. The
best of the play Is its perfect naturalness.
Events are left to work themselves out,
without theatrical suddenness. Yet the
action is rapid ana the construction
strong. Without being IN avowed char
aetsr study the part of Brand
Is consistent throughout-the part OF
a man with good motive aud an
honest nature, whose first impulse. when
events begin TO compiicate. is to tell the
absolute truth and rest upon it. The
dialogue is crisp without being curt.
8. metinles brilliant without being talky
there is just epough local color to aid
an Interest, and the dialect Is absolutely
without a flaw, especially the dialect OF
Joseph Brennan, as Colonel Decatur. aud
Wright Huntington in the principal role.
Wright Huntington is an excellent
actor Of the quiet. manly school. He
makes u living being OF the part OF
Brand. His duel scsue with the Creole
aud the numerous passages with his wife
are as good representations OF the
may see. The next in Importance
Is Joseph Brennan In role
which could easily be ruined by ex
aeration. the Kentucky Colonel, bnt
which in his hands Is q loveable creation.
Maud Edna Hall. rs the wife, made
several hits by strong emotional scenes,
upon which the only flaw was 81 throati-
ness OF voice. Laura Booth his made
many Il success with ungratefui parts, OF
which not the least inviting Is the present
one. Violet Raymond. It Is no fun to be
an adventures for two acts u 8
strangled corpse in the third. Yet she
succeeded so Well as to rank as tas first
actress of the east. Florida Kiugsley's
acting as Lyddy, dear little girl with
a ire-crackery temper. was delightful.
Louis Berthelot. the villain. was we'll
done by Frank Drumier. Hi. best touch
was ip tue murder scene. where he lays
down mis- vctlm. calmly readJusts his
coat, lights a cigar and goes his way.
Albert Roberts a. au a~uglotnaniac. John
Watson as a darkey, Steve Maley as an
irish valet. Carl st. Auoyu. FRANK Tenn
pie and William Black i'll snail parts,
and Ad.iai q Thornton as a colored
nanny, added to he cast.
situations we're admirable, es-
peeiaily the lyuching scene. On the
whole. the play Is one which deserves to
succeed in a great measure, II there be
any virtue III instriusic merit.