The sun., 1893-03-21
HOME AND FOREIGN COMEDY.
MISS MoRToS's "HnoTHEn JoHS,' AND
GANEILLoT,s "JosEPH.o

A New American P1sy with william II.
Crane ~ Its Serio-couic Hcro-An Adap-
tnfon of Partisan Piece with Elsie de
tyoifc In the Csst-A Revival OF Mr.
IInrrirnn's "CordeIia,- A-pirnsIops."
There was large quantity OF excellent ma
tcrial in Martha Morton's play. Brother
Tohr." which was acted for tho first time Mt
tho star Theatre last evening. and failure to
make the best possible use OF all Of 10 did not
proven. n marked degree OF success. This re-
suit would not have been reached. however.
had Il less popular actor than William Fl. Crane
been conspicuous In the performance. Miss
Morton is an ingenious inventor OF plot. char
acter, and situation. but she is deficient In
stagccraft. and so this new example Of her
work. like its predecessors. is almost but not
quite satisfactory. An expert auditor is
required to discern all her meaning.
so crudely and mixedly are they ex-
pressed. Improbabilities abound. Much
that is clever In design ts Intellectual
In realization. 1t was with "The Mer-
chant and "Geofrrey Middleton. Gentleman"
and II is SO again with Brother John" which
consists Of admirable things maladroitly put
together. There is in It saving element Of
genuine human nature. and when to that is
added the captivating personality OF MI.
Crane. tho reasons are clear why the piece
may prove acceptable to a long series OF audi
ences
1t was almost midnight before the perform
ance was over. There had been tedious in
tervals between acts that were too long. and
both celebrity and xcision are necessary. But
the warmly friendly audience stayed to
the end. and dom onstrated its adher-
ence to Mr.. Crane at every oppor.
tunity. They had him this time In the
gu.ss OF . New England hat manufacturer.
rich. but still rustic. good-hearted. frank
minded fellow. upon whom a lot OF relatives
depended for everything. They took 1t into
their heads to quit their quiet homo and
spend a livelier summer at Long Branch. The
play set forth their experiences In trying to
have q good time at the seashore. and In really
having q very bad time. what with the fashion
able people who fiouted them and the adven-
turers whopreyed on them. At length they
were saved from the consequences OF their
follies. and their misery was changed into hap
piness by the goodness OF Brother John. whose
humor and pathos wero most agreeably de-
picted by MIR. Crane.
The production was q commendable one in
most respects. J. H. Gilmour distinguished
himself in the role Of q drunkard and gam
bier fighting hard against himself Anne
O'Neil was the actress who gained most for
her reputation by the evenings work. Lizzie
Hudson Collier was winsome. as usual. and
Amy Busby was entrancinRly beautiful. but
Incompetent The scenery was ane. and so
were the feminine costumes.
"Joseph."
An English adaptation Of . French farce.
called Joseph" held the stage Of the Union
Square Theatre last evening. Tho hero Of its
story was o very good young man who
had been chosen for q son-in-law by
an old fellow who led gay life and
only considered his daughters marriage
when she had outgrown her seminary.
The father reasoned from reports he had Of
his daughters progress that she would be
more easily won by fast young man. SO he
sent the staid Joseph down to his daughters
school attired like gay fellow Stories Of his
wild life in London had preceded him. and he
eaefly won the favor Of An elderly village mai
den. but made no progress with the wo-
man he desired until che finally came to
believe that he was Q bosom friend Of her
father and sharer in his naughtiness. Joseph
then returned to London to complete prepara-
tions for his marriage. But few days before
II was to come Of the other woman. who mis-
takenly supposed herself to be engaged to
him. appeared. ana insisted upon his we'd
ding her. His lot was made still
more unhappy by tho appearance Of . country
servant girl for whom no had rashly promised
JoseDhs seeming triekery was exposed. but
Threatened his happiness for only few mo;
the better Tor his supposed Shortcomings. and
her father took up with the reyenGeful rival
and the sn saS @
his weakness for feminine beauty; yet could
Pnsw % resist Ss DFSfsss Sss Ss oa %s.
seu.s s'sss ia Sss sossSsr Il e
his mimic assumption OF the man about town.
an h the hs
relish his undeserved possession OF It His |
S. tSs
p!sas Ensiish s%slI shoss a.svf e .na
VII VIII ,ns ,@nssk.ns 'oe. 3. sa sSs moSSs,.d Hs%
I5t
1.ssa Es Pc As, %os ths ss 6Is s10 s
aeads fss 4er aens es run d e1sk ns sassrs %
e ON saeS
s %s h:f dssf Of G
Ssu!ar exertion. and rather too many OF her
JUMPS. "'he Helen stocRSss erssn kitchen s rirl
vas IN gpOd Of an ser
dIeadfuls"
Joseph" is farce. nothing more. and its |
light fun is at times very nonsensicaL Last |
nights audience was very enthusiastic. and |
manifestly a friendly one. but this play ought |
10 thoroughly amuse any one who goes thea
treward in search OF merriment without |
thouGhttulness.
"Cordena's Aspirations"
Mr.. Harrigan Is required to change his |
attractions so seldom that even revival is |
treated as an event deserving all the impor- |
tant consideration Of a first night By the nu-
merous patrons OF his theatre. No doubt to |
many last night "Cofdelia's Aspirations" was |
new play. and to the older friends of Cordea
1t was equally as interesting. because OF the
great number Of PEOPLE who appeared in their
characters OF last night for tho first time. At |