Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-17
CHARACTERS IN 1.-THE BUTrERvLrEs."

CHARACTERS IN 1.-THE BUTTERyLIEs."
ready passed its one hundred and fftieth
performance, and the Empire theater where
the stock company has scored the greatest
hit since it's organization In Sydney Grun-
dy's Sowing the Wind" Then 1.-The Girl
Left Behind Me-" which has broken good
many records on the road, will come 70 the
Academy Of Music for "A long run, beginning
March l2 II will be given an elaborate
scenic representation, and spectacular ef-
fects which were only limited at in the orig
inal production at the Empire a year or so
ago will, 1t Is said, be shown on the large
stage of the Academy.
Henry Guy Carleton, smart as he Is land
there Is no doubt of the fact that he Is a
genius), never wrote anything In the way Of
play which was quite 30 good as "The
Butterflies" 1t Is a very light comedy and
fairly sparkles with bright dialogue. made
more enjoyable by humorous situations,
which, In the main, are unforced. The plot
II of course not very deep. 1t is not de-
sirable that story should be involved for
an actor like jain Drew. whose province Is
TO amuse, not to instruct.
Take 10 all In all, 1.-The Butterflies" Is
perhaps the best really light comedy ever
written by an American. 1t Is a distinct
advance over "a Gilded FOOL" which
Mr.. Carleton constructed for Nat c. Good
win (Mr. Goodwin always insists upon that
G. In the middle of his name), and IL the
new play, ambition" upon which the same
author Ia now at work for the same actor,
Is "a great an improvement upon THE But
terflies" rs "The Butterflies" is upon "A
Gilded Fool" the heartiest congratulations
will be in order for Mr.. Goodwin, for he
will be fortunate man indeed.
There are OF course some faults In "The
Butterflies" What play Is entirely devoid
of thems There Is rather too frequent re-
sort to the time worn expedient Of permit
ting one person, OF whose presence the 9TH
ers would be quickly aware in real life,
TO overhear what her Tor his) fellow players
have to say. Then, besides, there is one
really serious blot on the play. Through
the first, second and third acts 10 goes with
a quiet but none the less positive rush un-
I'll the final love scene between Mr.. Drew
and Miss Adams Is reached. Then there Is
a halt. The subject Is exhausted, and then
1t Is gone over and over again. It must be
confessed that eventually 1t becomes trihe
tiresome, especially as IL precedes the In
variable pairing Off Of sweethearts which
most playwrights seem to consider neoes-
sary, but which is, to say the least, not par
ticularly exciting or unexpected and Is in
deed too often bore.
or the actors little but commendation
can be spoken. John Drew is-John Drew;
that is to say, he is perfect with the excep-
tion Of that old trick Of his of making faces
at the audience occasionally. Miss Maude
Adams is good enough as Mr.. Drew's sweet
heart. There Is no tangible flaw in her
work, and yet she has not made anything
like the hit that she scored In THE Mask
Ball." or, as Mr.. Clyde Fitch, the adapter
of the piece, persisted in calling 1t, "The
Masked Ball"
The member of the cast of "The Butter
flies" whose work stands out almost as
brightly az that Of Mr.. John Drew is Miss
Olive May, who has at one bound, as 1t
were, stepped from comparative obscurity
into positive fame The company through
out is competent, and many of the excellent
bits Of byplay, am informed, were Intro