Birmingham state herald., 1895-10-12
THINGS DRAMATIC.

Birmingham theater-goers last night had the first opportunity of the season of enjoying a tragedy, and to show their appreciation of high class plays turned out in very good numbers to witness the production of "Othello" at OBrien's opera house. by Louis James and his superb company of actors, of whom the following is the cast:
 Othello.. =. ...... ....AIr. Louis James ago. ....s .:.. .......-...Gny l4lnosley cassie ........E... .... ...Wilifam Harris The Duke. .-<s... .......JameS Harrison Bfabantine ....-. .tHarry Langaon Gratiano ...... .... ........ William Hunt RqderlgsQs- ~. ........ ....Thomas .S. Cook Montana ........ ..WflSord North Lodovico.... -. ..... ....RJchard Waite Asn1ohlo. ..si. ...' ...eseorge s6oMeIl MeSSenger.... .s,. ....5.... Charles Penley Desdemona x F.. Miss Alma Kruger Emilia. -. 7. Miss Aphie Hendricks
 Of magnificent physique and command ing appeardnce MT. James is just the Meoriah general one would fancy from reading Shakespeare's "Othello." There is probably no actor at the present time who outranks MT. James as an interpre- ter of Shakespearian plays. In "Othello' he Is given wide range to display his great versatility, which he does most cleverly.
 sHis leading lady, Miss Alma Kruger, a young woman of rare personal beauty is O. clever Iittle actress. WHO pleased the audience as Desdemonia.
 MT. Guy Lindsley. who appears in the role of Iago, the villain who felgns devo- ton to Othello while plotting his ruin, is southerner who has made for himself considerable reputation on the stage. He is an actor oe no mean ability, and as Iago gives able support to MT. James.
 Cassie, Othello's lieutenant. who, : through the villainy and treaohery of Iago, was condemned to death, but who instead succeeded Othello as general, was well portrayed by William Harris.
 Tonight MT. James and his company will appear at OBrien's in 'Virginius.' f"The Span of Life.'
 The play that comes to O'Brien's opera house Monday and Tuesday nights of next week is famous for it's scene where three wiry athletes form a human bridge, over which the heroine safely passes
 The Arabs are upon us; we are lost!' (This from one side of the King chasm, through which leaps the seething torrent, and them No, no, not so," 0rom the oth- er). linking together of three human frames, legs in arms, arms in legs, a fall across the precipice, catch, slight sway, and the heroine, child in arms. scrambles across the human bridge. And there you have the Span of Life" It is an excellent scene, the novelty of which is above the ordinary drama. The act is over in a moment and of course constitutes the climax to a stirring scene Of escape. The scene just described is the most famous feature of the melodra- ma that comes to O'BrienS opera house next Monday and Tuesday nights.
 The Span of Life' was produced orig inally in London and is named among the successful plays of recent date. To make the play the resources of the scenic art ist and stage carpenter have been taxed to their utmost. The result Is that thrill ing situations follow each other in quick succession, and the interest of the audi ence is kept at high tension in anticipa- tion of what is coming next. The play is handsomely staged. ''The Span of Life' scene is of course the crowning one but excellent in it's way is also the scene out side the lighthouse. where the hero, with one arm useless climbs the lighthouse to ring the fog bell just as a big steamer looms up through the mist, and boat the hitherto unlighted lamps Every thing at last ends happily. for the hero escapes. from the Arabs and returns to England to confound his enemy and res cue his wife and child from further evil
 A Good-Natured Imp.
 That imp of good natured, harmless deviltry "Pecks Bad Boy" will appear at o O'Brien's on "Wednesday night next to- gether with his pa, his ma, his chum and last, but by no means least, his girl Dur ing. his stay here he will bother his pa, make love to his girl, get his chum into scrapes make the policemans life bur den to him and play tricks upon the Ger man groceryman until that gentleman fran mi 1ff f,,,,