The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-31


At last somebody has written melo-
drama that common sense can approve SYM
pathy coincide with, and appreciation Of nat
ural wit respond to. The title of that melo-
drama is 'The Woman in Black and its
author is H. Grattan Donnelly. 1t is to be
hoped that more Of the farce-eomedy play
wrights and players, for Mr.. Donnelly is both,
will take to writing meledramas, If they can
all produce such happy results as Mr.. Dom
nelly has achieved. For "a Woman in Black
notwithstanding It's somber title is a happy
melodrama- 1t actually bubbles over with
merriment and fun-not of the horse-play
variety, but Of character that reaches the
brain through the ear, rather than the eye.
The lines that the author wrote to make peo-
pie laugh are really witty the situations he
devised to arouse the keenest interest are
exciting; the clraaxes he designed to stir
up the galleries fairly set fire to the boys
Due credit must be accorded to Mr.. Don
nelly for all this, for novel scenes and new
climaxes are becoming rare, and more than
ordinary study and skill required to In
vent and perfect them. Human nature is
the commonest thing earth, but is most
elusive when you attempt to manufacture q
passable sample of it. with pen, ink and pa
per. Mr.. Donnelly has done creditable work
in this respect His melodrama is entitled to
the distinction of embodying characters whose
counterparts may be met upon the streets of
this city or any other. His creations are
more than sketches. They are literally
tinted, and few of them distinctly pict-
ured forth with the colors of life. Mr.
Donnelly's snap shots Of phases of munich
pal life have been taken at opportune times.
The result is a reflex of those phases
The love interest In the average meiodrama
is most always subordinate to the moving
bridge; always repugnant to reason, because
the villain, with the fierce musache and mild
cigarette insists on marrying and living
happily with the girl who despises him. In
this drama the villain is the girls father, not
her wooer, and no love is wasted.
But after giving the dramatist all credit for
his technical SKILL which is conspicuous and
his fidelity to nature in depicting characters
there Is a lingering belief that the fascinating
uncertainty of politics contributed largely to
the success of THE Woman in Black" for
success that melodrama unquestfonably scored
last night. 1t exploits the scheming Of I'M
serupulous politicians of the type developed
in New York city years ago. The political
bosses and his tough heelers ranging from
the man who sports plug hat down to the
barkeeper of his saloon are all pictured in
vivid colors. The interest in the political
feature OF the play is assured inasmuch as
the hero runs for congress against the mil
lionaire rascal He defeats him too and in
this respect the author has somewhat mis-
represented the result of the vote in real life
but without melodramatic license there would
be no melodrama. The election and its results
being the absorbing theme for upon that re-
suit depends the triumph of justice, it natur-
ally leads up to the scene that constitutes
the climax of the play That scene is a pre-
sentation of Madison square showing the
Hoffman house on the left and the Worth
monument in the immediate foreground ~
the right. The picture Is surprisingly real
fstic owing to the deft management OF the
lights, which throw the principal buildings
and landmarks into life. It is night scene
and crowds Of people are jostlfng each other
in their eagerness to read the election re-
turns flashed upon the screen in the distance
Policemen. boetblaeks, newsboys blind beg
gars and other ordinary sights of the street
render the entire scene natural But the
audience reserved It's enthusiastic outburst
for the brass band and torch light Procession
that marched by in honor Of the victory Of the
honest candidate. The applause was pro
longed and the curtain was lifted again and
again before the people desisted.
The scenery. aside from this special set. Is
all effective. That representing the Interior
room OF the gay Greek saloon from which
could be dfmly seen through the stained
glass partition. was notably good. Manager
Lift must be commended for the generous
and tasteful manner in which he has staged
1.-The Woman in Black"
But Manager Lit merits equal praise for
the dfseernment he has exercised in the &C.
lection of the company which presented this
play. In tho role OF Krantzer the political
boss. Samuel Edwards is simply - He
ton II really an artistic achievement upon