The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-01
Sc ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .x ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Theatres.
~ a. r. q" q" q" q" r. a. 4" q" ~ r. " as

be tho conclusion reached by every one that
witnesses "Ths Woman in Black" any even
ing this week or at one Of the customary
matinees.
overdrawn and crude as at times the scenes
are, and improbable some of the events, yet
the piece, taken as a whole, Is a good inter
esting and merry one and the caricature is
biting enough, and some of the characters,
though discreditable 20 our political life have
their counterpart in the politics of the me-
tropolis. There Is wealth of fun in the
play, and rs the piece proceeds IL ripens until
at the end liz becomes delcously ripe. The
good points Of the piece excuse many OF the
objections TO il, and no one who enjoys u rich
bit lof political satire should fail 20 Sc
Krantzer. the fellow that owns the ward or
his gang OF political beelers. The incidents
that lead up TO the political portion tf the
play make the ladies In the audience, for the
time being, as keen and earnest politicians
ns the men.
The scene on the day OF the election II one
Of deep and thrilling interest. Crane, a mil
lionaire candidate for Congress- has fixed
things with Krantzer, the district worker, by
the payment OF several thousands of dollars
and with the aid OF the boss pals Tuffer,
political worker; Sykes, a ward heeler, and
Klinker, a tough citizen, expects TO win.
You cannot always tell by the posters just
what a scene is going 10 be, for though the
district boss and the ger on the bill boards
are great chums yet In the play Krantzer, the
boss, is given the marble heart, for Tammany
Hall issues circular denouncing Krantzer
and his gang as ,hieves, thugs and cut-throats.
The scenery in the piece is very creditable 10
the artist, Mr.. Young.
The opposition candidate to Crane is Mans
field, who has won the love of Cranes niece
and ward, Stella, and IL is by speculuating
with the estate OF the latter that Crane has
got his wealth. The afternoon papers bulle.
tin the usual non -committal bulletins, but an
hour before the polls close Tuffer, chief
worker tells the boss, Krantzer, that Mans
field has won. He proves true prophet.
But the election bulletins continue to interest
the audience. They say, People nobly re-
sponding." "Krantzsr losing his power,
Mansfield gaming. 1t will bs close Then
Cranes picture is given and then 1T looks
like Crane" After a while nsfelds PFC
ture, and at last the bulletin announcing
Mansfeld's election.
There is good band and fine torchlight
procession, and the audi nee cheers loudly az
the result, just as few weeks ago they cheer d
at the protection victory. Then comes the
second part of the plot, TO wed Cranes
daughter by the use of the hypnotic power Of
the woman in black, Madame ZsnGa, through
the latter's desire 10 find her lost child,s to
Crane. junior. The denoument is a most
happy one, and here, as in ether parts Of the
piece, the strong, clever and vivacious work
of Lena Merville adds zest and pleasant sur
prises the happy lot of the audience.
ALI the members Of the east are intert sting
and clever players, and they fully make up
in their portrayals what might seem lacltny 2
in tbs plot. Mr.. Andruss Is more Of a lover in
the piece than politician, but that, of
course, Is not his fault. ]. b. Cooper, as Tony
Jack Crane, the son of tho Congressional can
didate, was interesting as type of insipd
young manhood. Mr.. Willard, as Crane, the
Congressional candidate, was all the writer
Of the lines would let him be. Herbert Cav
thorn danced well and sang, and altogether
made n good reform policeman. Agnes Hern-
don, Zenda, was powerful in her presen-
tation of the character of the mother in search
of her child, and dramatic in her revenge on
Crane, who had deserted her. Mildred st.
Pierre has n good idea Of the street waif ana
her portrayal of the character was at all
times natural. Susie Forester proved an
amusing type of . stage Irish domestic, and
Miss Cumberland as Stella Everett was fully
equal to the demands of her part