The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-12
ADJUSTMENTS.
The Empire Company in The Benefit Of
the Doubt.


A woman with sn unsympathetic hus-
band ana husband with an exasperating-
ly jealous wife form q strong friendship,
and their ipjudicious actions lead to court
proceedings and scanda'. The purpose of
playwright Pinero in bis play, "The
Benefit OF the Doubt" presented for the
first time In this city at the Providence
Opera House last evening, was to illustrate
the way two foolish persons would have
to 60 before the public after the court
had given.the female respondent the ben-
eft of the doubt. Mr.. Pinero has not
added anything to general information
on this somewhat common subject, and
he gets out of mess rather lsmely..in the
end. For some time before the conclu-
sion, II was quite apparent that the jeal-
Gus wife and husband would have to patch
up, and that the foolish wife would have
to retire to quieter scenes to atone for
frivolity. The play isn't really nice, but
1t Is true. Mr.. Pinero moves very familiar
characters, people we know and have met
In real life, and he makes them talk
charmingly and walk well. He introduces
the meddler, some old man, whose
egotism is amusing, and at the same time
exssperating, the young man who believes
that pure friendship may exist with an
other mans wife, a silly mother, a severe
keen sighted but really kind-hearted
aunt, . selfish, doubling husband, and
two up-to-date young women,a jealous
wife and other figures.
The old man was remarkably well
played by Mr.. Dodson and the injudi-
cious wife was portrayed with charming
grace by Miss Allen. Mrs. Thomas
Within was artistic TO the satisfying
point as the we'll disposed aunt and the
vapid son was cleverly portrayed by Mr..
Gottschslk. The others in the cast did
their allotted parts well. Indeed the CON-
pany seemed to be especially sdapted to
"The Benefit of . Doubt and 1t gave
very agreeable performance. In passing,
however, 1t might be q good thing to say
that side talk foreign to the play and
apparent TO those in front Is not in good
taste and its offense IL greater when 1t
comes from principals In the case. Those
VINO do that sort of thing cannot be
considered artists.
The scene in "The BENEFIT of Tho
Doubt" which has caused widespr cad
comment consists In the making of q
young woman drunk. 1t 10 innocently
done, she is worn out and to revive her
from q fsinting spell she 10 given stim-
uleni. Under its effect she makes q radi-
cal departure from her supposed natural
self. and while thus stimulated she sug-
gests by certain proposals that possibly
she 10 not q good woman. Perhaps the
introd uction OF q little alcohol into the
system of a good rerson will engender
wicked purposes. And then again, per-
haps lot. At all events the playwright
might have done better.
At the matinee a delightful perform
ance of "Liberty Hsll' was given by
Mr.. Frohman's players. Its charming
simplicity and pure atmosphere was re-
freshing, and the artistic and sympa-
thetic playing Of Mr.. Cromptou, Miss
Allen and Miss Conquest was constant
delight.
This evening "The Benefit of the
Doubt" will be Played. Tomorrow even
ing "Lady Betty's Highwsymsn, and
"Marriage" will be the bill, and Satur-
day evening "Sowing the Wind" will be
the bill.