The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-01

gfudge against him, does, and he proves
the source of all the trouble. The
drama is skillfully constructed, the
dialogue incisiVe and epigramatic and
the situations exceedingly dramatic.
1t is possible that the American tour.
of William Gillette's great war play,
Secret Service" which is to begin
early in the fall, may be interfered
with by the extraordinary success
which the drama has met with in
London. 1t was produced there at the
Adelphi theater, May Is, for an en-
gagement of four weeks, but it i'm
mediately took the English capitol by
storm as it captured New York last
September, and there is so much en-
thuSiasm over it and such tremendous
business, that Manager Charles F'roh-
man, who is in London, sends word
that he is trying to secure another
theater there in which to continue it's
run through the fall and winter. No
American play ever produced in Lon
don, and indeed few modern English
plays have created the furore which
Secret Service" has stirred up.
The London Telegraph en- the morn
ms after the first performance Of
Secret Service" at the Adelphi had d
long critique by Clement Scott, prais-
ing the play and players. This para
sat some time after the curtain had
finally fallen, not exactly spell-bound,
but quite fascinated with an American
story admirably told and American
acting distinctly and emphatically eX-
cellent. The effect of both play and
acting on the audience was a strange
and novel one Nobody appeared to
have had enough of the new American
drama, and many would have liked to
encore some of the dramatic episodes
that had-passed before their eyes.
America has sent over a good play
ell bloc, and Secret Service must COM
mand attention as the work of singu-
larfy clever playwright and actor. and
as the very best example we have yet
balanced acting, which hitherto We have
expected from France, but very seldom
obtained from America.
Since Mr.. Thorne came over from
the other side, many years ago, and
played version of Octave FeuiIIets
La Tentation,' called Led Astray,
America has sent us no more manly
actor than William Gillette Strength
and character are in every line of his
face. 1t is one thing to write a play
and another to act in it. Mr.. Gillette
is as coed an actor as he is dramatfSt.
Business or no business. jubilee or not,
there should be no delay in hurryfng 90
the Adelphi, where will be found that
best of all things, a good, interesting
and weII-acted play"
All the other London papers spoke
with the same favor and considerable
enthusiasm and before the London run
was twenty-four hours old it was
known all over the English-speaking
world that an American play had made
a greater sensation in the English cap
itol than any native drama had eff
fected in years. Inside of a week it
had all the attention of theater-goers
and the Adelphi since the advent there
of Secret Service has been playing To
crowded audiences, while the other
theaters have been doing comparative
ly no business. The Prince and Prin-
cess of Wales, the Duke. and Duchess
Of York witnessed a performance of
Mr.. Gillettes play during it's second
week, and were delighted. The Prince
of Wales summoned Mr.. Gillette and
Charles E'rohman to the royal box and
complimented the former upon his play
and acting. AS he was leaving the
tEeatef the prince said:
Tell the company how much we
have all enjoyed the performance; and
addressing Mr.. Gflette). I hope you
will write more plays as good as this
one and bring them all to London
Last week Walker Whiteside signed con-