The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-04
DRAMATIC..
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admission has met with such favor at
the Metropolitan opera house that it
is practically settled that the engage
ment of Eugene Blair and her COM
pany will be extended for sevral
weeks. 1t is gratifying to note the
approval with which the work Of Miss
Blair has met, and also to find that
the good plays which delighted the
fathers and mothers of the present
generation have not lost their charm
for the younger set. While blase play
goers may taboo the old successes,
the great majority of people, like Mr..
Hardcastle, love them because they
are old, and because they have been
proven. Miss Blair has the youth
the beauty, the natural temperament
and artistic ability to make her i'm
auditors, and that she does this most
successfully the artistic quality of her
Characterization thus far given will
bear ample testimony.
For six nights and three matinees,
beginning with special Fourth of
July" matinee tomorrow afternoon,
Miss Blair will be seen in. another re-
vival of a. play immensely popular
some years ago. but which has not
been presented in ST. Paul for some
time. This is Jane Eyre" that de-
ightful story of Charlotte Bronte's
which was dramatiZed by John Broug-
ham, and which held a foremost place
in the ranks of the domestic drama
for more years than it is apparently
possible for any of the later plays
to maintain a standing. The version
Of Jane Eyre" which Miss Blair uses
is in four acts, and has been greatly
improved over the original, it is said,
by a few changes which have been
made in some of the scenes. The old
play appears as fresh and interesting
as ever, and the thoroughly clean and
wholesome sentiment SO characteristic
of Charlotte Bronte makes it stand
out with enviable prominence among
the emotional plays now on the stage.
Nearly every one has read the story
of Jane Eyre, and every one who has
knows the beauty of the character,
particularly in that it is so essentially
human. Jane Eyre is a heroine, but
by no means an impossible one. She
is rather a heroine of real life than
of fantastic romance, and the character
a shadow of moral or sentimental
weakness. While the play is permeat-
ed with a strong vein of pathos, there
is also a well-developed vein of COM
edy interest that lights it up through
out, and forms an admirable contrast
to the serious scenes. Miss Blair's
characterization of the title role is
highly praised by all who have wit
messed it..
Jane Eyre comes into the first act
a beautiful girl, who is forced to sup
port herself by acting as governess in
family of wealthy aristocrats. Des-
pite their overbearing insolence she
maintains her dignity, and after sew
eral Well-deserved rebukeS, delivered
in the majesty of splendid woman
hood they learn to respect, if not to
love her. Then, as Lord Rochester is
returning home after a long absence,
he has the misfortune to have his
horse fall upon him at the very door
of his country hall, and Jane, by her
superior air and womanly way of as
| Sisting him after his accident, makes
| a deep impression on his lordShlp,
which later ripens into love. An in
| teresting incident of the third act is
| the ruse through which Lord Roch-
| ester makes known his love for Jane
| and discovers her love for him. He
| does this by impersonating a gypsy
| fortune teller. The play is full of eff
! fective situations. Those who are most
familiar with the tale as it came from
Miss Bronte's pen, will be the most ap-
preciative auditors of the play itself.
Jane Eyre" will be presented all the
week, with matinees Monday, Wednes-
day and Saturday. The Sunday per-
! formances have been discontinued.
| William Hoey Familiarity known as
"Old Hoss" Hoey, whose death has just
| been announced, will be missed by the
theater going public all over the coun-
| try. Hoey did not pose as an actor.
He strove simply to be funny. That
he succeeded was the universal YER
dict. He was not versatile come dian.
| not much of singer, and never pre-
| tended to dance, but he filled the bill
! far more satisfactorily than many a
! clever performer with a repertoire of
specialties Hoey was unique No
body can hope to sing with the gusto
that he did that ditty about breaking
the bank at Monte Carlo. Neither
would any other funny man" on the
stage look half so funny as "Old Hoss"
in the act of carrying off red hot
stove. Without any desire to discour-
age those who hope for a continuation
of the prosperous career of "A Parlor
and characteristic attraction of the
slfit had departed
'.What have I on hand for next season?
I am planning one of the most elaborate pro-
auctions ever attempted in this country in
the shape of splendid revival~of The
Gladiator which will involve some of the
strongest scenic effects ever put upon the
stage" said Robert Downing the other day.
"a well-known firm of artists now at
work upon portion of the scenery, and
expect that within few days sketches for
the remainder will be sent for my approval.
The scenery costumes and armor will be
designed from careful historical studies, and
it is my aim to make the production worthy
of the highest respect from historical stand
point The greatest efforts of the artists will
of course be devoted to the arena scene
which will be constructed in careful imita-
ton of the Flavian amphitheater or Colos-
scum of Rome, and which will contain
1900 figures. II the propositions which 1
am considering are accepted, l shall intro
duce some remarkable realistic effects. Lions
tigers and other wild beasts will actually be
introduced in the arena, and the ancient
gladiatorial games will be faithfully repro
duced in every particular. All these splendid
scenic effects will of course, merely form
fitting background for the work of an un-
usually fine company. You see, am always
enthusiastic over The Gladiator"
will you cenfine your attention entirely to
this production next season, then?''
"Oh, by no means. | have accepted a new
play entitled David from the pen of G. S.
Johns, st. Louis newspaper man, and
expect that it will be very successful. shall
also bring out an elaborate revival of Sam
SON. and possibly Othello."
Madelaine Lucette Ryley's latest success,
1.-THE Mysterious Mr.. Buge," which recently
New York will be sent on tour next season
by Alfred Bradley who owns the rights for