The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-13
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The Theatres.
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baiin ...,-'..ss,.''..-. ..-...'-..s....''' rainier
Ellefsiie. ...,. W Dupont
Daphne, ....-.............,.Mar MannerlnS
Lazy Sark, Z, ,....-..'.'.'..,.. Marie Sn0tMell
Mrs oldfield. Mrs. Thos, Whiffen
Lady hveilna..-.............-.. MISS isoot
Lady Lisie..-..-..- .,......-.,-.,....Miss kohr
Frances Hodgson Burnett and George
Fleming two women writers of promi.
nenoe, found an incident in the life OF
George the Prince of Wales, that demon
strated he was not entirely depraved and
they wrote a play with that as the central
idea, and called it "The First Gentleman
of Europe. The play was seen for the
first time in this city mt the Providence
Opera House, last evening, and Lenten
season audience was not very much inn
pressed with it, notwithstanding it had
Daniel Frohman's first class New York
1.yceum Theatre Company and the origi
nal players in the east. No one questioned
the quality Of the acting but the play
was too episodic and too dreary of inter
esting matter 10 command great atten-
tion. lt had two strong scenes and situa-
tions and they Were made the most of by
this accomplished group of players.
Otherwise The First Gentleman of
Europe" was wordy and inconscquential.
The authors are famous writers, but no
amount Of interest I'm their work justifies
the telling of certain things over ana over
again. The Prince is told several times
that he has been baf1ied i'm his love enter
prise by a poor poet and on the third
telling the hearer naturally rebels.
lt is not pleasant matter To hear or
contemplate. During three acts the
Prince of Wales endcavors TO compass the
ruin of a beautiful and upright girl and
only stops when the meanest scoundrel
would out of common decency pause For
nearly three hours on the stage he is
blackguard, profligate and loafer and for
five or more minutes he is a man and
stops when, his victim has no alternative
but TO yield to the force of distressful cir
cumstances Then the first gentleman of
Europe voluntarily gives up the maiden To
her honest lover. The playwright's treat
ment of the matter Is not gross. On the
contrary IL is romantic and sentimental,
but the imagination il somewhat
shocked by the theme. The maiden, "a
gentle sufferer, is Trademarks daughter
who makes great sacrifices TO bcfriend her
father and save her lover and ii is sweet
character, sweetly interpreted by Miss
Mannering whose vivid impersonation and
teresting work endeared her To those
who saw her for tho first time last even
ing. she has good voice, expressive
features and talent OF high order She
was the very embodiment of pure soul
struggling to be unalloyed by sin and
Welding only when there was no other
lternative- It was artistic and consistent
laying continually and it was "A loyable
nd ennobling character.
Edward Morgan Is young actor of
,ronise. He made the poet-lovcr u
manly sort of fellow and bestowed upon
It an air of repose and good breeding. IL
was an artistic success, because the poet
could have easily been made milksop.
His love making with Miss Mannering
in the first act was delightful and his
denunciation of the Prince whom he had
set up for a model was intense and sim
f,Qp III A h0H nd pnf hat H..Ix
libertine and he made n bitter and
manly attack upon the blackguard. Ii
was excellent playing.
Mr.. Huckptt wore royal robes like "a
prince and gave taste of his quality as
an actor in tho climax of the quarrel
brief spasm of commonI iecency. The
player made picturesque figure and did
very we'll with rather thankless material.
Mr. Walcot was unusually successful
In his characterization of the country
baronet Mrs. Whifflen was particularly
effective in her impersonation of the
shrewd and sherewish mother and Mr..
Morris made as much as ho could out of
the old tradesman. The play was put
upon the stage with that claborateness
which has made Manager Frohlnan "a
great central figure in amusement cater
ing. The First Gentleman of Europe"
will be seen again this evening and: to-
morrow evening. and those who relish n
well constructed play will find much to
engage their attention.
On Thursday evening Louis n. Parkers
new play entitled THE Mayflowcr" will
be seen for the first time I'm this city.
The next attraction for popular atten-
tion at this theater will be the triple bon
eft TO Assistant Manager Collin, Musical
Director Wendelschaefor and Treasurer
Hamilburg when the Rhode Island Wheel
men Minstrels will give an entertainments