The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-11-20
The WOmanln Black"

The Woman in Black" a new drama
dealing with New York life, written bv
IL. Grattan Donneliy and produced bv
Manager Jacob Lift, will be given in
this city at the Grand Opera House,
Monday evening, Nov. %
Nhe scene Of the play is laid in one of
the most thickly populated districts of
New York and it has To do with novel
and interesting phases of life in the ma
tons metropolis. The author is cred
tied with having taken an old theme
and by scheme and by skilful work
evolved a play of remarkable dramatic
strength. Life in great city is full of ma
terial for the dilgent and observing dra-
matist; there is ALWAYS something new
Tor the man whose observation is keen,
and it may be said that no melodramas
are more popular than those which
deal With the bnsv lives of the people
who inhahit the great cities. In 1.-The
Woman in Black" Mr.. Donncilv is said
to have given us a powerful and human
play OF contemporaneous interest, IN
/ Producing variety of types of character
and several thrilling scenes. 1t skins
along the edge of politics but does not
dip III too deeply. The political turn
which the author has given to the story
only AIDS IN rounding out svmmetrlcalv
! well conceived plot. The hypnotic
influence OF a woman called Zenda has
4 material bearing on the story and the
love Interest is sufficiently strong to al
most dominate the play. The villain
and the hero are rival candidates for
congress. One of the unique types of
character introduced is krantzer, a dis
trlct hOss, a topical bully of the East
side. drawn from life-a character one
meets every day in New York political
lie. Crane, an ambitious but unscrupu-
lous millionaire, il aided in his political
aspirations BY krantzer and his gang.
Mansfield, his opponent, represents the
respectable wing of the same party, and
and is III love with Cranes niece.
Crane has DESIGNED his niece for his
son Jack, in order to cover up his ap-
preparations OF the niece 5 patrimonv.
The power OF Zenda is used to influence
the nice so That this marriage will be
consummate t. This scheme and others
which are formed by Kratzer for the
purpose of defeating Mansfield are
ioIled through the intervention of Jimp,
An attractive figure in the play Is Ruby,
an English music hail singer, who is in
love with Jack Crane. She is breezy,
da5hlTg creature with her heart in the
rlghtplacc. She possesses the uncon-
ventlonality of her kind, but is true to
the man she loves. Numerous other
characters combine to give The play
strength. One scene OF unusual magni-
! tude is New York on election night
Madison Square and the Hoffman house
are shown. The election returns are
/ throw on one of the adjacent buildings
| by the aid of 4 stereopticon in the pres
! ence of a large crowd Mansfield's
! election and Cranes defeat are finally
4 announced and scene vf pandimonl-
! um ensues, which is graphically like
] W !lftl ttN bc sttI on ANY occasion OF
this kind on election night in New
| York. In the last act the niece Is res
/ cled from the house of the woman in
/ black, who discovered an old enemy in
Crane and the scattered threads of the
story are gathered together. All Of the
climaXes are dramatically strong, the
, comedy is excellent and the spectacular
effects are fine. 1t is, in fact, a thor
. oughly entertaining play, rapid in ac-
| ton, clean cut and tersc in dialogue
and handsomely mounted. Like all
OF Mr.. Lifts productions, ii Is provided
with a complete outfit of beautiful
scenery. The company is an excellent
one and embraces Helene Blythe james
Lackoye, Della Stacey, Mildred St
! Pierre, Lois Clark, Clara Emory, Chas
| b. Hawkins. Walter Walker, John Nc
height. J. +. Brion, William McCready
and others. Prices 75c, SOC, 25c. Seats OH
sale at Draper Drug Store.