The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-13
Keilh's Opera House.


The popularity OF Digby Bell and Laura
Joyce Bell was well attestcd last night by
the large audience that assembled in
keith's Opera House To greet them IN the
new domestic comedy drama The
Hoosicr Doctor.
There may be a difference OF opinion
regarding the comedy itself. However
last nights audience was not unkind and
pretty genuine applause greeted the work
OF the cast. IL Is a western story and per-
haps this is the reason for its broadncss Of
suggestion which Is somewhat redeemed
by the uniqueness of the plot.
Life as depicted in the comedy is inter
estng and while the movement of the
Whitecaps is swift enough there arc times
when things seem TO drag bit and at
othec times there Is n siowncss and detail
that does not strengthen the piece.
More charming fields there are for comedy
than Mr. Thomas has, in this Instance,
selected, and Mr. Bell and his companion
have had parts apparently more congenial
at least TO the majority of theatcr gocrs.
At the same time the piece has many
good parts and some OF IL limos are very
pretty, but somehow or other 1t must be
admitted they fall "a triile nat.
The piece at the same.tine ends well, IL
has a good lesson, not n new one, but one
that well bears retelling and some of the
situations create much amusement
Digby Bell as the doctor has, of course, "a
very large share of the comedy To himself
and fine part does he make of IL and in
the homcly scenes, as well MS the ones re-
quiring cunning and skill, he is as pleas
ing and artistic as ever. The doctor gets
into great scrapo by getting clandes-
timely married q month before his gradu-
alton and it takes a long time TO straighten
things out. The fear of his mother in
law, for he has been married before, and
three arIiageable daughters Is well por-
trayed and comfort and ease finally como
10 him after his second marriage, that is
after he has had pretty rough experience
with the Whitccaps. The doctor com
pound u medicine that is big success
and sunshine and money are his. Laura
Joyce Bell is the mothcr-in law or as the
doctor calls her Grandmother and IA
capital shrill and unsatisfiable one does she
make. She Is sharp and talsative and
while very funny ms viewed by the an
dience never so To the doctor. His Is "a
hard life with her and the hard lines of II
woman in struggling western home are
admirably portrayed. As n scold Grand
ma" leaves room for no one else in the
piece and the other characters are de-
cidcdly subordinate To her when she is
on the scene.
Nor do the two principals already
named completely fiji out the work of the
piece for there arc other characters, some
of them decidedly fresh aud all i'm novel
situations George lie Bras has good
chance in the part of Higgins, the scandal
dealing grocer To do some good jolly work
and he is always interesting ana effective
Mr. William Il. Sheldon, an old time
Providence favorite, I'm the part of Parson
Moss is considerable of a storm center and
he does his work I'm an excellent manner
Mr.. Munroe has an interesting and anus
ing part i'm the character of Dalrymple
Mr.. Hirschberg and Miss Konnach and
the other ladies and gentlemen in the cast
are worthy of commendation.
1.-The Hoosicr Doctor will be the attrac-
tion at this theater at the usual matinees
and every evening tho present week.