The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-01
DRAMHTIC.
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Tonight at the Metropolitan William
Gillette's farce The Private Secreta-
ry," will be presented by the Giffen-
Neill company. 1t will be John B. NAH
ers turn in the performances of THE
Private Seer etary," for he will be seen
as the Rev. Robert Spaulding, a milk
sop of the purest ray serene. An actor
of Mr. Makers artistic qualities can
undoubtedly make much in a thorough
ly legitimate way out of the many
ridiculous situations in this clever
farce. From the very time that the two
misunderstanding nephews yell down
through the window of the lodging
apartments to the Rev. Robert Spauld-
ing, asking him to come up, every
thing is merriment. William Owen will
also be given the best opportunity he
has had in any play which the Giffen-
Neiu company has yet presented, in the
role of old Douglas Cattermole, the ir-
ritable, clustering uncle from India
Mr.. Ovens characteristics and talents
are Well fitted for this role. James
Neil will be seen as, old Catternole's
masquerading nephew, who imperson-
ates the real private secretary, and des-
perately makes love to two pretty girls
at a time when he is supposed to be
teaching these willing pupils the mys-
teries and intricacfes of the unfathom-
able poets Miss Anne Blancke will
have but a small part with a large
family in the role of Mrs. Spauldfng,
the wife of the chuekle-headed eurate.
There are many very amusing stu
ations in The Private Secretary"
which stand almost tfnrivalled in any
play of. this nature. For instance,
there is the one where the masquerade
ing nephew is made to give a lesson
to the giggling girls in the presence of
the stern father. This nephew does not
know any more about Greek than pig
does about astronomy. The stern
father stares at him hard, and his bluff
must be made good: somehow The
girls are all attention. The nephew is
forced to pick up book and begin the
lesson He looked at the back OF the
book, and says Paradise Lost by MIL
ton" and adds at the command of the
father as to something about Milton,
MILTON was blind and during the time
he was blind he suffered very much. In
fact, he could not see. He dictated
Paradise Lost to typewriter, ana
then" Then the disguised father or
the girls puts a stop to the whole mat
ter; declares that he will have every
body lynched who has had any hand
whatever in imposing upon him and
his daughters in such an irrepafabIe
and irretrievabIe manner.
The story of 1.-The Private Secfe-
tary' is as follows: A young scape-
grace, named Douglas Cattermele, IS
deeply in debt. He is pursued On all
sides by persistent creditors among
whom is Gibson the tailor, who mas
aspirations to trot in swell society. y
cilunl of Cattermole's, Harry Marston,
suddenly appears at the formers lodg-
ing with an invitation to take CATER
mole to his uncle's country place near
London. Marston explains he is gong
there for the purpose OF taking with
| him a new private secretary, who mas
/ been engaged for the, two young lacleS
of the Marston home. Owing to the
watchfulness of so many creditors:
Young Catternole finds it impossible
| to get away from London until the
scheme is finally decided upon Wherepy
the new private secretary is installed
at Cattermoles lodgings, While the lat
| ter leaves the city disguised as that
! secretary. A rich uncle OF young Cat
termo1e suddenly appears at ms neph-
| eWS lodgings, and, discovering the
| Rev. Roger Spaulding there, makes
| the very natural mistake that the milo
t hammered curate is his nephew. Ills
| disappointment at this discovery Is
| very keen, because the rough aho
| ready old Benson had-eXpected 10 ilnd
| his nephew young and breezy cndp
| in the midst of recklessfy sowing Els
| wild oats The Rev. Spauidlng IS any
! a manner as an alderney. OLD CATER
| mole finally rushes~feF Mr. Marsland
| country seat for the purpose Oh con-
| sultation, and he IS followed by the
Rev Spaulding. Edith Marsiand and
| Miss Eve Webster are two young
| held, who succeed In falling desperate
[ ~ in love with young Cattermole and
young Marsland.
/ The love scenes of the farce grow
out of the association of this merry
| quartette. There is a Miss Ashford,
an eccentric Old spinster ana relatlVe
| of Mr.. Marsiand. She believes that
| Rev. Roger Spaulding is a spiritualist
medium, and her efforts to persuade
| the innocent curate to call up a few
| old ghosts give rise to hilariously
! amusing stage. situation. Throughout
| the last two acts the deception of
| young Cattermole is kept up, and he
pfetenQS TO teach the girls, dithOuSI IL
really making desperate love to them.
| During all this period of uncertainty
| the Rev. Spaulding is rushed about
from one place to another, and hid
| den away most of the time, damned
| into closets and attics by the disgust
| ed old Benson Cattermofe. Finally the
reverend gentleman's wife and FIVE
small children appear on the scene.
/ and the real relation of the various
! characters becomes clear. Young Cat
| termole's uncle is delighted to find his
nephew the seapegrace that he had
| expected. instead of a milk-sop; but
his faverite Interrogation on all oe-
casions still continues to be: "How's
! your liver?"
On Thursday night and during the
| remainder of the week, the Giffen
NELL company will present capt.
| Swift" This drama is from the pen of
| G. Haddon Chambers, the author of
The Idler," which the company pre-
sented here last week. The play is
| familiar to local theatergoers, as the
Gtnen-Neill company gave it in this
city two years ago this summer. with
James Nefll in the title role. Mr. Neill
VIII again assume the character of the
fascinating outlaw. Capt. Swift. an
Australian h'gawayman, as courageous
as he is genteel. returns to England,
ana in the course of his circulation IN
fashionable society," meets his mother.