The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-25
AT THE THEATERs.

Gentility and breeding expressed through
the medium Of dress suit. a manly coun-
tenance and refinement of speech make a
despicable thief interesting. If not absolutely
engrossing. Therein lies the excuse for and
the success Of such a play as "A Social High
wayman," which was given its first pro-
duction in this city by the Giffen-Neill stock
company hast night at the Metropolitan opera
house.
The performance enlisted the admiring at
tention Of large audience, which was not
only greatly pleased with the play, but ex-
pressed Its emphatic approval Of It's smooth
and finished presentation by the Ginen-Nefu
company. The performance bore conclusive
testimony of the superior merit of this organ
ization. 1t demonstrated that here exists an
aggregation Of players not SO circumscribed In
their various capacities that one actor must
always play the Juvenile role and one actress
be the inevitable ingenue, leading emotional
or light coincidence.
The two Leading roles Of "a Social High
wayman" are entrusted to James E. Wilson
and Charles Kent. Mr.. Wilson Is Courtice
Jaffrey, the genteel purloiner of ladies' jewels.
and Mr.. Kent is Jenkins Handy, Jaffrey's
valet and eloWcborn thief, who has one re-
deeming trait-that of gratitude and love for
his master. In this respect Handy Is to be
one that he is too lazy to work and too
cowardly to dare to steal from a more formid-
able victim than woman. Still every one
sympathizes with Jaffrey-he Is so courtly, so
express and admirable in form and moving, :"
so imbued with poetic and noble sentiments.
Mr.. Wilson merits unqualified praise for
his symmetrical and consistent characteriza-
ton of Jaffrey. His repose is commanding,
his dignity unimpeachable.
1t is pleasure to commend Charles Kent's
deineation of Handy. Handy has no re-
ligion but the worship of his master. Apart
from Jaffrey, he has no conscience. Mr.. Kent.
with the unfailing stroke Of the true artist,
indicated the character In his very appear
ance, not alone in makeup and facial ex-
preston, but in the manner of wearing his
clothes in action, carriage and bearing. It
was an excellent, well-conceived impersona-
ton, calculated to impress upon all who
witnessed it vivid semb.ance of weird but
human character.
The only remaining distinctive character Is
that of Lenora Caprices, portrayed by Mary
Hampton. What opportunity the role al
fords for the exhibition of the senora's vfo-
lent and vindictive temper, Miss Hampton
takes full advantage of. The other characters
are sketchy, but all drawn with a touch OF
life William F. Owen as Caroius Despard,
John B. Maher as Livingston Remsen and
Robert Drouet as Merton Harley, all give
entirely satisfactory performances, as IN fact
do the remaining members Of the east.
The stage settings, particularly those in
the first and second acts, representing JAZZ
frey's apartments in New York, are excep-
tionally rich and luxurious.
49,
McIvor Tyndall, with his interesting pro-
gramme Of mind reading and hypnotism, drew
large sized audience at the Grand opera
house last evening Mr.. Tyndall presents a
programme of mind reading as effective in in
terest and as prolific In novelty as that given
in this city by the once famed Bishop. His
power of locating hidden articles, combined
with his marvellous description OF the same,
makes his performances of really wonderful
interest Tomorrow at 2:30 the first matinee
performance of the McIvor-Tyndall engage
ment will be given. Prof Tyndall announces
a nightly change in his programme of mind
reading tests. fai r..
The person who is in the habit Of talking
society gossip between the acts in loud
enough voice to be great disturbance to the
man who sits near him and is interested in
the play, gets referred to in "a Social High
wayman' in quite a humorous and delicate
manner. When the Duchess Clayborough,
Misses Munyon Pyle, Sonora Caprices and
several fashionable ladies visit the aesthetic
apartments of Courtice Jaffrey for the purpose
of viewing the apartments, they have just re-
turned from the opera. They have left the
operatic performance somewhat Disguised be-
cause the music was louder than their voices.
The duchess explains the situation when the
ladies arrive while addressing the host, in the
following words: eff we're ahead Of time it's
my fault couldn't stand the last act so
many people came into the box. and it's so
hard on your throat to talk all through one
of those dreadful, screaming Wagner operas"