The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-12
Providence Opera House.

.lONnnlt " OAfTthlN............. ..sAlbtTt DFOWn
Little Danny Watson. Master Lester Gurney
sirs. Tom watson. n........... Miss Helen Surney
Jennie Watson ;............ Miss Mabel Walsh
Eergl'S9n M, ouddie. Jonn j.. Flynn Flynn
The pleasant thing about "The sun
shine of Paradise Alley" presented for
the first time in this city ut the Provi-
dence Opera House last evening, was the
almost uniform good nature OF all the
characters. At the very start the large
audience became sympsthetic. Every
individual recognized a more or less fa-
milisr figure in the piece. 1t began
with a representation OF New York dock
life in summer and introdu ced certain
they have been figures for the descriptive
writers on the big daily papers Of New
York. The wharf rat, a name given to
dock tramps, tie poor drunkard, the
tough boy, the kind hearted Irish woman,
the drunken husband, the neglected
children, the New York policeman and
the proyidentially good girl who con-
yerts wickedness into goodness, came to
view.
The interior of the home OF the good
girl, still further illustrating certain
kind of life In the great Metropolis, was
a continuation of the string of incidents
which made the piece and kept the In
terest sustained during what the play bill
called four periods. Paradise Alley, with
its queer people made the third picture
and picnic In Bronx Psik made the
fourth. The piece illustrated with fsir
degree OF truth the life Of the iowly in
somewhat hidden sections of iiew York,
and brought out the effect OF the efforts
of single individual in reformatory
work. I he curse OF Paradise Alley seemed
to be rum ana Sunshine by her sweet
and helpful character was the indirect
means Of changing a rum drinking COM
munity into very decent law-aridng lot
OF men and women. 1he incidents lead
ing up TO this development moved the
sgmpstbies and Kept the interest aus
tained.
There was no especially strong central
figure or character in the piece and there
was no dramatic material of any conse-
quence. "faradise Alley" adds nothing
IL the stage, bat 1t makes healthy amuse-
moni for the time being. The characters
do anyt ming they are capable of and in
this respect 1t has strong resem blance
to the farce comedy. John ID. Griffin, a
former popular favoriie at the L eater
Comigue, played O'Grady aitistieally, and
succeeded in making an illusion. lie
really scanned to be the person he was i'm
persouating. MIR. Ryer gave an earnest and
effective representation of the tough boy
with a good hesft, ,and Miss Cullen looked
the part of Sunshine. She is a pretty
young woman. Mrs. Peters was very
effective rs the benevolent widow Of the
Alley and this pivotal character was well
played.
There was good chorus singing and ex-
celleut dancing by Miss Lottie Faust and
John J. Hymn. Mr.. CliBord's fine bari
tone voice was heard TO advantage in a
couple Of selections, and the Ianies'
Verdi Quartet, Jessie Mcdonald, Phila
MAY, lizzie Farrell and Marie Blanchard,
sang number Of popular airs in re-
sponFe to repeated recalls. The musical
feature OF the hill was especially epjoys-
ble and the scenery was agreeable. "Tne
Sunsnine Of Paradise Alley" will be the
attraction all the week including the reg
uar mstiDees.