The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-11
DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.
GRAND.

GRAND.
Miss Nance O'Neil is an actress who is to
be considered seriously fact that was dem
onstrated last evening at the Grand, when
she made her first appearance in this town
In rather threadbare vehicle-"East
Lynne"
East Lynne was written with the sole
purpose Of titillating the lachrymal glands Of
persons of not too strong "utality. Its pur-
pose was accomplished without much trou-
bic, and for many years 1t has gone on Its
fearful way pandering to mawkish senti-
ment. This fact does not in the least detract
from the other fact that 1t pays quite as
well to squeeze the tear glands Of the pub
lie 1t does to tickle the risibes Of that
same imDersonal institution: The more
mawkish the sentiments, the more copious
the weeping and the larger the receipts
East Lynne" is therefore a pronounced
success. The public must have It, and, If it
must be served by way of diversion, it is
better-much better-that Miss O'Neil should
be the medium whereby our tears to be
wrung from us than any other person who
has depicted the woes of the extremely fool
ish young woman who fell victim to the
wi.es Of Sir Francis Levison. -7V=l
Miss O'Nel played the part of Lady Isa-
belle Vane last evening with all the strength
OF emotional actress of great natural
part lies in her capacity to stir her audi
ence. Not in the history OF the Grand has
there been such shedding of tears as there
was in the third act of East Lynne" last
night. The house wept as one person, not
the dainty sniveling that follows on sight
of the woes of the average Lady Isabelle, but
hearty outburst of boohoolng that reelected
great credit on the tenderness of the hearts
of the people in the house.
Aside from this capacity TO move her audi
tors, Miss O'Neil possesses qua.it es that are
more gratifying. She is really clever act,
ress of the tragic. She has a fine presence.
graceful figure, a handsome, even a beau
tlful race. She has, moreover, voice that
sounds like the voice Of genius-velvety, vi
brant. penetrating in its lower tones, and
never throaty. Altogether, Miss O'NeiI has
qualities that make it quite certain she Will
presently do full Justice to a great part
after she has reduced the women of this town
to tears, as she is bound to in the next few
days.
The version of East Lynne" that was
given is not the familiar one. The pay has
been rewritten by Mr.. Mckee Rankin, and
the author has applied the pruning knife
with generally commendable results. The
play makes vehicle for the starring o. Miss
O'Neil, ard the Rankin stock company is
simply support for the star. 1t was not
therefore to be expected that the work. or
the possibilities for work would be of the
average high class to be expected in stock.
Mr.. Herbert Carr was a sufficiently coed
Sir Francis-ndecd, in the third act he was
excellent He is not the traditional villain.
and that helps much. Mr.. Rankin was an
unobtrusively good Lord Mount Severn. Mr..
Edwin Holt played Archibald Carlyle with
careful repression that POSSIBLY made the re-
pressfve features obtrusive One should
throw a little yigor into the depict.on of
mental agony. Mr.. H. A. Weaver. a sterling
cd actor, had little to do as DR.. Dill but
did that little well.
or the ladies of the company, beside Miss
o'Neil little can be said from last nights
performance. Mrs. Horace McVicker was an
excellent Cornelia, and Miss Rose Swain
played Joyce Hallijohn with an evenness tn IT
makes 1t worth while 20 watch her The
others did all that was required of them.
and the company Whole was quite salts
factory. The bill should draw until Wednes
day night.
The NELL stock company left last night fer
winnipeg over the Northern Pacific The
company will arrive there at l o'clock TODAY
and open four weeks engagement ton gh,
with The Charity Ball. At the close ~
the run OF the Rankin company at the Grand