The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-28
Nneletn Topics.

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Society has this week gained two new
favorites. Both made their debut last
Wednesday night at the Players Club
performance of THE Guardsman,s and
both, in connection with the play. are the
topic of conversation at social gatherings
of the hour. The first is Mr.. Douglas S.
Houghton, who staged the play with such
excellent success, and the second is the
little fox terrier, belonging to Mrs.
Gubelman. that played almost as i'm
portant a part in the first act as the
Guardsman himself. He was a diminutive
creature. but for a while it looked as
though nobody else was to have any of
the attention in the first scene. But the
Cog did not enjoy it a bit. His first SEN
sation was probably that experienced by
all debutantes. stage fright. for he shiver-
ed and shook all over and blinked at
the audience in a most appealing way. yet
he never opened his mouth, that is in the
first act. In the second, though he did
not appear. he managed TO make himsel1
heard. Like most human beings who do
not recognize a good thing till it Is gone
when left alone he began TO miss the at
tention so lavishiy bestowed upon him IN
thai FIRST scene and set up a dismal wall.
However. he was soon sileneed, probably
with a piece of candy, and the Guards
man was not at all disturbed.
There were a number of debutantes In
.sThe Guardsman.'s 1t was the first ap-
pearance of the entire cast. with the ex-
ception of Messrs. Joseph D. Layton and
Edward L. suter. under a anna coach,
and they all did well, too. Unlike most
raw casts the parts portrayed were not IN
the least overdone. Then, too. all the cos
tunes were very pretty and becoming 70
the wearers. Miss Anness made a typical
looking adventures in her red dress,
black plumed hat and red parasel, but
was lacking in the portrayal of the char
acter. especially when it came to the
brandy and soda scene. Miss Jarvis look
ed every bit an American heiress in her
court dress with the four yard train. In
fact the whole scene between her and
Miss Potts. where the American heiress
is being drilled for presentation to the
Queen. was exceptionally good, and it IS
no wonder that Miss Potts made a hit
when she said: Remember that England
is now your best ~friend.'' which, by the
way. is a departure from the original
manuscript. which reads, Remember the
Prince of Wales is your friend This
was a clever thought ON the part of THE
Players.
Miss Richie Bennett was very good in
her portrayal of Thompson. but would "a
servant be ap 10 appear in q satin skirt
when in active service? This, however,
may be English style to which the Ameri-
cans are not educated as yet.
The play was especially strong in its
climax scenes, which after all are the
features of a performance which tell.
The paft that Leaves al impression on the
audience after the curtain goes down.
Mr.. Houghton is especially particular
about this and drilled and redrilled THE
Players" in the climaxes until they
begged for mercy. Perhaps it is just this
point that makes Mr.. Houghton so sue
cessful as a dramatic coach.
The Players Club was originated by
Miss Ida Jarvis, and it was through the
kindness of Mr.. r. R. Jarvis, her father,
that Mr.. Daniel Frohman was prevailed
upon to allow the club the use of his
manuscript of 1.-THE Guardsmen." Mr..
Frohman ran the play himself in New
York some time ago. but as it proved a
failure, did not continue it after the first
month. so that practically speaking the
play Is new to the public.
Among the ember of the Players
Club Ida A. Jarvis, Helen
cadmus, Florence Kensel, Anna K.
Koonz. Richie Bennett, Virginia Bennett,
Bertha Anness. Agnes Dickson, Elizabeth
Dixon. Laura Dixon, GuiieIma jackson,
Lucy Mcbride, Jean Mcbride. Matilda Mil
sler. Ethel S. Potts. Jessie Perry, Agnes
Rowe. Marian Scott, Jane Scott, Mrs.
Edwin Bennett. Messrs. Eugene w
Leake. r. r. Jarvis, Jr., Wallace Pyle,
Wesley Negus, Frederick Gubelman, Hen
nv Brown. 5Jr., E.. s. Babcock. VIM J..
Field, B.. F. Hart. Clarence Morrell,
Samuel Richardson, Frank w. Richard
son. Wm.sF. Klumpp. Harold Koonz, Ed
ward H. Ferris, f. E. Ferris. Joseph D.
TAYLOR. Jr.. Sidney Wallace, Robert 4.
Rogers. Edward Suter. Sidney Wallace,
NJ. spaiding. George R.. Beach, Edward
Bachelor, Shepard Strong and H. =.
Sewoss.
1t seems a pity Jersey City cannot boast
of a han where a play can be produced
without meeting with the obstacle OF
scenery. Hasbrouck is an excellent hall,
and the scenery is new and pretty, but
then it has no drop scenery, and few
nlays can be successfully presented with
out a box scene. Crescent Hall stage
is small. and the scenery, to say the least,
is badly in need of repair. while the Jersey
city Clubhouse scenery does not fit the
stage. Some time after the clubhouse
was erected the stage was enlarged, and
it has probably never entered the heads
of those in charge that new scenery IS
necessary. In the wood scene this is espe-
cially noticeable on one side, where there
are either not enough wings or those on
.hand are not large enough to reach to
the end of the stage. and g door wing
from. the house scene has to fill the
niche. It spoils the whole effect. Who
eyer heard of a wood, park or garden
with a door? It is simply ludicrous.
Their has been a special meeting OF the
Florence Dramatic Club during the week,
and the gentlemen of the club have de-
cided to give the lady member either a
dinner at the Hotel Washington or a troll
ley ride with a supper at the end of the
route, the choice to be made by the Ia
dies themselves. The trolley ride or lin
ner. as the case may be, will be given as
a mark Of gratitude and courtesy on the
49, n,afa members of the club for