The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-10

PI0VI0enCe UpeId Rouse.
Following close upon the heels of it's
brilliant New York and Boston tri-
umphs. "The French Maid" the latest
and best of the musical extravaganzas,
will be presented for the first time at
the Providence Opera House Monday
night. with beautiful Anna Held In the
title role. 1t Is a musical farce of the
better class interrupted at intervals
with a flourish of petticoats and the
spectacular display OF French heels.
The comedy is strained through Pari-
ian sieves and is bright and witty, but
there is nothing objectionably suggest
i've nor is there anything tedious in the
rather slender but we'll told story In
fact "The French Maid Is quite the
pattern of entertainment most lokely TO
engage the attention of Providence
theatre -goers. because there Is dash
of military and seafaring life, a bat
talon OF handsome girls, beautiful
dresses for everybody worth a pretty
decoration and star who is perhaps,
the most popular comedienne on the
American stage today.
There is plenty of brisk action and
graceful dancing in the piece, a string
of dance melodies all I'm the same key
and built upon the same metre, which
jingle gayly through the pictures, max
ing IL altogether a gayer, smarter, pret-
tier joke in dazzling colors than has
dawned upon Providence audiences in
many a day.
The chief interest of the plot centres
upon SuZette, a tickle but deliciously
pretty little French maid whose innocen
fiirtations tangle the lives OF other
members of the cast into the hardest
kind OF knots, making even a British
admiral and an Indian Prince the VIC
Tins of her sad cOQuetry
Through Ii all. however. she is true
to her gendarme lover, whose fierce
jealousy forced her into these fiirta-
tions for his punishment. A bit of real
life crops out. whether intentional upon
the part of the librettist or not. in the
escape of Suzette, unscathed. from all
the complications and troubles OF which
she was the deliberate cause. Women
are seldom made to suffer for the
heart aches inflicted upon others.f AS
natural evolution OF these compli-
cations, nearly everybody i'm the cast
pretends 10 be somebody else. with the
most ludricrous results. A bal masque
in the second act introduces the char
acters picturesquely and with abundant
opportunity for songs and dances typ
ically French and entertaining.
''The French Maid" is worthy OF the
highest commendation and approval.
while with Mile. Anna Held, as the
stellar feature. il cannot fail to become
one of the most successful productions
ever given upon "a Providence stage
Miss Held's impersonation of the title
role is a living. breathing embodiment
OF the dainty. bright-cr.d. saucy but
altogether lovable little PaSisienne. so
familiar to habitues of the boulevard.
Had the part been written especially
for her IL could not suit her better. and,
upon the occasion of her first appear
ance i'm the role. at the Herald Square
Theatre. she proved n revelation to
her host OF admiring friends. In ad-
dltion to her Interpretation Of the cha
racter Of Suzette, wherein she sings. |
dances. kisses and makes love with |
equal facility and charm. Miss Held |
introduces an entirely new speciality |
in the second act made doubly attrac- |
tive by the remarkable melody of her |
voice and her ability TO use il intel |
ligently. In this act Miss Held wears |
y new creation in the way of a gown |
distinctly Partisan i'm design and style |
and thickly embroidered with scintil- |
lating Jewels. valued about $50. .000
OF the other members of the brilliant |
original cast Charles A. Bigelow is
the chief n-maker. I'm an eccentric
Characterization of an English waiter.
whose table d'hote song is about the
funniest bit of lyric comedy extant
and is sure TO be one of the bits Of the
performance. Matt. Woodward. Hallen
Mostyn. T.. j. Heron. George Honey,
l'douard Jose. Augustus Sohlke. Eva
Davenport. Yolande Wallace. Mamie
Forbes and Blanch Sherwood are also
effectively cast.
Next Wednesdays matinee marking
the Booth performance of "The French
Maid" in the United States. a special
souvenir Of beautiful jewel box. bear
ing a portrait of Anna Held on the
cover. will be presented TO every lady
occupying seat on the lower floor.
Manager Wendelschaefer has booked
another record breaking attraction for
the Providence Opera House for Christ
mas week, the event being the appear
ance here of Miss Olga Nethersole and
n COmDetent COmpany i'm rpperf oire |