The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-04

dence opera house last evening. and so
deep was its impress upon one OF the
largest and most intellectual audiences
ever gathered In the theatre that ap-
plause as spontaneous as it was liberal
punctuated the performance from the
carrier scenes to the final curtain.
providence. theatre goers are not prone
TO prodisality in giving evidence of
approval. To move them 10 such a
demonstration there is required some
thing higher than average merit In DIav .
ana players something that appeals
powerfully to the mind and sets the
neart strings throbbing. Not often is
this result achieved. but Il was realized
last evening. and the audience. recog-
nizlng the extraordinary worth of the
work offered, and the beauty and ade-
quacy or It's presentation, expressed it's |
oehghted appreciation by repeated calls !
Tor author and actors. Responding 10 I
an insistent demand at the close of the |
thlrd act. Mr.. Caine made a short ad- |
dress, In which he returned thanks for |
the Kindly reception accorded his lit |
erary offspring and for the warm well
come extended by the people of New
England TO son of old England. In
felicitous phrase he paid a tribute 10 !
the members of the cast, singing out
MISS Allen for special commendation |
Tor her charming portraiture OF his ia 4
vorite child-Glory Quayle Nor were
his remarks merely perfunctory. Mr..
Games expressive countenance i'm its
frame of ruddy hair and beard clearly
Indicated that the pleasure TO which he
gave expression in words was to him an
actual experience.
III Mr.. Game found pleasure i'm the
plaudits or delighted audience he !
must also have felt the satisfa Cfi0n /
that consciousness OF work well done !
invariably creates, for in compressing
the story Of The Christian" to the cir
cumscribed limits of stage repres enta-
ton without sacrificing it's interest .or
lessening it's power he has accomplished ,
really remarkable piece of dramatic
construction. The play. unlike the book.
deals mainly with the love story Of John
Storm and Glory Quayle. The homilet- !
les or the novel are discarded almost
entirely while scenes and incidents NO. ! !
IN the book are introduced In the plav
Tor the purpose OF securing unity apA ! 7
consistency. To certain degree. there | \
Tore. the drama Is now, but Il Is mainly ]
IN minor details, for the central and $
dominating motive remains the same
out OF the book Mr.. Caine has taken n
the more striking Incidents and has h
FUSED them into fairly consistent and I
consecutive whole There Is necessarily : n
some abruptness I'm the development OF 1,
me story. but this is q flaw which III I ~
noticed ataall Is quickly forgotten un- "a
Ter the power and pathos ~ succeed ~
ng scenes There are situations. also. n
o which Mr.. Caine whether Intention -
'lly or not. has given y melodramatic NJ
ouch but they are not freduent nor si
an they be regarded as seriously af- g,
Getting the excellence OF the drama as I'm
whole. While THE Christian" can =,
lardly he called = great play. n Is un- m
eniahly one Of the most powerful pre- a
ented here in decade or more and n
ontains elements which. in spite of jts er
ombre atmosphere are certain 10 win a.
or IL 2 long life upon the stage
Mr. Caine is fortunate IN havlfrTg se-
ured q competent, well-kalanced aud
enerally efficient company FOR tho pro
,ntation Of his drnrna Miss Viola t
lIen " Re- stranger % Providence the pr
trc goers. who have often been W
1armed by her Finished pctinc. Never at
ieless her portraiture of Glory OuayIe ~,
81 evening was n surprise To- many. a.,
cause u was far In advanco of apv ~ OH
" previous efforts and emnhasized the ina
~ that her command of her art Is tur
,ner and broader than her prey~is Sir
lorts indicated. Glory Ouayle A. an ev,
'actins character full Of contradic- lie