The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-19
SPORTING LIFE"
The English Meodrama at the Worces-
ter Theater Tonight.

~ iiSGNOF OHI9Hl'
The story of Sporting Life" the big
English melodrama, which plays at
the Worcester theatre this evening
only, after a phenomenal run at the
Boston theatre, like nearly all of it's
predecessors, deals with happenings in
the daily lives of members of the upper
circles, but it is claimed that authors
Raleigh and Hicks have succeeded in
evolving number of entirely new dra-
matte situations and so deity inter-
woven these with reliable melodramat-
1c material Of the standard variety as
to render the piece unique in many re-
spects. The reckless career of a spend
thrift young lord, the Earl of Wood
stock, provides the basic theme of the
play. His passion for manly sports
and the race course leads young Wood
stock to the brink of financial ruin,
and he gets into the hands of the mon
ey-lenders. His particular money
lender is a disgrace to his craft, for
he not only fails to foreclose at the
earliest possible chance but actually
tides the nobleman over his difficulties
and is the real means of his being able
to recoup his shattered fortune
A bill for six thousand pounds, to-
Which Woodstock's name has been
forged by his sweetheerts brother, at
the insttgation of a heartless woman,
of whom he is enamored finds its way
to the Golfers of Andread, the money
lender, and when Woodstock is con-
fronted with it he promptly accepts it
as genuine rather than bring shame
and disgrace upon the fair name of his
flancee. 1t is then that the young
mans desperate stats compel him to
execute a lien on Lady Love-" his
racing mare, in favor of Andread I'M
til after she has contested for the great
Derby prize. 1t is easy to guess that
Lady Love" eventually wins the Der
by and restores to Woodstock all he
had so nearly lost. Meanwhile, how
ever, there are a great number of eX-
citing incidents, and through the
whole the ruling spirit of all plays, a
love affair, goes merrily on to happy
consummation. 1t requires no less
than 16 elaborate scenes to properly
carry out the design of this big pro-
duction of the English play-makers
brains, and Manager Lift has caused
this investiture to be provided by a
half dozen of the most celebrated of
American scenic artists, the result be-
ing pronounced the most astonishing
presentment ever given in this country.
The company is a most capable one
ana contains the names OF a number of
Americas best known actors. There
are more than 200 people employed.
The attraction to follow Way Down
East" at the fremont theatre, Boston,
next Monday, will be Three Little
Lambs" r. A. Barnet's musical comedy
written for and produced by the Cadets
under the title of Queen of the Ballet"
and pronounced one of the very best
works of this popular playwright. The
transfer of Mr.. Barnet's pieces from the
amateur to the professional stage has
been attended by remarkable success,
as witness 1892" and Jack and the
Beanstalk," and there is every reason
to believe that Three Little Lambs
will be no exception to the rule es-
pecially as the Fifth Avenue theatre
musical company, which is to appear in
it, Is strong in singers and comedians
who have made regulations in comic
opera as we'll as in this form of enter
tainment. A superb scenic setting and
very gorgeous as we'll as artistic cos
tunes have been provided, without re-
gard to cost, and the production win be
as complete in every respect as all the
resources of modern stagecraft can
make it.