The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-24
Green Room T alk.

1t is doubtful if any dramatic organi-
cation playing repertoire ever visited
Butte that made a better impression
than did the Neill company when it
presented "A Bachelors Romance" and
Amy Robsart' at the Grand opera
house last Wednesday and Thursday
evenings. The company gives one Of the
best rounded performances that money,
splendid equipment, excellent actors
and the best list of high-class plays
that the modern stage can possibly Of
fer. Butte. as we'll as many other
cities, Is often so hoodwinked with a
star actor surrounded with lot of in
competents, presenting a good play in
a bad manner, that it was positively
refreshing during the Neill engagement
no note the ensemble SO perfect the de-
tail so exact, and the more it is to Mr..
Neilrs credit that his organization gave
the public really more than was prom
Used. 1t is such earnest, conscientious
actors as he toward whom the Amer-
can stage can look with hope for re-
demption from the armies of silly farce
comedies, the shoddy productions of
over-estimated melodramas and other
plays that come to Montana with no
particularly enviable record behind
them. Mr. Neill is entitled to a laurel
crown for consistently following the
policy of being an honest theatrical
manager He believes in giving his pa
irons full value for their money, and
doubtless when the company returns
to the Grand opera house next We'd
ffNH@ ND lt1y. ty1fr 11n
manning four nights that theater will
prove too small to hold the pople who
appreciate a good thing and will wish
to show their appreciation in sub
stantial way. Manager Mcfarland Sc
cured the Neill company for the two
special performances given here the
past week at his own risk as method
Of introducing them, and it was one
of the happiest introductions that his
patrons have ever enjoyed. Another
treat is in store when the Neills return
to Butte for six performances begin
ming with a matinee next Wednesday
afternoon. The repertoire that has
been selected for the performances is
as follows: Wednesday afternoon and
Thursday evening Nat Goodwin's great
est comedy success, "A Golden Fool"
Wednesday evening, Captain Lettar-
blair" one Of E. H. Sothern's best
comedies; Friday evening the fascinat-
matinee "a Bachelors Romance and
Saturday evening, Lady Winder
mere's Fan Yet the repertoire is of
little consequence, now that the merits
of the NELL company and its produc
tions are known.
The present week has several good
things in the way of theatrical enter
tainment at the Grand opera house.
With matinee this afternoon the long
heralded farce comedy, why Smith
Left Home will begin an engagement
and will be followed on Wednesday by
a return Of the Neill company. Next
Sunday night another farce comedy of
great reputation, Browns in Town.,
will be at the Grand, the engagement
being limited to two nights. On the
second of January Miss Eugene Blair
will be seen in the dramatization Of
Frances Hodgson Burnetts story, "A
Lady of Quality in which she has won
a great measure of success.
why Smith Left Home which will
be seen for the first time in Butte to-
night, is from the versatile pen of
What Happened to Jones'" The ac-
ton of the new farce all takes place
during one summers day in the home
of Smith Three acts are used, in
which to tell the story; the first being
morning, the second aftes noon and the
IHlTu anu Tic plDI al HlIStS oIi
the very natural desire of a loving
bridegroom to have his home to him
self during the honeymoon at least.
Smith," a prosperous, self-made man,
about 40 years old. has been recently
married to the girl of his heart, dash
ing, clever young woman, 20 years his
sunior. Business has prevented their
taking the usual wedding journey, and
ITO Smiths inexpressible dismay all
their friends and relatives had thought
1t an excellent time to drop in on them
and stay a few weeks just to show
them how ompanionable they We're;
then as an added joy, her brother, who
has eloped with a girl foolish enough
to run away from home to go on the
stage, comes to her for haven of ref
uge The wife dare not reveal to her
husband the presence of her brother
and his bride, for she fears to aggra-
vate the affair now that the aunt has
announced herself, so she makes her
brother assume the guise of a music
teacher and the young bride becomes
the teachers sister. The complications
in the Smith household are heighten-
ed by "Mr. Smiths sister, who fancies
she has attracted a German count; the
count in reality loves Mrs Smith, .
though he ina ines ii is she who is I'M
married. To rid himself of unwelcome
visitors, Mr.. Smith determines upon
n conspiracy with the cook, who. for
her part of the contract, is to prepare
such villainously bad dinners that the
guests will Immediately take up their
traps and go. This is possible, because
the cook as secretary of her union,
pannot be discharged without disaster
A SURE CURE FOR GROUP.