Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-04

failure or piece Wn1cn mlgnb some Oay
afford employment to them.
Browns In Town. was produced here
at the Bijou theater by the following COM
pany, which ought to be able to make a
farce go, if anybody can:
Dick Preston. Edward y. Abeles
Arthur Howard. John Lancaster
Worth Carew ............ Edward Poland
FoHock. ..........'...'......'. .Ahurew Lee
Suzanne Dacre. ........,.........Anna Belmont
Lefty, Dicks wife. Kathryn Osterman
Freda Won Hollenbeck. Josie Sadler
Primrose. Observation-Disclosures. Belle Davis
Tho general impression of New York
critics appears to be that Browns In
Town. will never make Mr. Swan ia
nous, as the piece is a loosely put together
series of old episodes which do not have
the effect of melting to laughter.
When that is the case, II farce would ap-
pear to be doomed, but with Browns In
Town" the rule will not hold good, for the
play is said to have been doing phenomenal
business out of town prior to its appear
ance here. 1t has served, too, to enable
several of the performers to make New
York hits. OF these Edward S. Abeles,
one of the best of the young farceurs in
this country, scored particularly heavily,
and Kathryn Osterman also created a good
impression. Josie Sadler had an excellent
opportunity in a German dialect part and
made the most of it, while Belle Davis
sang lot of 'cool" songs in a manner,
according to many persons, worthy Of
May Irwin. AS she is a cOlOred woman
and displayed unexpected evidences of his
trionic ability in the role of a cook she
was good deal of a revelation to the local
critics.
see that one of the dramatic feuilleton
writer's on o paper devoted principally to
matters of the stage has discovered that
Christopher Columbus was Turk or
something equally ridiculous. 1t would
seem that men who pretend to make a
speciality of certain phases Of newspaper
work would at least be reasonably familiar
with that specially, but here this writer
comes along with the announcement that
a Mr.. Dunn, q man from Boston who has
undertaken the herculean task Of reviving
the fortunes of Roster e. Balls old place
ON Twenty third street, is about to inau-
gurate an interesting experiment. This is
nothing less than admitting free any per.
son who may hold a reserved seat coupon
from any reputable theater in the city.
So far from being new, this was done at
the very same house by Roster & Bal
many years ago and, believe, with re-
markable success. The theory is that any
person who has the money to buy reserv-
ed seat in first class theater and will
then take the trouble to go to the Twenty
third street resort will not be averse to
spending u little money op potahles.
It is stated upon what appears to be very
good authority that Henry Irving will not
be tho first man to play Robcspierre in
this country when he comes over here next
fall. This may be important If true' so
far as Mr.. Irving is concerned, but doubt
it exceedingly. The statement that it is
not professional for Mr.. Coghlan to antici-
pate the production Of his fellow player s
drama is absurd in the extreme. The
character of Robespierre is one which Of
fers SO many possibilities that it would be
permanent fixture on the stage were it
not for the fact that dramatist after dram
atist, allured by the attractive topic, has
| abandoned attempts to base a play upon
| the career of Robespicrre because of the
apparent impossibility of doing justice to
1ne iuuuy SUES OF GnlS rcinarkaDIo man S
nature. Without this, they argued, the
picture would be unreal and therefore un-
convincing. Now, however, if rumor may
be believed, Victorien Sartlou, the author
of Irving's play, has abandoned all effort
to follow history and has simply taken one
or two OF the most striking episodes in
Robespierre's life as the basis of his story.
Around these he is said to have built a
very pretty love romance. That is the
only manner in which Robespierre can be
satisfactorily transferred to the stage, and
II Mr.. Coghlan really has a dramatization
of Robespierre's career he will be an ex-
ceedingly foolish man if he should fail to
bear that fact in mind.
Harry A. Du Souchet, the author of
MY Friend From India" 1.-The Man
From Mexico, "''A Misfit Marriage. etc
has written really serious play. Ordi.
narily If play by Mr. Du Sonchet were
serious it would mean failure for every
thing he has written up to the present
time has been of farcical nature II re-
mains to be seen whether or not the publi,