The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-08
TIE LOCAL STAGE.
james. Kiddcr and Hanford In -
school for Sen ndal" and "Macbeth."

James. Kihdcr and Hanford In ~
school for Scandal" md "Macbeth.
Nothing could have better served 10
show the versatility Of the members OF
the organization headed by Louis James,
Kathryn kidder and Charles 3. Hanford
than did the two plays presented at
Sweeney e. Coombs opera house yester-
day. The bill at the matinee per,orm-
ance was The School for Scandal" that
most charming of all comedies nj the old
school. and the engagement was closed
at night with Macbeth" the bloofi'st
of Shakespeare's tragedies, The two plays
are SO widely different that It would seem
to be well nigh impossible for the same
company of players to present both prop
erly, and yet with the exception OF cue
or two details in the last named prod"o-
ton both performances were IN 10 me
highest standard. In Sheriddns dy,
which was presented here last season W
the same organization, Mr.. James dtes
some unusually effective work IS Charles
Surface, Mr.. tIanford Is seen - alrart-
age in the more serious and less SYM
pathetic part of Joseph Surface and Miss
kidder plays Lady Teazle with a grace
fu naturalness which makes her law
less work Irresistible The other charac-
tiers are all well handled. Mr.. Harry
Langdon's Sir Peter could NOT. be i'm
proved upon, and Mr.. Norman Hackett and
Mr.. Thomas Coffin Cooke are decidedly
clever in the respective roles of Trip and
Sir Benjamin Backbite. The work OF Mrs.
Henry Vanderhoh as Mrs. Candour elbows
evidences Of the same artistic finish YhiGi
is characteristic of everything she 1ots.
Miss Helen Singers Lady Sneerwell is
decidedly good, and Miss Aphie tlenirck".
who in private life is Mrs. Louis James,
is capable as Maria. Others deserving Of
special mention are Mr.. tombstone rs
Crabtree and Moses, Mr. John Ellsler as
Sir Oliver, Mr.. j. l., McVicker as Sir
Harry Bumber MIR Harvey Cassidy as
Rowley and Mr.. ". p. JAMESON as SGqke.
The production is dressed in the sane
sumptuous manner which has dis.n-
gulshcd it in the past.
In Macbeth Mr.. James is seenito IN
usually good advantage In the title role,
showing. as he does, complete u l,r-
standing and an artistic conception OF
the part throughout. In the banquet
scene he is especially effective. Mr.. Han
ford is thoroughly at home as MacdLf
and in the second act. where he alarms
the occupants of Dunsinane castle 10 ap-
prise them OF the murder of the kinS. his
work is particularly strong. Miss Kidder
III Tue very LTllAS TOle OF Lazy Mac
beth is very effective and in the scau=s
which require the exhibition of unusual
emotion she is seen at her best Good
work is done by Mr. Cooke as Nltcol.l.
Mr. tombstone as Banquo and Miss Bar
riscale as Fleance, The latter is little
woman of very tender years-she will
celebrate the fifteenth anniversary Of her
birth today--but she never fails to ret
out of part all there is in it. She is
n rppa
tiful as any flower but she does not rely
on her personal attractions alone. for she
demonstrates in all of her work the fact
mat she has unusual ability for one so
young, Miss Marie Drofnah, who IS Mrs.
Charles p. Hanford off the s,ays Mrs.
Nanderhoff and Mrs James play ...o thl oe
witches as scceptably as such rharAc,ers
can be played and all of the minor roles
are in good hands. The only flaw ia the
production appears In the banquet sftre, |
which even the good work of the prayers
does not prevent from being iaeklns N
several details.
The next attraction will be THE Ilust
Ter, which VIII be seen this afternoon
and again tonight
The box office will be open this mornin,
for the sale of seats to The Jolly Nuske-
teerS in which Jefferson De Angels VIII
appear next Monday night.
Manager Bergman is still na!'d az work /
securing signatures to the ,uhscrtp;lo,
list being circulated for the purpose Of
bringing the New Orleans Fre1 i C,pera
company to Houston in the near fl lr. |
The opportunity TO secure an al.~actiun
d TINS character is an unusual one ard
The people of the city should rul,e ad-
vantage of it, Arrangements gor le.
served seats may be made at the .i3x Of
ice OF the theater.