The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-02
DRAMATIC.
METROPOLITAN.

| rings the key note of the new play In
which Otis Skinner greeted an enthusi-
| astic audience last night, and 1t Is a key
| note in which is true music, too, for
around 1t, in clear and vibrant harmony
| rings thrilling theme
| Rosemary Is not an epic. The mon
| and women 1t deals with, and their
deeds, are not what the world terms
! great; 1T is rather an idyl, picture Of
| peace and contentment in some placid
| pool, connected with, and responsive to,
| yet almost shut off from the choppy
waters of the social swim. Tossed like
| pebble into these iimpid depths where the
| conventional is respected, but the merely
formal carries no bondage, the tragedy Of
Lord Jasper's love creates a turmoil that
promises to upsets the many pretty craft,
but the waves are. dissipated and the cur
tain falls at last on scene where the
tragedy is all forgotten.
If Rosemary" were not repletea with
sparkling comedy; even were it not
vehicle which serves to bring to the
| amusement and edifcation of it's auditors
the talents of galaxy or clever people
in roles worthy their ability, much might
be said In praise Of the one cheerful con-
ISOLATION it might bring to the wayfarer,
the transient character Of human sor-
rows. The authors take issue with the
tradition that time heals all wounds save
those of love, and include those too as
SObJCCI " tL0 SOOtulIi5 OIL II0
panacea.
And Louis NJ Parker and Murray Car
son deserve not a little praise for the writ
Ing of a play which, without tremendous
| dramatic crises, maintains throughout
not only general interest in Its chief
characters. but a story which Is told
/ with not little grace of dictton and
! more than the usual tact in dramatic
revelation. The unfolding of some of the
characters, notably the many-sided jog
ram, Is done with dizziness almost
Shakespearean in It's symmetrical expo
siuon.
Rosemary affords to Mr. Skinner, in
| the role Of Sir Jasper Thorndyke, a char
| acter eXcellently fitted to draw upon his
varied artistic talents. Thorndyke Is a
| bachelor, whose country house has the
| earmarks of bachelordoIr over 1t. They,
! perhaps, are unconscious monuments on
| his part to grief of ten years before,
| when the young sire of thirty was be-
! reaved/ by the death of his inamorata. At
| forty, with the opening of the play. there
! is thrown into his home by an accident
| an clipping maiden, who, in spite of her
| adventurous escapade, turns out to be the
most ingenious Of romantic young wom-
| en-, with q wealth of golden hair and
! other charms that enthrall the heart of
| Sir Jasper, much her elder though he
were.
| With the pursuit of the irate father and
| weeping mother, the jealousy of the
| groom-to-be of the accidental hosts con-
slant attentions ito the bride-to-be. the
! development of Thorndyke's love, and
! his remuneration of 1t finally as q de-
! mand of his honor, are formed the basis
| of a plot in which the merry and the
pathetic are intermingled with much del
! icacy.
Mr.. SINNERS artistic handling of the
opening scene of the second act, disclos-
ing the wreck of the former nights revel,
| is to be commended. The later scenes
| in the same act with Dolly were their
| own best advocates, for they Won the
! artist a curtain CALL and a real demand
| it was, too. 1t was responded to with
| little speech, which, if not impromptu,
! was certainly unused previously, Tor 1t
| was apt In references to Dewey day, and
| Arbor day, and the new drop curtain
which greeted Metropolitan patrons last
| night and other topics not yet tr1te.
The third act merely accentuates the
| fact that Mr. Skinner is without a peer
! in the younger actors OF the romantic
| drama, but the fourth act, monologue,
reveals him In new role, ana In scene
| that even as picturesque as 1t is, might
| easily become tedious under the touch
| of a lesser master The Sir Jasper of
| forty, loving and loved, is decrepit and
| ninety, alone, yet hardly conscious. His
| dreamy recounting, as the queens jubilee
| pageant passes, of tho old friends. his dis
| passionate reference to the Dolly OF half
/ a century before, the impulsive tearing
| away of panel in an attempt to ring up
| a seryitor who has been dead a score of
| years. the discovery of faded leaf from
| Dollys diary which he dropped behind
| that same. panel while the queens cor
| onatfon procession passed on that great
| day the day when he thought his heart
| would break before the morrow, the
| awakening of the sentiment Of the faded
page by the remembrance Of the with
cred rosemary treasured in a wallet, all
these are comprised in q short and dain-
| ty scene which launches Mr.. Skinner on
| an untried sea, but one where he is found
| none the less skillful navigator. His
| nonogenarian Is decreptt and toothless,
| but he Is mentally sound. His memory
serves him poorly, and 1t troubles him
\ less, but it is still open to suggestion,
and moves to intelligent thought and ac-
| ton.
Gretchen Lyons, in Dorothy Cruik-
| shank, has more ambitions role than
has been seen in her hands here. She
| we'll fulfills the promise she gave, how
| ever, In minor roles few years ago,
and the talent which she comes by hon
estly has been supplemented by careful
| study of a role which is by no means
| childs play. Miss Lyons Dolly is con-
sistently girlish. in happiness and sorrow
| alike.
Prof. Jogram presents a unique char
acter, well played by John Malone The
old friend Of Sir Jasper, financially de-
| pendent, but mentally Independent, and
as profound in his Scientific attachments
as he has been surreptitiously enthusiast
tic in his delvtngg tntet things sentimental,
the professor affords the authors an OPP
! portunity to weave some familiar poetry
in new guise around an apparently
grumpy, equity sayant, who turns out to
| be the embodiment of loyalty to his
/ friend, the well-wisher of young lovers,
| the soul of honor, and not without a
| tender spot in his own bosom.
| E. A. Eberle does some creditable char
acter work in the traditional ''irate
! father of Capt. Cruikshank, the hero of
/ the battle of the Nile. He is an especially
good foil for Jogram-
| Frank Sylvester, as William Westwood.
/ the clipping bridegroom and jealous lover,
has an exacting role, but he plays 1t with
excellent tact, and in keeping with the
/ general excellence Of the production.
| Rosemary" deserves a better patron
| age than was accorded it last evening
One of the most interested audiences
| that has attended the Metropolitan Opera
! house the present season promises to
! be present next Sunday evening, when
| Miss Clara Thropp will present for the
first time in this city Henrik Ibsen's dra-
matte masterpiece, "a Dolls House."
Among those who have secured boxes for
the opening night are Mayor Gray, Ii
! brarian Northrop, Of the state university.
/ brian j. K. Hosmer and Prof. Cyrus
Northrop, of the state university, while
/ several other prominent educators pur-
| chased tickets at the box office yesterday
] when the sale of tickets began. Souvenir
| leaflets of Kiplings poems will be given