The times., 1899-05-02
AT THE THEATRES.
NutfOnal-s'Tre

MISUNDERSTANDING of the Wells"
What the Lyceum Stock Company is and
always has been in the field of theatricals
the audiences which attended perform
ances given by the organization have been
and always will be among theatregoers.
The characters which took part in the
plays presented by the one have been hard
ly unlike the people who composed the 9TH
er. This ceased to be true last night at the
National. where Daniel Frohman's troupe
was seen in Arthur Pinero's "Trelawny
of the Wells" because the piece staged
dated back some thirty years and not be-
cause the nature of the assembly had been
altered in any way. The orchestra OF
Manager Rapley's house was packed as it
invariably is when the Lyceum's denizens
come to town and the galleries were cor
respondingly empty. The proScenium
fans that blew air on the just and the
unjust alike waited about the perfumes
and varied the noise of applause as they
generally do on such occasions. And the
gathering put at an end any chance lett
for speculation concerning its identity by
greeting all the familiar actors cordially,
while reserving burst of something ap-
preaching enthusiasm for Mary Manner
ing
Though "Trelawny of the Wells does
take one back 10 the period in which big
hats hid the heads OF the men and crino-
lines revealed the ankles OF the women;
though the words mont theatrical foil"
separated the minority of the cast from
the majority on yesterday evenings pro-
grammes, as a line of footlights separates
real on-theatrical folk from equally
real Thespians, the comedy itself is not
at all different from the liss of works gen.
orally done at the Fourth Avenue home
of the matinee girl and her idol. There
is the same scant plot treated in the same
superficial fashion: the same milk-and-
water episodes made palatable by the
same bright dialogue that have served
since the days of THE Amazons. In
this instance the offering has the merit
of treating an interesting set of beings
interestingly while the customs and dress
of the period give the plot touch OF nov
city. but Mr. Pinero neglects 1.-The soul
of wit as of yore and puffs UP his thin
rubber bag of a tale for the exact pur-
pose held in view by the boy who blows
| out his squeak balloon-and with the same
material.
Fortunately for the author and for the
people who perform his piece, thsatregoers
seldom ask for more than amusement on
hot night. and ''Trelawny of the Wells is
| certainly amusing-perhaps more so to thu
| layman than il would be to the professional
player OF lne lUulNluudl CODu6ClEu
| the profession There is extremely little
solidity to a breath of air, but it is never
| theless pleasant. and so with Mr.. Pinero's
work the speeches and business and char
acters in which are written with sufficient
| cleverness TO mingle admirably with the
atmosphere of the presentation Alto
| gether the production is very enjoyable
| frivoity.
The plot hardly deserves telling. The
| 81
| house, in which are exhibited a number Of
typical theatrical people nicely drawn.
| There is deal OF shop talk and a dinner
! and a recital OF the fact that Rose Ire
lawny. of the Bagnigge- Wells. is TO be
| married outside of her own clan and taken
to the family of her wealthy suitor on pro-
| baton. after which the identical curtain
| falls on a dramatic condition which the
gamin would aptiy describe by saying that
| there was ''nothin doin" In the next act
Rose is found among a varied assortment
of fops, with her rather caddish lover al
| lowing her to be so treated that when she
proceeds TO entertain some of her friends
and is caught at il the visitors are ordered
away with such curtness that she decides
to go with them. And still "nothin' doin'.'
Then the third scene shows Rose repenting
her leaving and finding that she has lost
her ability, winding up with q reconcilia-
grandfather -in-law. And in the last she is
backed to star and meets her betrothed
| during a rehearsal. so that the final drop
falls upon general happiness, although
nothing has been done.
Despite a slight tendency. TO exaggera-
tion the cast works as Lyceum casts gen.
orally work-splendidly. E. J. Morgan
| b5inS i'll his place was filled last night
| by Grant Stewart, for whom it may be
said that he was the David in Bob Hill
liard's production of "Lost-Twenty- four
Hours" and against whom that he is the
author of Mistakes VIII Happen" Mr.
Stewart personified a good friend TO Rose
who forced himself to forget his love for
his friendship in an admirable manner
with delicacy and reserve. Miss Manner
ings Rose was marked by the same fea-
lures. while she brought out in the fullest
degree the contrasting elements of the
part William Courtleigh made one OF the
hits of the performance with a distinctly
humorous character bit, while Henry
Woodruff played the role of the boy lover
SO carefully as to avoid its least pleas
ing points. and Charles WaIcot was. a:
ever extremely good as his grandfather
George c. Boniface also provided a fins
drawn portrayal. while those venerable
actresses, Mrs. Charles Walcot and Mrs
Thomas Whlffen, were artistic and salts.
factory. Excellent sketches were con-
tributed by Charles w. Butler, Elizabeti
Tyree, Hilda Spong. John Findlay. Miriam
Neshltt. Thomas Whiffen, Louis Ander
son, Edward Castano, and Helma Nelson
whose impersonations deserve more ex.
tended praise than can be given them in
dividually Briefly. the only inefficient peo
pie in the company are Ethel Hornicl
and H. S. Taber who are not very Lad
"Trelawny of the Wells is, all in all.
fair play well acted. and should keep th
National filed this week.
| Columbia - "AII the Comforts o
| HOmc.v
Flowers and summer dresses We'd will
enthusiasm and witty lines last night a
the Columbia when that oldtime favorite
''All the Comforts of Home was present