The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-17
MARY MANNERlNG.
Her Charming Performance in Ire
lawney of the Wells" Last Evening.

Her Charming Performance in Tire
lawney of the Wells" Last Evening.
The production of A. W, Pinero's
charming comedietta, "Trelawney of
the Wells, at Worcester theater last
evening, by Frohman's Lyceum theater
company, was the best Offering that
has been made since the new manage
ment assumed charge of the house. It's
successful run of 1871 nights at the Ly-
cum theater in New York is not to be
wondered at
The play embodies a delightful love
story of the early COS, when the crlno-
line, chignon, pOrk-pie hat and pegtop
trousers were in vogue, and they are
all brought very cleverly into the
scenes There are four acts in the CON-
edy, and more than a score of person
ages are directly involved in its action
They are divided into theatrical and
non theatrical folk The heroine be.
longs to the former, and does her best.
as it seems, to qualify for membership
in the latter, but to no avail Few
stage struck girls. ever tried harder to
get into the theater than Rose Trelaw-
ney of the wells" tries to get out of
it. The Wells" is the popular name
Tor Bagnigge Wells theater, which is
supposed to be located at Islington,
where there never was a theater
Rose Trelawney has been leading iu-
veniie at the "Wells." She is very
young and very pretty Arthur Cover.
grandson of the old vice chancellor. saw
and fell in love with her when she acted
Blanche in THE Pedler of Marseilles,"
and as she waited on the bridge for
a al
ly dreaming" So, of course, Rose IS
about to say farewell to the stage when
the play begins, and a banquet in her
honor is given in the first floor sitting
room of Mrs. Mossop's highly respec-
table lodging house.
James Tolfer, renowned in 'heavies. .
presides, and Ferdinand Laid, Juvenile
tragedian, is correspondingly Jealous.
Mr. Albeit, green grocer, waits with
much loquacity, and Sarah, the small
Kitchen maid, comes for the speeches"
and will not be put out. These speech
es are not entirely finished when Rose
is taken away in the vice chancellor's
carriage. HOW Roses term of proba-
tion in the dull mansion in Cavendish
Square-where she is as unhappy as
the poor queen in "Ruy Blasts
abruptly terminated because her pa
thence gives out; how, on her return to
the stage at the wells" it is discover
ed that' she can no longer "act"-be-
cause she has already outgrown the
cheap artifice of that shabby establish
ment; how she is reunited to her young
lover amid the happiest circumstances
through the fundamentally of poor.
shabby, despisel, but noble-hearted
and gifted Tom Wrench (who has long
loved Rose hopelessly) makes the sub
stance of the play.
Mary Mannering has in her brief time
enacted many parts and performed
some clever work, but never before
has she had a role so we'll suited to her
personality and her powers of expires
sion as Rose Trelawney, and this cha
racter has the advantage of being tho
roughly sympathetic as well as natural.
Miss Mannering denotes with positively
charming effect every one of Rose s
traits, ner extravaganza, her quick
temper, inherent honesty and loyalty.
John Mason as Tom Wrench, with a
heart full of gold and a head full of
brains. is earnest charming and force
full, exactly filling the character. Miss
Olive Mays Characterization of Ayonis
Bum is buoyant comical and pleas
antly emotional. The Ferdinand Gadd
of Grant Stewart is the embodiment OF
the sef-satisfed juvenile, and Charles
Walcot is richly humorous in his de-
lineation of the equity old vice chancel.
Tor, Sir William Cover KIT Mrs. Wal
cots conception of Mrs. Teller is de-
lightfully humorous and pathetic in
| turn, and the balance of the work is in
the hands of very able support