The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-18
"The Old Homestead" Notes from the Theatres.

Denman Thompson, who Is acknowl-
edged tho greatest exponent Of Yam
kee" character on the stage today, opens
tonight at the Providence opera house
for the balance OF the week, including
Saturday matinee, as Uncle Josh"
The only new thing to be said about
the play is that II is as truthful and
natural as life itself, for truth and ma
ture are ever new. This remarkable
play has been before the public continu-
ously for many years, and is still re-
ceived as the only true representative of
a thoroughly American play.
IL is fresh, clean and wholesome, and
keeps up an interest and love for the
old-fashioned folks we sprung from. Its
homely pathos creeps into our hearts,
and we let the scarlet runners that twine
over the doorway OF THE Old Home
stead" 'chase us back to childhood"
Many of us pour water from silver
pitcher now to auench out thirst, but is
it's as sweet as 1t was from the old
bucket that hung in the we'll? DO the
berries from the market taste as good
as those we gathered when we went
barefooted among the bushes to pluck
them? Well hardly! "The Old Home
stead" puts us I'm mind OF these things,
and that is another secret of its great
success. We cannot grow weary of
things which set our hearts beating
faster, and forces us 10 look back at
the long hill we have climbed in search
of fortune.
This Is the fourteenth successive sea-
son of this remarkable play, and time
seems 10 add to its career. After plav-
ing in New York city four seasons, peo-
pie were turned away during It's last
engagement at the Academy OF Music,
one of the largest theatres I'm the world
Its wonderful longevity amazes and AS
tonishes the few, but its truth Is un-
derstood by the many. We grow weary
of romance. because IL is artificial. but
we like reality.
When Uncle Josh" comes on the scene
accompanied by the strains of Yankee
Doodle" we feel that a living. breathing
human being is before us, and he makes
us feel as welcome visitors to his old
fashioned homestead. There IL great
deal i'm simplicity; and most OF us like
a.: we see so much OF shams and mock
erv I'm life that ",The Old Homestead -
with its few pages OF honesty, does us
good. There Is only one company on the
road this season, and it is headed Ivy
Denman Thompson. so there Is no dan
per OF the public being hoodwinked by
false promises.
The company Is the same that recent
lv played at the Academy OF Music. New
York. and is under the personal manage
mcnt of Mr. Thompson himself. who
| will appear as "Uncle Josh" The cele-
| brated double quartet. ana the choir sitig-
ers will present some new music, and
| a performance OF merit is assured those
| who attend. The Saturday matinee will
| nrohably be crowded with delighted
! children.
The powerful double bill 90 be offered
| at the Providence opera house next Mon
| day. Tuesday and Wednesday includes
two plays by David Belasco. I'm one
of them. Naughty Anthony" the star
| will be Charles r.. Evans. n wonderfully
clever comedian, whose popularity Ne
ready assures an audience which will
test the capacity OF the theatre Re
| garding the shorter play. Madame But
| terry." there are some unique features
| that win surely delight the people OF
\ this city. lust as it charmed the peo ple
of New YORK aud Londons in both of
! which cities Il has been received with un-
| bounded faVor. The pictorisl overture
] preceding Madame Butterfly Is a thea.
| trical innovation. which must appe,l
| very strongly 90 the public generally.
! and not less Co those VINO are students oi
Japan and its people
N seems wanting n -rtistio svrnpath,
| 10 approach a japanese subject In the