The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-19
Al M IHI THEATRES
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.


Very fortunate must the theatregoer
account himself who last night Wit
messed Madame Modjeska and her fine
supporting company i'm the comedy,
"The Ladies' Battle" The comedy is
adapted FRO mthe French OF NM.
Scribe and Legouve and it was
blessed hour when SO charming an idea
was so deliciously spun from the brain
OF men whose art demands instant rec
ognition. A more delighted audience n
would be- hard 10 imagine. The theatre
becomes under the spell or Madame
Modteska's acting and the grace and
wit OF the writer's As delightful as
garden In which one might find the
one thing he wished for in all the
earth. Comedy I'm the truest sense is
the piece for the eye is captivated and
the mind is charmed a tale Of the
heart OF faith, of nobleness requires i'm
order 90 be the best that IL come TO us
from France. The comedy given last
night was a delicate thing, but IL was
only delicate i'm It's gracefulness and its
life story for underneath all the fun
and merrment were az eXquisitely
touching as the lines SO eXquisitely re-
cited in which Madame Modjeska bow
cd her evening farewell.
y Dutl OF. Love ~ Nnt dlLtiudNiNt
title by which the piece is known and
well might il be called so for the two
women have a close contest The duel
Is not exactly one of swords. for the
woman OF wit and tenderness though
she might be an excellent Wielder OF
the sword, has an antagonist In whom
no clevernes is possible OF the fencing
kind. But the women do not deceive
each other. The elder woman really
H.Hua g .f
they are aunt and niece, and the niece
has been the child OF the aunt's heart.
Then TOO the one both love Is sought
by both. and is bounded as a Bona
partist who is wanted by the king and
he is "A servant. or rather disguised as
one i'm their house The aunt knows
ALL i'm fact hiding him, and when the
younger woman finds this out she al
most becomes his betrayer, for the
chief OF police OF Lyons is In the house
TO catch the Napoleonist.
There are charming scenes, in fact.
every moment offers some new delight.
The comedy is clever without ever IA
tiguing as cleverness may some times
do. Madame Modjeska as the aunt has
realized the clever woman, q character
that she fills I'm "A manner that makes
the mind and the heart thoroughly sa.-
isfied No finer or more happy stage
with her young niece. ON the other
hand nothing cleverer could one imag--
inc than the way she fools the chief or
police and as for her Efforts TO win
fairly from her niece il may be said
they cannot be described. To ade-
quately present the part OF Cecile.
Countess D'AutreVal, one possessing
the many graces of the great arust,
Madame Modjeska, is required.
Mr.. John r.. Kellerd. as NJ. GustaNe
de Grignon. has a part that he fills in
so thoroughly satisfactory a manner
that he must make every well Wisher
happy. The de Grignon as he himself
SAYS is a strange mixture 81 valor ana
prudence His father. he explains, was
a man of great prudence. the council
calls II something stronger. when he is
out OF hearing. and his mother. even
the countess admits. was a woman or
great bravery. HI says the bravery
and prudence are each constantly fight
ing for mastery over hiN~ The way
MIR Kellerd portrays the battle by his
actions ~ delightful.
Finished and i'm every way amusing
and interesting is the character of NJ
Henri de Flavigneuil. an eX-oficer or
Napoleon. accused Of treason. who is
disguised "a servant and is the one
aunt and niece strive 10 win Mr.. Pratt
in this difficult character is natural
and easy ana the quantY NJ MS Work lS
we'll worthy Of the comnanv i'm which
IL Is performed. Mr. Percy Winter
made an excellent Baron de
Montcritchard. the chief OF police.
whom the countess outwits in strategy.
bur who out does even her I'm Kindness.
Miss Kate Dalglish as Leonine. the
niece. VISA beautiful as became the part
and her acting both I'm the amusing and
lively parts as well ae i'm the serious
vein. was delightful. II Is a charming
picture of wcsnanlv llvPliness. a pic
ture Of a fresh young and worthy heart
the writer evidently intended we should
have in this character and as life and
grace i'm woman always, surpass any
nortrait however exquisite II be-. so
Miss Dalglish is even more beautiful
than even the maker Of the piece could
have imagined. In voice. carriage and
i'm face she was FOR the time an eX-
quisite daughter OF France. The cos
tunes worn by the ladies were rich
and beautiful.