The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-25
Plays and
Players

William GilIctte's new farce. Because
She Loved Him So" will be the first Of
fering of the current week ar English 5
Opera House and will be presented twice,
Tomorrow and Tuesday nights The piece
Is q farce Of sentimental proclivities and
its possession of popular elements is dem
onstrated by the long and successful run
which 1t enjoyed at the Madison-square
Theater New York, last season. Charles
Frohman declares il to be the funniest
and most successful farce he has ever
handled II has all the brightness and
cieverness that might be expected In a
work OF Mr.. Gillette's. Notwithstanding it's
necessarily exaggerated situations, there Is
a refined tone in the whole thing and a
delicate quality OF humor that has caused
1t to be styled 1.-The Little Minister of
Farce" The sentiment that pervades 1t Is
inviting and exquisite Indeed, Ii may
be said that Because She Loved Him So
Is a pretty love story with appropriate
farcical embellishments. and the best fea-
ture of this story is that it is pleasing alike
to old and young.
The story OF the comedy is Of young
couple Gertrude and oliver West, who
der them happy, and they would be per-
fectly happy If it were not for Gertrude
uncomfortable ENTHUSIASTICALLY unfounded-
which renders their existence miserable
Oliver cannot leave her for an hour but
she is tormented with doubts and suspi-
cions as to the reason for his absence;
while 1t Is her usual practice to search his
pockets and read his letters surreptitiously
to discover proofs of his supposed guilt.
Her efforts prove vain until one evening
she finds him, on his return from an alleged
visit to his club, reeking with the scent
OF New Mown Hay and with two golden
hairs on his coat. These. it may be men,
toned, were placed there by an artful lit
tie maid servant who is anxious to obtain
a might off," The design succeeds only
too well. Gertrude holly declares her In
tention OF seeking the parental roof at
once and afterwards securing a divorce.
Oliver follows her thither. determined to
give his version of the unfortunate affair.
an unpleasant word, have been apprised
by friend OF their daughters coming
and also Of her errand, and decide that, as
a means OF showing how contemplate and
foolish thing jealousy is, they Will feign
90 have been provoked to a deadly quar-
rel. Success crowns their endeavors to a
certain point. beautiful bit of sentiment
Is introduced into the piece at the close
OF the second act, when, after heated
wrangle that almost ends in a scrimmage,
the loving old couple steal back through
the darkened room to indulge in a stealthy
embrace. Unluckily, old Mr.. Weatherby
had at one time in his career been moved
to express in rather too marked form his
sympathy for a dashing Spanish lady. and
this fact being reveaed to his wife, the
comedy threatens to turn into tragedy.
Satisfactory explanations are, however.
made, Gertrude's eyes are at length opened
to the enormity OF her conduct, and she
promises never to offend again, which
brings the farce TO a satisfactory conclu-
sion
Mr.. Frohman has provided an excep-
fionally strong cast for the Interpretation
OF Because She Loved Him So." 1t in
cludes ]. e. Dodson and Miss Annie Irish,
the great character actors; Kate Meek,
Eleanor Braham, Tully Marshall, w. J..
Constantine, Charles Eldridge. Roy Fair
child, Margaret Fielding, Marion Fairfax.
Margaret Mayo, Frances Comstock and
others. The entire original production
comes here, and the company is the same
in all respects that won the first great
triumph for the play.