The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-24

the star opened weeks engagement
at the Providence Opera House last ey-
ening.
1t is distinguished novelty as dra-
matte work and is altogether a beauti-
fu and satisfying play.
1t tells a story of domesticity OF a
highly realistic kind.
IL Is a problem play in the sense that
II deals with "a problem that demands
solution in many homes as distinguish
ed from the unsavory problems of the
street and the fringe OF society which
have furnished a theme for so many
dramatic productions of recent seasons.
The greatest thing in the world is, of
course, love.
And there is a great deal OF love in
The Greatest Thing in the World"
There Is the customary lover--love va
riously assorted and including several
manifestations not usual with stage
love,and there is the mother love which
Is the predominant theme.
Mrs. Virginia Bryant is a fair. level
headed and witty widow. Her husband
had been too much of good fellow and
his taste for drink is inherited by one
OF her two grown up sons Godfrey
Townsend Is an old flame of the widow
Nu'St dlltttloD mas Decn consistently
maintained up to the period OF the play
David Mcfarland is also I'm love with
her. Both men We're confidential friends
or the late Bryant and Mcfarland was
made the guardian of the boys on their
fathers death. McFarland's daughter
and Cecil Bryant. the boy who inherits
the appetite for drink are sweethearts.
Cecirs habits, however. separate them
and "A desperate forgery of n check,
representing a loan from his brothers
fortune made by the guardian, brings
him TO the lowest estate, compromises
hiA mother and almost makes her de-
spair OF ever reclaimlng him. In the
end his mothers love for him and the
sacrifice she IL about TO make to save
him from disgrace, coupled with his
underlying affection for his mother
serve to save him and start him on
the right road.
There is no special attempt on the
part OF the playwright TO teach a moral
lesson and none is needed under such
obvious circumstances. The whole pur-
pose hinges on the power of the senti-
ment OF the mothers love for her way
ward boy and OF his affair OF the heart
with the girl whom he has insulted and
whose affection he has all but destroy
ed.
The story Is very touchingly told. II
is the joint work OF Harriet Ford and
Beatrice DeMille, the latter the widow
OF the DeMille who with David Belasco
furnished that remarkable series OF
comedies of decade or more ago which
included THE Wife" and the Charity
Ball"
IL appears from the play that either
Mrs. DeMille had an influence i'm the
writing OF these old time favoritcs or
has herself been Influenced by them,
for the manner Of "The Greatest Thing
In the World" distinctly suggests
them.
There Is the same atmosphere OF
quiet gentility and good breeding, OF
wholesome people and wholesome senti-
ment. that distinguished the earlier
works and the resemblance Is further
marked by n like admixture OF smiles
and tears. of pathos and light comedy
alternating In every scene.
IL may he added that between the
old Belasco and DeMiile plays and this
one. nothing just OF the sort has been
seen and. as theatre goers viii general
ly testify. nothing IN n dramatic way
has been produced I'm the interval that
was quite the same In the way OF an
appeal to ones better emotions
II is n type 81 drama that eminently
tustines revival and the large audience
that saw THE Greatest Thing in the
World" ut the opening last evening
went away delighted and refreshed and
feelins tho better for the play. IL did