The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-17
AT THE THEATERs.
METROPOLITAN.
-0~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~

The pretty story of 1.-THE Bachelors
Romance" is not unfamiliar to a ST. Paul
audience. Last evening at the MetropoI-
tan 1t was told as effectively, perhaps. as
1t has even been told on any stage. Into
his conception of his character of the
man who has grown old in books, and
whe--is aroused from their study only
when youth has all but fled, to find that
there are better things in life than bound
volumes, Mr. Tim Murphy has. infused
so much ithatais SO lovable, and yet so
dei1cately humorous, that it makes a
story almost in itself. 1.-THE Bachelors
RomanceSais a character study. rather
than dramatic study, although there
is plenty of action in keeping with the
atmosphere of the play. 1t is a story of
hook-weffnJ and of his ward. the for
mer scholar forgetful of the world:
The latter a young, beautiful and wiIlful
girl, his ward. The sbook-worm falls in
love with his ward, but mindful of his
age, finds it difficult to believe that she
can ever learn to love him. The comedy
throughout is fine and delicate. There is
nothing inharmoniouS in the whole play.
The company assisting Mr. Murphy last
evening was an entirely capable one
His daughter, Miss Dorothy Sherrod
makes a dainty and Iovable Sylvia She
does not depend on mere girlish lowell
ness for her success, but is an artistic lit
| tie player. Excellent character work is
done by O.. j. Grfffen, as Martin, the
servant. This character is Dicksonian
and Mr.. Griffen admirably interprets it.
Another good bit of character work is
that of Louise 7. Boucicault, as Aunt
Clementina. The Eest of the cast was
satisfactory. The audience was hearty
in its applause last evening Several
times was Mr.. Murphy called before the
curtain. In a brief speech he acknowl-
edged his Indebtedness to James. Neill,
of the lNeill Stock company. for permits
sion to present 1.-The Bachelors Re-
nance in ST. Paul. Nine. Modjeska, r.
d. Mclean and their company formed a
box party last evening.
GRAND.
James NELL and his excellent company
of players have returned to ST. Paul,
after an absence of more than a year,
opening the week at the Grand last night
with An American Citizen" Mr.. Neilfs
homecoming was attended with a well
come such as is very rarely extended to
any actor, and demonstrated, beyond per-
adventure, that he is a very, very great
fayorite with the Undergoing people
of st. Paul. One may be excused for
speaking of Mr. NeilPs return as
homecoming, for he has been seen here
so many, many times and is so we'll
known that he has come to be regarded
as a st. Paul product. Mr.. NeilI is not
great actor, and his company is not a
great company, but he is a good actor
and handles his character with an ease
and an assurance that cannot but bring
success, and he has surrounded himself
with support that is especially well
balanced.
In Mr.. NeilPs support are several old
! fayorites, including Edythe Chapman,
Julia Dean, Rose Swain, Frank McVicars,
Benn Howard, Emmett Shaekelford Scott
Seaton and George Bloomquist Miss
Chapman is as clever and winning as
ever, and her Beatrice Carew is a finished
piece of swork. The other characters,
and especially that of the American girl
in the hands of Miss Dean, are well cared
for by those mentioned above, and ]. w.
Burton, Grace Mae Hawkin, Lillian An
drews, Vera Gray and Victor Mohl Mr.
Neill has an admirable chance in IAN
American Citizen" to show some of his
beautiful and elaborate stage settings,
and those of last night were fully as
good as in the old days. The piece is
also handsomely costurned, some of the
gowns worn being exquisite creations
| IAN American Citizen" will be repeated
tonight, Tuesday and Wednesday after
noon and evening. Thursday and Fri
day night the bill will be "a Partisan
Romance" and Saturday afternoon and
| evening 'Aristoeracy' will be produced.
STAR.
Phil Sheridan's New City Sports, at
the Star last night proved to be one of
the Hveliest vaudeville productions ever
| shown In the house The basket ball
game by bevy of girls in seashore
tights yas almost enough to put hair
! on bald head, and the comedy, Hot
| Time in a New York HOTEL was per-
formed at Kansas cyclone pace, all of
which was decidedly entertaining
Naturally the basket ball game was
| the feature of the evening
| One of the features of the evening was
| the work Of the JosseIin trio, which per-
| formed upon the trapez. Their part of
| the programme was artistic without any
misapp1ication of the term Their pos
| lures in midair on the tetf1er used in
climbing to the trapeze were something
| out of the ordinary, and well worth see
! ing twice.
| Miss Kitty Miley in her songs did
creditablys. and SO too Craig and Ardell
in their musical performances.