The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-03
AT THE THEATERs.
METROPOLITAN.

Metropolitan, in Stanislaus STANCES YER
sion Sienkiewicz's "Quo Vadis" It was
the first presentation of the play in ST.
Paul, and doubtless this fact, and the
fact that a play which deals with the
great questions of Christian faith and life
and death has always an unusual attrac-
ton for the public, was what crowded
the theater last night. The story of the
play follows very closely that of the
hook, indeed. so closely are the two al
he'd that the various characters often
quote entire passages from the novel
There are few people unfamiliar with
the story Of "Quo Vadis" 1t centers
about the court of Nero. and has to do
with Christian faith, human passions and
the love of men and women. 1t cannot be
said that the story points very strong
moral, as Petronius, the character that
arouses the most admiration dies by his
own hand, his sweetheart with him, but
no one would want Petronius to die
otherwise than he did, and his death
certainly adds to the artistic success of
| the play as it does to the artistic sue
| cess of the book
The play last evening was presented by
| strong cast. While it is made of a
| succession of pictures, there are some
strong lines, and they lost nothing last
| evening by the reading that was given
| them. Mason Mitchell, as Petronius, Gym
|
! with line reserve and dignity. His Gym
! lclsm and his affection, and his thinly
| yelled contempt for the groveing en-
| peror, were all skillfully expressed He
! was always the Roman stoic but he was
also lovable man, and that he played
SO httlngly the former part while not
! hiding the latter was the secret of his
success. Curtain calls were numerous
! for Mr. Mason last evening. George
| SchaeT1er, as Aulus Plautius nephew of
! Petronius shared honors with the latter
| His reading of his lines was strong and
UNAFFECTED, and his fine physique and his
Yo1ce-a voice that could really say
| thlngs, not speak them-aided him ia his
| conception of the noveiists hero. Joseph
| Callahan was the besotted Nero. and
so real was his impersonation of the
purple-clad drunkard that the gallery hiss
ed cheerfully every time he appeared
on the stage. Chic, the treacherous
| Creek was skillfully impersonated by
| Willard Newell
OF the women, Poppaea, Nero's wife,
| mad the best opportunity of displaying
histrionic ability In her crimson robes
and poppy-wreathed hair, she seemed an
| embodiment OF the scarlet woman. Ell
sic Edmond made a pretty and graceful
| Eun1ce. Lygia was played by Mary EN-
erson. A good enuneiation and a gra-
clouS manner are two very good quail
ties that Miss Emerson possesses. Ur-
| suS, the giant servant, is a tremendous
looking fellow, but he does not rely al
together on his strength for an effect in
! the audience.
TIE play is excellently staged, and the
remainder Of the large cast is up to the
standard set by the principals.
Notwithstanding the big crowd at the
Metropolitan last night, there was still
! plenty of room when the curtain went
| The Sala. of tc ic fcy,
both performances today, and indications
are that the show will play to immense
| business all through the week, but the
house is big enough to accommodate ev-
| erybody who desires to witness the per-
| Torrance.
On account of the length of the per-
| formance, which is presented here in all
| its entirety, the matinees today, Wednes-
day and Saturday, will commence at
2 o'clock sharp.
The sale of seats for the engagement
| of Chauncey Olcott, in ''Mavourneen,'
at the Metropolitan next week, will be-
gin at the box office Thursday morning
| Olcott opened in Minneapolis last night
to standing room only"
GRAND.
''The Night Of the Fourth" which
opened the week at the Grand last night
is one Of the fastest, fercest, funniest
farces that has come to st. Paul in
many months, at least, so it impresses
one who sees it portrayed by the Ma
theWs & Bulger combination One can
| not help but be of the opinion that it is
well that George AIDE wrote the piece
for Mathews & Bulger, for they, with
| their own peculiar and inimitable fun
| making methods, seem essential to its
| success. There Is no other team of COM
| edians in exactly the same class with
Not o Dell
| give one run for his money in this
their latest effort.
The company that assists in the por-
| trayal of 1.-THE Night of the Fourth is
| exactly the same as seen at the Metro
| politan a few months ago in one of
! Hoyts pieces. It includes Walter Jones,
| Tony Hart, Phil H. Ryley, Norma VIVA
ley, Bessie Tannehill, Mary Marble, and
| all the rest These people are all well
enough known, so 1t is hardly necessary
to say all the good things that one might
say about them after seeing them in this
| new piece.
''The Night of the Fourth differs from
the average farce, in that it has a real,
| live plot that is in evidence at all times
1t is the story Of bright young lawyer
| trying to win bride, who insists that he
must have "bank rolf of $4,000 before
/ he can hear her say yes. Conspicuous
| in the plot is a retired ice man who is
broken down in health AID is spending
time and money looking for peace and
! quiet. The iceman has a bad habit Of
| getting into any old kind Of a scrape that
| happens to be loose in his vicinity, and
| then getting out again. and 1t is through
| him that the young lawyer finally gath
/ ers in his $10,000 and every enc is happy
| ever afterwards.
OF course, there has to be a chance to
| work in the specialhes, and this is done
through the medium of a vaudeville
/ agent, who has offices in the same suite
| with the bright young lawyer.
| Mathews makes the brightest kind of a
| bright young lawyer, and there never
was a better retired iceman than Bulger.
They carry their parts to perfection and
| their speciality brought down the house.
Mathews & Bulger may seem a trife
risque at times. but without it they
would not be Mathews & Bulger, and
| they are good enough SO that it might
almost be said of them that the farce
comedy world would be lacking without
| them.
/ Walter Jones is given a chance to do
| all the funny things that he can in the
tramp line, and he also poses as vaude-
vile agent. And he made a hit with last
nights big audience with his imitation
of Sousa.
Mary Marble is so cast in the piece
! that she has a chance to leave her duties
! of maid long enough to do several very
clever songs and quick changes. Bessie
! Tannehill, who portrays the part of the
fceman's old maid sister, who wishes it
| thoroughly understood that she has not
! Yet reached the age of twenty-one, could
! hardly be improved on, and, assisted by
the company she sings my Tiger Lily
! in a most fetching manner. Last night
a half dozen curtain calls were insisted
on. and this new song and the way 1t