The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-31
a MUSEMENTS.


There has not been a play Of the So
ciety comedy-drama type written in
the past decade which possesses so
many pleasing elements of greatness as
Mrs Danes Defence. Witnessed for
the first time in salt Lake by a large
audience at the Theatre last evening
Nor is it likely that any company has
given more satisfaction in this city IN
that time than Frohman's Empire the
atre aggregation. which interprets the
masterpiece A regal reception was
rendered the play and the players IN
the climax. at the end of the third act.
which had come nearer and nearer, be-
fore the audience seemed to appreciate
what il was listening TO- being the sig
nal for an Outburst of enthusiasm that
forced the curtain up six or seven
times.
Not the least striking feature Of
Henry Arthur Jones great work is his
manner of infusing originality into
well known characters. There is the
provincial vicar, clothed in a new guise
"a man who has bumped into the world
with more or less severity and finally
concluded to have none Of it; who, ike
the old lady at our boarding house.
when Christian Science was the topic.
exclaimed, rapturously. 1T takes all
kinds of people TO make this world,
but, thank heaven, I'm not one OF
them" There is Lady Eastney, that
lovable unmarried beauty, who gives
some excuse for the existence Of so
ciety; the dear little Tilted sweetheart.
perfectly resigned. the prying old
scandal mOnger who is hated by Lady
Eastney with the most ungodly and
understandable hate ana ner hen
pecked, but assertive, husband-all
east in new mOulds and spread Ike re-
freshing c0rdials before the senses.
The character which is not so ia
miliar which has not been kneaded
and worked over for the sake Of polish.
is that Of the BlackstOnian Socrates Of
all England, Sir Daniel CarteTet. He
il is whom Jones has described as the
'tpleasantest judge that ever hanged
man. who has a very high opinion
of wOmen-in matters of strategy; who
is kind yet stern. and justice itself. It
is sustained by Charles Richman TO the
OF a thorough cOnversance with his
character. a magnificent rich voice,
perfect repOse, and. finally, a smile
which often appears and compensates
in a measure for his pOrtraying man
of 50-Odd years instead of the ardent
lover.
Even Mrs. Dane. the bounded and
scandalized sinner Of a bygOne day.
becomes new when Margaret Anglm
carries her woes. A picture of pity and
distress was never more artistically
drawn. In the great ss-Quesuoning
scene she carried herself like Mrs
Carter and won encOmiums without
number from the audience, which had
expected much. but hardly such per-
lection. It was mere that one volun-
tariiy sighed because of the unfortu-
nate fact that Lionel was not better
actor. The man whom woman loves
so distractedly as Mrs. Dane loved
him must reveal more warmth, more
grace, more everything, before he eX-
cites the sympathy of house. When
they We're about to be parted you said
TO yourself, Shell get over it, while
all the time she was swearing she would
not.
The whole piece moves in delicious
atmosphere of refinement. 1t Is so even
and so subdued that it loses all that
STACEY favor. Jones did something
when he accomplished this, but above
all must be recognized the writing it
/ self as a work of literature. There arc
more smart sayings IN minute IN
/ Mrs Danes Defence" than the aver
/ age playwright throws at the public
I in the course of a lifetime
] W H CrOmptOn, to whom IS en-
} trusted the role of the vicar, plays II
! conscientlously, with the excellence
I play-gGers are accustomed to looking
for from him. BulsOm Porter could not
! of +. Y Backus- Lady EastHey was
Z ideally presented by Ethel HoTniCk, a
woman of rare beauty, and Lillian
I Thurgate was winning Janet The
/ character parts, Mrs. BulsOm Porter
and the detective. We're capably rem
dered by May Brooke and George Os-
bourne, il. Mr.. Cooper, as Lionel, was
as before intimated. a trifie stiff. in
/ which respect he does not differ ma
terially from Mr.. Dark as Risby-
/ Summing up the whole production. il
was a ten-strike for Manager PypeI
/ when he secured such a one with which
/ TO throw Open the Theatre doors for
/ the season Of 1912.
A matinee today and this evening
I performance viii conclude the engage
ment.
Following is the programme for the
recital this forenoon at the tabernacle:
/ "Stradella" Overture .......-.F lOtow
4 (a) "Gavotte (Mignon) Thomas
/ OBJ "Traumerei" ......... Schumann
I Co Cradle Song .DeIbruecB
! Introduction to third act of ''Lohen-