The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-20

seems to leave a blot on her charac-
ter. She prefers TO let her reputation
suffer rather than remain longer at the
mercy of her miserable husband, and
under an assumed name. without
penny, she begins her experiment" as
a cook in a wears family. Here she
becomes a sort of dictator and causes
everybody-without wishing it-from
the SNUG butler to the vicar, to fall
head over heels in love with her. This
affords very clever opportunities for
delicious comedy, and Mr.. Carton has
not been able to forego adding the ex-
ira mirth which the farce method OF
hiding a lot of clandesctine Wooers IN
all sorts of corners, is sure to inspire.
In the first act the mild vicar and
his gruf guest Capt. Jack Dorvaston,
vie with one another in plucking pars-
ley, eating eggs and peeping in at the
kitchen window. all for the sake of the
fascinating cook, and in the second act
they steal back from tiresome church
entertainment, each without knowledge
of the others action, to pay their non
est, but comical compliments to the
pretty mistress of the kitchen. The
charming cook has had a past, as pre-
viously noted, and that "past'-in the
shape of a drunkard lord, her former
husbands at this time asleep
a hard time keeping his unwelcome
presence from being disturbed by her
two visitors. The captain is engaged
to the wears niece, Lucy, but the audi
ence is aware from the outset that she
is TO wed the wears curate, whole the
cook lady will land the good-hearted,
sport loving and generous captain.
When Lady Huntworth later shows
Capt. Dorvaston her ex-husband in
y cfo ell
try, it is with zest of a future husband
of hers that he Tugs the drunken lord
to the nearest dry ditch in the garden
to let him sober up.
From the rise of the curtain the audi
ence is kept in a continual state OF
laughter and the entire performance
is just what Daniel Froham has led
his public to expect of him-1nished
and brilliant.
Miss HiIda Spong is said to do adj
mirable work as Lady Huntworth or
Caroline Hayward" as she is known
to the Vicarage. During her New York
career Miss Spong has played principal
roles in "Trelawny of the Wells, The
Ambassador" 1.-The Maneuvers OF
Jane" and Wheels Within Wheels"
but her critics have claimed she has
done no better work than in Lady
Huntworth's Experiment" One of the
that of the vicar. 1t is delightful sa-
tire on the petty foibles and temper
ment of village clergymen generally,
and Grant Stewards Interpretation OF
it has been pronounced fine bit OF
acting.
Foxy Grandpa" is apparently doing
all kinds of stunts" along the line.
while the business of this new musical
comedy is said to be far and away
ahead of anything produced the pres
ent season. Few productions can boast
of the fact that the first two weeks OF
! their season, they not only paid Tor
their entire plant and running expenses,
but had a handsome profit besides.
/ This will give the initiated a faint idea
of the drawing powers of this phenom-
enally successful musical production.
The introduction of the Salvation
Army lassie on the stage was happy
thought While it was thought at first
that the reproduction of this character
behind the footlights would call forth
a storm of ridicule, it was found upon
the first performance that Messrs. Lee
derer and Morton had handled the part
so cleverly and shown such absolute
respect for it that there was no chance
for criticism. To the contrary Violet
GRAY developed into a part so lovable,
so unique and so fascinating that she
became the idol of New York theater-
gcers and later, as is well known, she
was lionized by the nobility of Lon
don. Surrounded as she is by clever
fun-makers. excellent soloists and a
handsome chorus, she is doomed to re-
main one of the most popular bellies in
stagedom for many seasons to come.