The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-26
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.


Alice Faulkner................ .Maude Fealy
Mrs. Faulkner. er................Jane Thomas
nladge l.arrabee.. Oliver
Iherese .,...................., Louise Collins
Mrs. Smeedley y.............Gertrude Dawes
The curtain at the Providence Opera
tiouse rises at 7;i5 o'clock sharp all this
week
Anybody who gets into the theatre from
tnd after $40 o'clock, but before the
cropping of the curtain on actl, will not
be escorted TO a seat but must remain
out OF the running until the act is over.
The announcement OF this arrangement
Tor the engagement OF Mr.. William Gil
Sette in his new drama and part of"Sher-
lock Holmes is of itself sufficient To
arouse a considerable interest and curl
osity.
Why should persons coming into the
house after the curtain goes up be per-
mtted to scramble around for their seats
until $40, but from and after that min
ute be denied the usual attentions of the
usher until after the curtain is down
again2
What Is the notion involved that make
, the late conner on and after $40 so much
.Amore of nuisance than the late conner
before $40, that special rule Of sup-
pression and humiliation is necessary?
The solution and the answer is found in
she play.
Mr.. Gillette makes his entrance at $40.
From this mere statement, IL might be
inferred that Mr.. Gillette is "A highly sem
sitive man and that. while he is willing
10 put up with the late comers who i'm
serrupt the part OF the performance
wherein he does not figure, he draws the
line at having his own lines disturbed.
But after you have seen the new Gill
iette drama you will regard the new Gil
lette rules az distinctly 10 the advantage
of the audience as well as TO MIR GIL
1ette. III Mr.. Gillette wants TO make HIS
entrance and begin his lines under con-
uitions OF absolute quietness. IL is even
more forcibly 10 the point that his audi
snce doesn't want so much as pin drop
ped while Mr.. Gillette is on the stage.
IL you have never experienced the sem
sation described spell bound just
run into Sherlock Holmes and you will
know how II feels 10 be that way.
Between 7:i5 and $40 o'clock last even
Sng the audience was settling down As
a matter OF fact there were precious few
seats waiting to be occupied when the
curtain went up. ON the stage, too. the
play was getting into shape. Various
persons were introduced and the
matter OF package OF papers which one
wanted was disclosed. This package OF
papers. as later developed was the spool
of the thread which was unwound
Through the play. Everybody concerned
wanted those papers. The girl who had
them wanted to hold them had that
she went through all sorts OF trouble and
personal danger rather than give them
mp. The man and the woman villain
wanted them TO sell for price TO stil
another party who wanted them. Sher-
lock Holmes was hunting for them for
this other party i'm the course of his bus
mess as a scientific detective. And be-
fore the play had proceeded far IL APP
peared that gang of professional GRIM
inals had developed a desire for the pack
age OF papers.
But this anticipates. BY O'Clock the
audience was beginning to get nightly
Interested in this package of papers A
professional cracksman had cracked a
safe 10 find them. but thes were gone
The young lady who had them and want
ed to keep them had been abused and
choked by the man ana woman villains
10 compel a disclosure OF their where
abouts.
4 ring at the door bell
" was SO9 p. m. by the opera house
clock. The chief usher looked at his
watch and stood guard 20 hold up late
comers. Precautions were unnecessary.
Every seat I'm the house and boxes was
filled, and the audience was on tip toe, as
II were.
S:i0-Euter Mr.. Gillette mostly covered
with a remarkably long gray oyercoat
with what looked like velvet collar and
cuffs. a cane and crush hat. a face very
white and lantern jawed mystery IN the
air about him. No ghost In Hamlet could
have been more suggestive Of strange
things to happen, a, Sherlock Holmes
g,idcd out into the scene az $40 and
dropped wearily in'o a char az S:l074
You woHdcred what was Under that re-
narks bile coat and you wondered what
h was going 10 do
From then oumystery. spookiness.
'sdeaths, back creepers, hair rasers here
and there startling yell now and then
gruesomt groan revolverS that are ever
on the point oi shooting, knives that are