Evening journal., 1901-12-05
Grand Opera House

Words of praise for the King Dramatic
Company are being heard on every side
and theatre-goers say that it is the best
popular priced company which ever play
ed here. the Opera House has been
crowded at every performance and the
audiences have been well pleased. The
matinee today is East Lynne" and a
finished production of the popular old
drama is promised Cumberland. 81. q"
stirring and prettily told war story will
be played tonight. The matinee bill to-
morrow will be Nell Gwynne," in which
Miss Helen Grayce will appear as the
beautiful orange girl and favorite of
King Charles, and tomorrow night Blue
Jeans" viii be the attraction.
A new play by Denman Thompson
is a matter of much theatrical impor-
tance because of the phenomenal sue
cess Of his other product, "The Old
Homestead" This author has the
valuable faculty to present nature
truthfully. It is a gift TO be able to do
this and not many have the faculty as
he has It. The Old Homestead
which. like so many other money win
ners. at first went begging Tor a pro-
ductlon. has given Mr.. Thompson a
reputation and a fortune To seek to
duplicate this extraordinary success
by writing another play, was rather a
hazardous Undertaking. But with the
catchy title Of "Our New Minister" he
has succeeded again. It is now in its
second year and has been q success
from the start. 1t is evidently a
wholesome play and comes to Opera
House on Monday night with as warm
and enthusiastic an endorsement al
the hands of the press as any play ever
received. The types Of characters
which are portrayed in Our New Min.
lister" are by no means isolated ones
but on the contrary are such as are
easily recognized as existing in any oi
the small. rural communities of New
England The cast is an unusually
strong one, and enlists the services ot
such eminent players as John Terriss
Charles Stedman. John Barker, Henry
r. Scott. Joseph Conyers, Grant Fore
man. Estelle Loomis and Phila May.
"The Parish Priest" which plays a
the Grand Opera House on Saturda.
of next week. will be found by theatre
goers to be a delightful play, wher'
dramatic effect is sacrificed for natu
ralness and the heart. not the back
bone is appealed to by the dramatist
It reprOduces Pennsylvania life witt
all the beauties Of the Wyoming val
| ley made famous by the poet, Johl
Boyle OReilly, telling simple littl
love story which creeps out over tn
| footlights into the hearts of the audi
tors and the graceful unraveling pro
duces smiles and tears. 1t is a humal
story, a story of home where the gloy
of the peaceful fire lights the happ
/ faces of reunited friends, who at sun
set were separated as they thought
forever. In that glow is Fathe
Whalen, who by arts diplomatic, ha
brought about the happiness of hi
friends. In so doing, he has uncon
sciously placed himself in position
where for a time he is denounced b
those he has attempted to befrienC
Comedy and pathos result from thes
complications which develop the pc
culiarities of the characters who al
always interesting. There is muc
that is novel in the development of th
simple story which glistens with inc
dents that are new. One of the beau
tiful scenes is the making of the chai
by the brothers in the second act.
is these mere incidents which appes
to audiences and awaken their entht
siasm. AS Father Whalen, Mr.. Sull
has a character which demands fror
him more artistic work than any
mis- previous successes. He has SUI
prised the most ardent of his admirei
and mas scored an individual succe'
long and pleasantly to be remembers
The play has made long runs at Ne
. York. Boston and Chicago.
"The County Fair" which, with Ne
Burgess himself as Abigail Prue, is al
nounced for Friday of next week
the Grand Opera House, is a charact
study, with simple pictures of Ne
England life and just enough DIR
matte interest to keep the minds
the auditors from dwelling entirely
the cows and horses and haymakers.
The Rostonians will appear at Il
Opera House on Saturday, Decemb
21. They will give both matinee al
2 night performances. At the latter q
. new opera, Maid Marian" will
) presented. This will be one of Il
most important engagements Of 4
: season.
Wilmington Theatre
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