The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-31

Mr. Walker whiteside was seen at the
theater yesterday afternoon and last
night in a romantic comedy Heart and
Sword" This is the first time Mr.. White
side has been seen here in other than
tragic or serious roles and his splendid
presentation Of che somewhat weak and
unoriginal character of Prince Victor at
least shows the versatility and power of
the actor.
Heart and Sword" is three-act play,
very much on the order OF prince OF
TO-" which Otis Skinner presented here
this season. It certainly cannot be a
plagiarism and yet many Of the incidents
and the general setting are similar 1t Is
a pretty little story in which love is the
leading factor The plot is not intricate
nor strong, and the story and the motif
are simple. 1t is a play that has evil
IDENTIFY been written for Mr.. Whiteside,
and not a play which has been written
for itself or because the author Lad
something to tell about.
Mr.. Nhiteside as Prince Victor, the
careless, sport-loving but honorable SOW
ereign of a small principality. gave a
finished and finely artistic impersonaEon
yet strong. His conception of what the
character is supposed to be was excellent.
Mr.. Whiteside is not at his best in plays
of the romantic or heroic type, and he
has been seen here to better advantage
in Hamlet and "Richelieu." but then
people will not go to see these plays,
so there's the rub.
Miss Leila Wostan made a charming
and intelligent Princess Sylvia and Miss
Helen Wilcox, Ernestine. was capa-
bic. Mr Lawrence Evart as Frederick
Stalbach and Mr. William r. Mack as
Count Oscar both deserve praise for their
work. The company was well balanced.
The stage settings was very appropriate
and handsome and the performance in
general was pleasing and well received.
Mr. Whiteside received an individual cur
tain call. .I,
The Crescent Stock Company, a popular
price organization, with Guy Woodward
doing the leading parts will be the at
traction all of this week. The engage
ment will open tomorrow night with
Forgiven" a four-act melodrama, which
ought to make a good opening bill. In
speaking of the company the Atlanta
Journal says its performances are meri-
torfous and its work clever. Monday
night ladies will be admitted free, when
accompanied by a paid ticket. Matinees
will be given Tuesday. Thursday and Sat
urday. Several specialties will be intro
duced during the performances.
This is holy week and the dread OF the
atrical managers the country over. The
business always fans off greatly during
this week, and the managers are glad
when it is over.
Lawrence Hanley is acting at the Hop
kins Theater in Chicago, In a stock COM
hat Sc
spersed with vaudeville. Mr.. Hanley
comes in for a good portion of commenda-
ton for his work.
reviewer Of theatrical performances is
in embarrassing position when the
manager of a visiting troupe tells him
that II he is severe on the show that II
will be put out of business in the next
town. To commend the piece is an in
Justice to the reviewer and the public,
while to roast it would mean the respon-
sibility of stranding a lot of chorus girls
Theatrical managers should not bring
poor and broken down organizations
South and then expect to work the SYM
pathy racket on the newspapers. This
is for a recent visitor.
A facetious writer in Life last week
turned out the following amusing batch
of Dramatic Notes.
atiEations OF Mr.. Dooley's Philosophy,
The Tribune Almanac and an Englishwo-
mans Love Letters.
Mr.. Richard Mansfield IL completing
preparations for a mammoth one-hun-
bred thousand-dollar production of Mid
summer Nights Dream" in which the
distinguished actor-manager will play the
part of Puck.
Mr.. Charles Frohman has concluded
with the French government nine-hun-
dred-and-ninety-nine lease of the
Theater Franchise. The House of Moliere
VIII be opened under his management
with Miss Maude Adams as Lady Mac
beth.
Mr.. Marion Crawford has gone to Rome
New York. where he will devote a month
TO the dramatization OF his FIVE hundred
and eighteen novels.
MIR. Clyde Fitch has mastered the difi-
toult art OF writing six plays stimuli
taneousiy-one with each hand and foot
one with a pen held between his teeth
and one which he dictates I'm his sleep to
a stenographer, who sits nightly at his
bedside for che purpose
Miss Madeline Lucette Riley is writing
e drama entitled Ben Jonson." It WIN
TEEN with historical characters and i'm
aginary incidents. There will be a duel
with crossbows between Shakespeare and
Bacon, when Ben Jonson viii act the role
of peacemaker.
The Froham- Hayman Syndicate has ap-
piled to the Supreme Court for an In
junction restraining Mr.. Augustus Thorn
SIS from writing any more plays, unless
he accepts the cut-rate royalties appor-
toned by the syndicate to native authors.
The doctors have az last given up all
hope of Ada Gray, whose East Lynne"
has endeared her to the hearts OF all the
states. She is dying in the Home for IN
curables In Fordham and the end is ex-
pected at any moment.
The action of 1.-THE Soldier OF Fortune"
the new play which Mr.. Cyril Hallward
has written for Mr.. Lewis Waller--is
laid in Florence, whittier the hero. hav-
ing been deposed from his position AS
President OF one OF the minor South
American states, flies for safety. There he
lives the tfe of a professional gambler
one redeeming quality he possesses. how
ever, a passionate love for his daughter
She, on her side IS possessed by a pro-
found love for the memory OF her dead
mother, and when. az length. circum-
stances couspire 10 force the hero TO