The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-15
AT THE THEATER.

az "-o+N performance the audience was
not SO large. The engagement by the
company, taken altogether, was a success
ful one. The presentation was an that
had been expected.
Because She Loved Him So" the first
play from the pen of William Gillette
since his Secret Service" is to be pre-
sented Tonight
The comedy, which ran for an entire
season at the Madison Square Theatet.
New York, and which Mas an all-suman6r
triumph OF Chicago, shows the manner in
winch morbidly suspicious ana violent
tempered woman contrivos TO wreck her
own life and the lives of al unhappy
enough to be thrown into association vita
her. Her firm conviction is that al men
are false, and that their lives are one Sc
quenee of inhdelites and intrigues. AMI
mated by this belief, she ke-ps con-
stant watch on her husband, who is the
pest little fellow in the world ana gets
quite out of patience with him because
he will not be found cut Evidence at
length rewards her assiduity on his ar
rival at home, his cost smells of pat
cnouh, and upon his sleeve are two long
Solcen hairs, which never came out Of thc
mead of his wife Nothing short Of di-
vorce viii satisfy her ana she rushes off
followed by her husband, to seek the shell
ter of her parents home News of their
quarrel and intended separation have.
however, anticipated their arrival, and
the father and mother Of the heroine
nave time 10 hit uron an eXpedient. They
determine to show their Offspring the I'M
.ovellness Of domestic broi and the young
couple arrive in time to hear the noise
OF fierce alteration. and to see a sugar
basin hurled by an elderly husband at
the head of his respectable spouse In
fact the dear old things have never had "A
cross word in their ives and while thev
are counterfeiting hostility, steal Que to
kiss and hug one another in obscure cor
ners. Holding her views about men, the
heroine jumps to the conclusion that her
father is in fault and that her mother
Is wronged. There is no limit to tbs
evil to be wrought BY a jealous. suspicious
and mischievous woman and Gertrude
West, as she is named, succeeds in drag
ging to light a forgotten chapter ia her
fathers life, and changing into q real
feud the simulated quarrei Of her par
ents. She also contrives to ruin the mat
rimonial chances Of her brother aud 70
interfere in their affairs.
When mischief enough has been wrought
she discovers that she has been herself
duped and mistaken. The supposed PROOFS
OF her husbands guilt are due TO Il dia-
bolical ruse on the part Of her maid who
for interes led reasons. has sought 10 SOW
dissension between husband and wife, and
has herself sprinke6 scent on her mas.
ter's coat and carefully Placed on the
sleeve hairs pulled out of her own head
"A Trip to Coontown," which will be
seen and heard tomorrow matinee and
night, is now in its fourth year of almost
constant service, having b6eu in nearly
every state, and receiving the most fiat
tering testimonials. All former features
not in line with the times, have been dis
pensed with, and their places filed wiea
latest novelties. Bob Cole and Billy john
son, authors and producers, have long
been the head of the organization. The
cast includes Sam Lucas and Thomas
Craig, Murphy and Slater, Rastus and
Ranks and Geo. Brown, Miss Edna, Alex
ander prima donna soprano Miss Theresa
Bluford, who has won her way to the
hearts of the public by her clever and
artistic work, and the Gillock Sisters.
In the issue of The New York Herald
on Sunday, Jan 20, page was devoted
to the five matinee idols on the Ameri-
can stage According to the Herald this
honor belongs to William Faversham,
John Drew, Z. H. Sothern Eric Hope and
j. X iIackett. References to this pub
lica ton is made pertinent by the appear
ance in Savannah next Monday of Erie
Hope in jerome X. Jerome's comedy,
THE Councillors Wife" The appearance
of Hope in this country dune about in an
odd way On a visit to this country, in
the early part of last year, he was in
duced to portray one of the leading roles
in the ANNUAL performance given by the
Strollers, New Yorlls most exclusive am
ateur social organiza ton. His success was
instantaneous, and he became the imme-
date rage of the Metropolis. SO great
and favorable were the press criticisms
that MIR Charles Frohman devoted days
in trying to induce the Earl eo become
member of his leading comedy stock -om-
pany More for the amusement than re-
turns, Yarmouth accepted and during the
winter was seen in the leading roles Of
MIR. FrOhmans comedy productions. The
Councillors Wife" is from the pen Of Je-
rome X Jerome, perhaps the best known
OF all English writer's. X was originally
seen at the Empire Theater, NeW York.
Anna. Held, under the management Of
F. Ziegfeld, Jr., will be the attracticu
next Tuesday night, in her new pay
''PIDa'S w ne, nlESlCt4 CbIiAc'N nAaPt-'
from the French by Harry 3. Smith and
Reginald De Koven. The piece, aDounds
in bright lines and melodious catchy mus
ic. Anna, j young girl, is taken FROM
n convent and married to an old roue of
a Baron, who weds simply because he
has to in order to receive his allowance
each month. as his son is made his execu
tor. He takes his wife to a dinner at
the Golden Lion Hotel, where she meets
a number of the Baron's friends. she
tastes champagne for the first time in her
life and ends by getting tipsy. The son
arrives at the end Of the mild orsie to
discover that wiley has compromised her
self. A clownsh musical professor M
volved in the complication, is held re-
sponsib,e for this, though innocent and
is amusingly eXtrica ed. and II turns ou-
that the wife had been married to the
old man under the name Of his son Inc
suppor1ing Miss Held does
not offer from The original company when
it was presented for the first time in New
York. for an extended run Of over 200
nights at the Manhattan Theater.