The sun., 1902-10-08
m "lHE NINETY And nine. ="
iPIti MADE FROM THE MOODY
tND StNkEY HYMN.
How The IIlindredth One saved Himself
and "A Lot Of People by Running .
Raawa, Train Through burning
Forest on the Academy OF Music stage.

Iorest on the Academy OF Music stage.
Nhor rpc curtain fell on the third act of a
,p.IrIrlnl that was new last night, an au-
,iorra,f people more modish and intellect
nal ,ran i usual at the Academy Of Music
mn, 1nlv applauded in noisy unison, but
,bear.f waved handkerchiefs and even
stood 10 IN excited enthusiasm. Ramsay
Norri. was called forth to be shakingly
,nryra'. atrd on having written 'The
vire,y and Nine" and the acotrs of the
loading rbo-, after having held their poses
,,. ,b. ttuIcau~ in which the curtain had
f,llcu end been lifted many times. were
forced 'r ra-s before the footlights, and
thoir prIucipal Edwin Arden, to come out
MANY 'inIn-. before quiet again reigned
The exhibition that caused this extra
,rIirar, enthusiasm was one that Broad
vay would pooh-pooh, yet that many
Broadway people commended because ii
wa, shown in a theatre where drama is
expected to be half mechanical. The
scene which carried the story through
it, biz effect rather well was the second
of the two that made up the third act. The
frs Wa, al a country railway station some
miles away from the village in which the
other act- passed Such of the story as
Wa imuorIan'ly developed there concerned
the hero a drInkard and suspected Of
being a murderer and thief.
But when news came that a forest fire
enclosed the town where his sweet hearts
uarcn'- lived his bravery asserted itself.
Telrgraphic pleas for aid came TO this
station and train hands were wild because
none ~ them could run locomotive into
tho farc--urrnundcd town with relief
train The villain had the necessary know
ledge, hll, hc was too much of a coward to
risk nj, life for 500 others. The
hero came forth with the declaration that
he could 10 II, though the confession formed
the last link in chain of evidence that
seemed to prove him a murderer.
Amid cheers of hurrying trainmen
the drunkard rushed out to the engine
and the theatre became black, exciting
music keeping up the intensity Of the situa-
ton When light again made things visible
the stage was a mass Of flames The prairie
gras- burned up in red and orange sheets
and the woods that flew quickly by in a
panorama were a burning mass. The
audience was moving with the locomot i've,
the hero black with SCOT guiding it, massive
hulk 10 the waiting villagers, and all the
while the burning forest speeding by.
Again the curtain fell. but this time
the cheers were in front instead of back
of tho footligh,s. The rescue train had
arrived and the villagers were crowding
about il The volunteer engineer lay
on the ground, scorched and exhausted.
and all about him the people fell on their
knees. singing a hymn Of thanksgiving.
OF course that is just what they would
not have done at that point, but any one
viewing The Ninety and Nine" in an argu-
men'atively rational mood had better, stay
away.
Mr NorriS's melodrama has many incon-
sistencie-. and il is often badly constructed,
par icuarlv in tho telegraph Office scene,
where a long story is repeated three times
at a moment when any let up in dramatic
interest Is serious loss. OF course, much
improvement in construction may bc ex-
pected, aS last nights performance was
the first on any stage, the usual out-of-town
trials having been omitted.
But the liea should not 60 forth that
the play would not have gone well without
the forest fire. On the contrary, II would
Fnk well up among rural dramas with
that lcf' ont. An admirable though very
conventional dramatic scene brought the
second act to a powerful close Much wit
was discarrible in the dialogue, and at
least one of the characters was oddly origi-
nal This was a little New York bov of the
streets, transplanted TO Indiana, and acted
remarkably by Harry Le Van. His was an
extraordinary performance in the generally
good acting
Edwin Arden and Katherine Grey as
the hero and heroine were far more realis-
s...N.E =. a
pair than many Broadway productions
have, Theodore Hamilton gave another
admirable character study, and among
the many other good performances notably
excellent ones were supplied by Mrs
Eberle, Thomas lnce, W. F. Carroll, Jane
Peyton. Amy Ames and Christine Blessing
The success of Mr. Morris's melodrama
cannot be doubted, In writing the story
OF the redemption of the sheep who was
"out on the hills away" he has written a
play suggested, obviously enough, by Ira
i. Sankey's hymn to recommend itself TO
religious people. yet not offend them. By
placing his story In a small Indiana town he
has put il within the liking of pee pie who |
desire rural drama, and in the forest fire
he has originated an incident that is good
enough Ia carry a play not half so good |
IN other ways SO when he came before
me curtain last night il was not TO receive
m" friendly paudits of prejudiced we'll
wiShers. but to hear unspoken congratu-
lationS on the start of what will surely be
long and profitable run for "The Ninety
and Nine"
Maude Adams's engagement at the En-
plre has been postponed, owing to her i'll
health, and Yesterday the time, beginning
the middle of November, was given by Mr.
trohman to William Faversham, who will
then appear in new play by II. V. Esmond
II Is explained that j. II Gilmore's taking
Of Leading role with Mrs Patrick Campbell
n The joy Of Living" will not disturb John
Blair, the regular first actor in the company
BLANCHE BtTESS NEW PLAY.
called "The Darling Of the Gods" and
Depicts Japanese Scenes