Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-21
Lovers Lane.

Lovers Lane.
William y. Brady's famous produc-
ton of the Clyde Fitch comedy
Lovers Lane will be at the Illinois
tonight. This comedy proved one of
the real successes of New York dur
ing the season of 1901. and where it
played for FIVE months to capacity
business, there being many occasions,
both at the Manhattan and Republic
theaters, where the crowds were so
great as to displace the orchestra.
From New York, Lovers Lane" was
transferred to Chicago, where it
closed a three months engagement,
winning great success, under most
unfavorable conditions. Recently it
was given a revival in Philadelphia
for fourteen weeks. to capacity
houses, the orchestra being placed
under the stage at many performan-
ces. Very significant is a fiashlight
picture of matinee in Chicago, on
the hottest day that has been known
in so years. The thermometer was
registering 1O2 degrees in the shade,
and yet the picture does not reveal n
single vacant seat from top to bottom
of the vast theatre. There are many
quaint and interesting characters in
this play, which depicts life in a small
New England town. with all its preiu-
dices. The hero is young clergy
man, who has given his whole life to
the little church. So deep is his de-
votion TO this parish that his people
call the road that leads from the par
sonage to the little brick church.
Lovers Lane He is liberal and
kindly in his views, which arouse the
enmity of the more puritanical of his
flock. Running through this story
is n silver thread of the love interest.
which is very charming. There are
other types, some of them new to the
stage, such as the opera house man
ager who posts his own bills; the
pickering choir singers; the social
purists, a mischievous waif of IL,
who has been expelled from the or
phanage; quaint pair of s4-year-oId
lovers, together with the village
dressmaker; the school mistress, the
general stOrekeeper, and others,
who are fair game for Clyde Fitch's
delicate satire. Not another play of
its kind has been put upon the stage
with careful attention to realistic eff
very beautiful ones, depicting an APP
pie orchard in the dull deepness of
autumn and also in the fragrant
blossom of springtime. The electrical
effects employed i'm lighting of these
scenes are very elaborate and intri-
cate. Not few of the leading stage
managers in this country have de-
clared the lighting of Lovers Lane
to be superior to anything of the kind
ever seen here. The original com
pany appears here.
The following Rock Island children
will take part in the school scene in
Lovers Lane" at the Illinois theatre
this evening: Celia TaXman. Irma
Wieland, Katherine Mulcahy, Eloise
Wells, Blanche Quillan. Margaret
Quinlan, Blanche French. Mabel Will
lett, Constance Lynn, Bessie Salz-
mann, Hazel Chimney, Rachel lyle
hart, Grace Veraspeer, Blanch Kerns,
Lucy Schaab, CerralIia Schaab. Ma
rine Caldwell, Clarence Caldwell, |
village Postmaster.
The genuine novelty in scenic pro-
duction and dressing is brought out
in 'The Village Postmaster" which
recently celebrated it's 125th perform |
ance in Chicago, after a run of 227
nights in New York. 1t caught on its
first night, and has been growing in
ever since. The quaint old
time training day, the donation party |
at the minister's, threshing day at
the farm, with the old-fashioned !
horsepower machine threshing out |
the wheat, the interior of the little |
church. decorated for the interrupted |
wedding, are most realistically repre-
scented. 1t is very merry play and |
there is about fifty laughs to every |
tear which may be one exnlana ton