The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-06
ADJUSTMENTS
The Frav1ey Company in 'secreo
Service'' at the metropolitan

The Fraw1ey Company in "secret
service' at the Metropolitan.
In the course Of a curtain speech deliv-
cred by Daniel Frawley from; the Metropoli-
tan stage last evening, the western player
said that his friend Nelll" had assured him
of an enthusiastic greeting in Minneapolis If
Minneapolis liked him and his company. The
applause had been frequent during the first
two acts Of Secret Service the play in
which the company made its local debut, and
Mr.. Frawley added: II hope you will like
US. If you haven't so far, you've buncoed
me-" At the close of the performance,
if he had decided to wire Neill of his recep-
ton, he might have phrased the message in
the words of C. Julius. Caesar, familiar to
every high-school boy the world over-"Veni,
vidi, vici''-for there was room for doubt
that last nights audience did like both Mr..
Frawley and his company.
During it's brief engagement the FraWley
company will present four plays-two of them
new to this city, which we have seen
before, and the other, ''Secrt Service
play with which are already tolerably
familiar. From his choice OF the Gillette
drama as his opening bill, it would almost
seem as if Mr.. Frawley courted COMPARE
sons; and apparently, there is no reason
why he should not, for the play was excel
lentIy staged and well acted. With Mime
apolis theater- goers, first impressions count
for much, and the first impression carried
away from the theater last night was alto
gether favorable to the San Francisco organ
ization. .ESh Eiz- -"
Secret Service is one of the best liked Of
the several plays from the pen. of William
Gillette; and the reasons for its success are
not far to seek. 1t is melodrama, its scenes
laid in Richmond during the investment OF
that city by the union forces, and It's. nero
SOY in the service of the north who falls
49, 1y,d criv1 q 10
cause Of his love for her, declines to take
advantage Of a position in which she has
placed him, although, by so doing, he could
have secured immediate success for the ted
eral army The argument is impossible, per-
haps but interesting unquestionably, and so
speciously set forth that the Incredible is
made to appear not only credible, but prob
able.
| The part Of Captain Thorne, the northern
spy. written by Mr.. Gillette for himself, was
played by Mr.. Frawley, and well played 1t
is doubtful whether the part has ever been
so we'll done here. Certainly Mr.. FraWley's
acting in the telegraph office scene is worthy
of high praise, his rendering OF the terse
lines being most admirable. 1t might be
urged against his Interpretation that Captain
Thorne was somewhat too tame in his love-
making but in handling the role as he does,
Mr.. Frawley is merely following precedent;
and then, too, the love scenes proper occur
off the stage, as is the Gillette custom.
In Miss Mary Van Buren, the Frawley COM
pany possesses an admirable leading woman,
reasonable and an artistic player. IT she is
one of the ..big girls who, as Mr.. Frawley
explained in his speech, has grown up with
the company, she reflects ample credit upon
her instructor. Miss Van Buren, brought to
the role of Edith Varney nice understand
ing of the southern girls character, her 10y
atty to her lover and her indignation when
she believes him to have been unjustly ac-
cused Miss Van Buren, has q sympthetic
voice and an expressive countenance, and she
utilizes both effectively.
Ainar Acton is deserving of credit for a
carefully considered Interpretation Of Wilfred
Varney, a 17-year-old southron, anxious to
j follow IN the footsteps Of his soldier father
Mr. Acton is a young man. He looks scarcely