The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-21

from the phantasm LAiglons and Juliets
and the creation OF naturally growing
alarm lest Miss Adams in her ambition
or the ambition of her manager 20 rise
out of her sphere would some day turn
up in Fanny Davenport production OF
Cleopatra, or perhaps emulate Sandow
In the vaudeville.
When body begins TO go astray there
is rarely any telling how far that body
viii go. Eccentric orbs are always diff
hcult 10 figure out.
But we've got her back again, Maude
Adams, and a large house full OF people
last evening testified their joy at the re-
turn OF the star TO her normal and mimi
table track.
Quality Street" is the work of Mr..
j. NJ Barrie. whose whimsical tempera-
ment exactly dlsposes him TO write for
Americas most wtchy star. The story
OF the comedy is OF an exceedingly
clever, cute and dainty sort 1t Is essen
TALLY Barrie-you would know IL without
the name on the program, more es-
pecially II you had read about Senti-
mental Tommy and Grizel. the atmo-
sphere Of whose careers is not a little
reflected I'm this play, Quality Street"
The Throssell girls live i'm Quality
street Incidentally. so do the Willough-
bys, who would be called rubber necks
did they live today instead of i'm the time
of the Napoleonc wars. Precious little
goes on In Quality street that the Will
oughby neighbors fail to take cognizance
Of
valentine Brown goes away TO some of
the Napoleonic wars neglecting 10 make
good his own and Phoebe Throssell's
reasonable expectations to propose. The
young ladies' are impoverished after their
departure and set up a private school.
which Is made very charming even though
the scholastic attainments of the two
gentlewomen are not notable Nine years
after. Brown comes back TO discover the
delightful home I'm Quality street turned
into the school and Phoebe, who, with
womanlY desperation at the collapse Of
her reasonable expectations as 10 Brown
gets herself up in a particularly prim
not 70 say dowdy. fashion. looking sadly
tired not 10 say old. as Is to be expected
Brown Is shocked at her appearance and
Phoebe is perverse enough 10 be put out
with him therefor She resolves 10 go 10
the ball projected In honor OF the return
ed heroes and altogether Is eager 10 re-
store the Phoebe of old years with fem
inine purpose TO punish Brown for his not
unnatural regret at her faded appearance
So Phoebe goes 10 the ball. That part
OF the ball enjoyed I'm tent pavilion IN
the scene. and here the restored Phoebe,
the Phoebe OF nine years ago, plunges in
10 the widest kind OF ball room dissipa-
tion, dancing, flirting and carrying on, no
end
only she is no longer Phoebe, for her
old lover having failed 20 recognize her
I'm her pretty young gown and the girlish
dress OF the hair and all the recovered
frils OF sweet sixteen. or therea bouts the
idea has been quickly seized TO call her
self one Libby, a suppositious niece OF
Phoebe.
or course everybody falls IN love with
her. she bangles n string OF variegated
hearts al her belt that night and greatly
TO her perturbation captlvstes Brown. or
thinks she does, for ~ appears that. after
the first shock. Brown finds that he stii
longs for Phoebe and. instead Of getting
a declaration for Libby that young wom-
sn is made 10 listen 60 an exposition OF
Browns true feelings.
All comes 10 a merry end In fact there
II merriment all through. The strain OF
pathos only emphasizes A. 10 is merry
creature that Miss Adams presents for
ill the periods OF conflicting despair. race
and desperation. II n the true comedy
spirit all through, worked out with In
genious novelties that only Barrie. cul-
Iivated IN the art Of doing ~. Is capable
n.
And with the fortunes of Phoebe the
audience Is swept sympatheticaly and !
ielightedly Though the evening
Quality sacet' is splendidly cast and |
'xquisitely set with scenery. The four |
,cts present. besides the pretty tent |
icene the sitting room of the Throssell |
Iirls. n dream in blue and white filled /
With quaint furniture and adornment
by the way. We wonder where u Is that /
Iiss Adams comes from and goes " that |