The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-10
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augurated their brief season in ST. Paul
at the metropolitan last evening most
| ausplclously before an audience which
while not SO large as the performance mer-
| ited, made up in enthusiasm and appTecla-
| ton whatever it lacked in numbers. 1t
| can be said at the start that Mr.. FraW-
| ley S company is an unusually strong one,
| and II the remaining performances of the
| week shall prove as meritoricus as was
| that of last night. ST. Paul theater-
goers will be under obligations to tile
| organization for royal entertainment.
Mr.. FraWley did well to open his en-
| gagement with a production Of Secret
| Service, the play made famous by Will
/ liam Gillette and which, above anything
else, made William Gillette's reputation
! both as a stage manager and an actor.
Melodramatic as it is, it is nevertheless
! an artistic construction, thrilling in its
| development, full Of heart interest, APP
| pealing to the best sentiment in man, and
| a true picture of the troublouS times Of
which he treats. 1t is the only American
/ drama which adequately portrays the
secret service of the War of the Rebellion,
and in bodying forth, in truly heroic pro-
| portions, the character Of the secret SER
| vice spy, whose contribution to the glory
of the struggle will never be fully realized
or properly honored, it does a positive
service to this generation.
Mr.. FraWley, in challenging comparison
| with Gillette in his most famous part,
might be called audacious, but his per-
/ formance, on the whole, does not suffer
| to any appreciate extent by the COM
/ parison. Mr.. Frawley is a sterling actor,
a real artist, and his Interpretation of the
/ trying role last night was worthy of the
best traditions of the drama. There was
nothing of sham, cheap clap-trap, or
| melodramatic smartness in his character
| 1zadons, although the play is one tempt
/ ing overmuch to an actors vanity.
The one weakness of his work was the
| lack of spirit in his lovemaking-tha is,
at least weakness in so far as the au-
| dience is concerned, although it is prob
ably in keeping with the part, and most
certainly in keeping with the Gillette
tradition of the part. In the famous
| telegraph scene he was at his best. and
presented magnificent figure Of intrepid
daring, cool nerve, daredevil reckless
ness, and finally Of manly integrity. His
delivery of the pithy, sententious cpl
| grams of this act could not possibly be
better.
Mr.. Frawley is supported by a strong
company,-that is, strong as a company
there being few weak spots to mar the
harmony of the whole Miss Mary Van
Buren,. as Edith Varney the Confederate
girl was excellent, wholly satisfying in
her portrayal of the sweet, fair, earnest
and enthusiastic Southern girl, torn by
conflicting sentiments Of love and loyal
ty to the cause of the Confederacy. She
divided honors fairly with Mr.. Frawley.
Miss Phosa McAllister. as Mrs Var
ney. was wholly adequate to the de-
nands made upon her, and gave an i'm
pressive portrayal of the sturdy South
ern Womanhood that gave to the lost
! cause fidelity
sacrificing as the world ever saw. Har-
rington Reynolds, as Benton Arelsford,
the Confederate secret service man, per-
formed a most trying part with power
and discretion. The Kisses of the gallery
gods were the warmest tribute he could
have desired. Lily Branscombe, as Car
oline Milford, was delightful, beyond the
power of words to describe, and her vivac-
fly and capriciousness fell across the SOM
Der tragedy of the hour like sunshine to
warm the heart. Christine Hill, as the
negro nanny" deserves special men
ton for clever work.
| The stage management was perfect, as
was to be expected under Mr.. Frawley's
ma nagement.
The audience was most generous in It's
bestowal Of applause, and Mr.. FrawIey
was forced to make q curtain speech, in
which he said that it was easy for q
company to do it's best where the au-
dience was so responsive and he was so
pleased with the cordial welcome ex~
tended that he hoped he might return
to st. Paul again.
Magician Kellar will close his very sue
cessful engagement at the Grand Opera
| house with performances tonight and to-
| morrow afternoon and night. The pa
| tronage accorded the visit of this pop
ular trickster on the occasion Of his first
first appearance at popular prices has
| been most fattering and theater goers
are showing their appreciation of Man
ager Jacob Lifts policy of offering
| them attractions of the highest class at
/ popular rates of admission.
/ Kellar this season offers a programme
of exceptional excellense, and one which
Is interesting throughout. His budget
of small ma gic embraces a number of
receptions of more than ordinary merit
| and ''The deviation of Princess Kar-
nae" "Out of Sight" "Fly-To," and
| ''The Sinala Seance,' his most preten-
| tious illusions, are without doubt the
most ineXpGcable illusions ever present
ed in this city. The final afternoon per-
| Torrance of the engagement occurs to-
! morrow afternoon at 2:3O, and an unusu-
ally large sale of seats is reported for
| this occasion.
| commencing Sunday night Lost in the
| Desert, a meIodrama in four acts by
| Owen Davis, which pleased theater-
| goers in no uncertain measure on the
| occasion of>its appearance here last sea-
| son. will hald the boards. The present.
| ing company this season is said to be an
| excellent one, and the various scenes are
| said depicted in a thoroughly artistic
| manner. The scenic effects are lavish in
| the extreme, and add to the general sue
| cess. There are number of situations
of more than ordinary interest, the fire
scene and the race for life being two Of
| the most exciting features of the per-
Torrance. A troupe of genuine Bedouin
Arabs are seen to excellent advanta ge
in a number of acrobatic feats and
add considerable realism to some of the
scenes. The engagement is for one
week, with the usual matinees
There are but four more performances
to be given at the Star this week by
Rice and Barton's burIesauers. the big
extravaganza company that has been
| packing the theater to the doors all the
| week. The engagement will end Satur-
day night and on the following day the
May Howard company will begin a
weeks engagement.
ADVANTAGE OF BEING TALL.
''You should have seen Hermann Dud-
ley Murphy, of Winchester, Mass. go
through the ice yesterday" said T. F.
Scott, of Cambridge, with a reminiscent