Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-05
"MY PARTNER" POORLY
REVIVED LAST NIGHT.
Small Audience Saw an Incompe-
tent Company in Play Made Fa-
nous by Louis A1drich.
A small audience saw an incompetent

A small audience saw an incompetent
company in the the play made famous by
Louis Aldrich.
Following on the heels Of the time-hon-
ored 1.-TWO Orphans was revival at
the Academy last night of MY Partner"
a play made famous number OF years
ago by Louis Aldrich The personality
md the dramatic art Of the actors went
a long way toward making the drama a
success. In late years it has been played
by stock companies in various parts of
the country.
The theme Of the play is too old and
too we'll known to bear repetition. My
Partner is a border drama Of the wild
and Woolly Vest having for its charac-
ters miners and people identified with that
part of the country. The story tells of
a false accusation Of murder that hangs
over an innocent man, of a wronged wo-
man, and q conniving villain. The denou-
ment is. Of course, happy one-how else
could drama of this kind end in order
to achieve the success that has in the
past fallen to the lot of BARLEY Camp
bells play?
The company presenting the play last
night was in the main, incompetent. The
best work was perhaps done by Daniel
Gilfether in the leading role Of Joe
Saunders" and James Arunn. upon whose
shoulders fell the comedy work. Stanley
Murphy gave a correct and accepta Bile
representation of a Chinaman. The other
characters were, in the main. badly por-
traNed.
The drama had an appropriate stage in
vestiture, which materially helped to car
ry it to a successful finale. A small audi
ence was present at both the matinee and
evening performances yesterday.
Every critic in Richmond has agreed
that "a Stranger In a Strange Land as
presented at the Bijou this week is one
Of the best and most attractive offerings
that popular organization has ever given
in Richmond. This unaninlity among the
critics is as startling as it is powerful
to show the real worth Of the last frivo-
lous Offering from the company which al
ways makes you laugh. In specialties,
too. this production is striking, the foot
bali chorus being one of the most at
tractive bits ever seen on the stage in
Richmond.
In the principal parts Mr.. Harlan and
Little Chip are seen at their best as the
ranch owner" and the "fakir," respec-
lively. Little Mary Marble in her special
ties is excellent, and won encore after en-
core in her work with the chorus. From
the curtain rise to the curtain fall it
is Il laughing show. dished up only as
the Bijou Company can dish them up.
Thus far the house records are hanging
in the balance. and it may be that a new
one will be established. The sale Is very
heavy for every night and matinee of the
week
REILLY AND WOODS BIG SHOW.
The Biiou will have one of its big spe-
cial attra ctions next week in the Reilly
and Woods Big Show-no more popular
or meritorlous show in force, vaudeville,
or novelty line of entertainment plays
The vaudeville olio includes such sterl-
ing star acts as the Four Emperors of
Music. artists in every branch Of music.
They recently returned from a successful
tour OF Europe. Lloyd and Llyian, adep.
iuggers and pantomime entertainers; the
graceful and petite Mitchell Sisters, sing.
ers and vocalists: the Eight Dolly Warden
Girls. bevy of beauty In terpsichorean
numbers, strikingly new and pleasing.
The DeArville Sisters are seen in an act
without comparison, a combina ton of
marvellous contortion. vocalism. and va
riety. Charles Smith, late of the popular
team Of Smith and Campbell, sings orig
NAL and amusing parodies with Frank d.
B.yan, who has always been a favorite
IN vaudeville.
One by one the stars who wandered
away from the stage to partake of the
flesh pots of vaudeville are returning to