The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-09
HUMAN HEARTS
DRAW BIG CROWDS
Audience That Strained Capacity
Of Academy Saw Play
WENT WILD With ENTHUSIASM
MeIodramatic Audience Pleased NTH
Very Melodrama-Good Vaudeville
Bill Pleased the Large Crowd
at the Casino.

An audience that filled the gallery,
| filled the balcony and filled the orchestra
witnessed the production of Human
Hearts" at the Academy last night. and
the applause that started in the back
row of the topmost tier kept right on
down until it reached the first row down
stairs, SO who shall say that the per-
Torrance didn't please and give entire
satisfaction to those who, knowing what
the piece was, paid their money to see
| it. Those who got into the house, ex-
pecting to see anything else than the
widest and wooliest of melodramas, were
sadly disappointed, but If there were any
such they were so greatly outnumbered
that their presence wasn't felt.
Human Hearts" was constructed to
please a certain class, and of it's kind
it is masterpiece. for 1t not only pleases
them, but 1t sets them wild. Any one,
with a little experience in plays, could
take the manuscript and point out every
speech that is going to bring forth ap-
plause. You know just when the APP
plause is coming, and you stop and wait
for it just as the people on the stage do.
TEARS AND LAUGHTER.
The piece is full of a cheap sort OF
sentiment, and Of far-fstched, almost
impossible situations, yet the audience
takes it for a picture from real life.
There are tears and laughter as the
press agents say, in describing such gems
Of dramatic composition as Human
Hearts"
1t is needless to dwell upon the lndl-
viduaI members of the cast. They are
good enough for the play, with the eX-
Ception that the william does not come
up to the general idea of what this i'm
pcrtant personages should be- He is one
of those weak. insipid looking fellows,
who would smoke two cigarettes, drink
a cup of tea and then lay down and die.
He has a fairly deep voice, and that
seems about the only strong thing abod:
him. He is the last man in the word
& 'tigresS" of a woman, as the she-Vli-
Ian is supposed to be, would want TO
run away with, and leave her happy
home. He doesn't even wear black
moustache, and that is almost ali I'M
pardonable oversight, for we can't i'm
agine stage william of his calibre with
out that adjunct to his facial makeup.
Altogether he isn't anything like we
think he ought to be, and We resent any
new sort Of william being imposed Upon
us. We could forgive him for mis- nor-o"
shoulders and his general lack OF
weight; we could forget and forgive that,
but that smooth upper lip-na:er.
At the Casino.
Jake Wells has certainly grasped the
idea and solved the problem of successful
presentation of modern vaudeville. he
has demonstrated that the secret OF the
makeup Of a bill that will be acceptable
and a powerful magnet on the theatre
soers is to him like an open primer to
the high school graduate. Take, Tor IN
stance, the bill Mr.. Wells offers as the
closing feature of a brilliantly successful
summer season-it is the equal of the
hest programme of mirth, music and nov
city seen here since the close of the
Bijou, and it is a production worthy OF
the patronage of the most eXacting critic.
Though three of the numbers have been
seen here quite recently the artists pre-
scented new acts and added to the other
half of the BILL make up a show that
should draw the full capacity of the
Casino for the balance of this the last
week of the summer season, for mex:
Monday night the Bijou will be reopened-
Five of the numbers of this bill will
be on the programme that will be offered
in Atlanta next week, and at Birmlng-
ham the week after and Mr.. Wells is
going about his work of establishing
himself at once. for each OF the five
scored successfully.
Felix and Barry, in comedy sketch
full of original and bright ideas, scored
strong, and Arthur Buckner, the scnsa-
tional cyclist eclipsed the hit he scored
some weeks ago. Bennett and Early,
with new illustrated songs, and the chic
Gebrest Sisters, sang new selections. The
Broadway Trio, and the Taneans pre-
sentcd delighting numbers. contributing
strongly to the success of the bill.
The bill goes on every night the rest of
the week promptly at $50 o'clock.