The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-28

day and SATURDAY.. Robert Edeson an
company I'm a stage version by Augustu
thomas. OF Richard Harding Davis 10
nance, Soldiers OF Fortune"
A show with so TO II. done by a com
pany of high average range OF talen,
who. having been together for a couple
sea sons, give q rattling performance
Davis IL distinctvey the novelist OF III
matinee girl. And. by the way. mos
persons between the ages OF eight anC
eighty have something OF the matinee
girl I'm their inner composition. II they
are blessed with any remnant spark OF
romance and imagination--albeit not al!
Of US are disposed to be frank about con-
Tossing It. Only the matinee girl age. out
OF the classic seven OF man. are we hon
est enough to speak our real thoughts
about romance and the fellows that write
1t and play II on the stage
II was a matinee girl audience In heart
and spirit last evening. Which is to say.
that II was an audience that could feel a
thrill without bothering to analyze it
too minutely.
And even the more ase-hardened
were compelled TO inwardly rejoice when
Robert Clay made youthful love 20 the
budding Hope Langham. out in the moon
light. with a revolution In the air. when
the red trousered soldiers dashed OF and
on the stage; when the fnfm1table Mac
williams swaggered-and MacWillams
"A n real character that does his creator
proud-when Captain Stuart proved loyal
10 his trust and got chesty over his honor
as q gentleman when the young navy en-
sign, In white duck suit at the head OF
his blue packets. swung into the action.
and when n whole lot Of other things kept
happening that had git up and git 10
them. the case hardened ones in the au-
d,ence Just forgot themselves and sat up
straight and Joined In the matinee girl
enthusiasm that doesn't care so much for
art for Its own sake. but revels when
there's somethin don'. And there Is
something doing every minute. every sec
ond In Soldiers Of Fortune
II Il simply a corking good show that
stirs the blood and pulls at the heart
II Is exciting. thrilling and always en-
tertaining.
Spontaneous and genuine applause. un-
directed from the back fence, broke out
ali over the house and rippled down from
the gallery 20 paruuet and was ratified
back from the |parquet TO gallery. all
through the performance. There was un-
affected laughter. too. when there was
something to laugh at. which Is pretty
often, for melodramatic as the piece Is
there is a breeziness and good hunor
about II that II singularly catching
And Il is beautifully done. No classic
could be more conscientiously performed
Wholly imaginative and highly romantic
ana COnsi0craply tH'
story and the play. the actors make II
seriously plausible 20 the audience so
that your sympathies are properly stirred
quite az much as though II pretended 20 DC
q drama OF real life" which. Of course.
Il does not because Il is honestly highly
colored romance.
Mr. Edeson grows In grace ne come
dian. He is quite unaffected and In man
ner. In voice and In the business OF the
part OF Clay he gives us most en-
eag!ng Harding Davis hero.
Mr.. Harwood is a co-star. a. far as
popularity with his audience goes. Mac
Williams is really a literary creation that
is worth while. and Mr. Harwood makes
him a stage character that he may we'll
feel proud OF having counted IN HE RECORD
OF excellent portrayals.
II would be invidious to select for
special praise where there IL p-acticany
no distinction in the quality or perform
ancs but only a distinction due TO the