The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-11
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Inc cheap cynicism shat Oscar Wilde
anu ms ueVotees made popular on the
stdse-lhat cyhlclsm which voiced itself
IN smart eplgrans at The expense of So
ciety--had one redaemfIg quality. at least.
1t amused for the time being and was
easily and quickly forgotten. CLYDE Fitch
mas struck deeper and more lasting
vein. His cynicisIn is so real that it is
brutal Apparently the vein has been a
paving one 100 for the cynicism that
was merely touch here and there in his
Garner plays has become a singing lash
in The Climbers one of his most recent
efIorfs The play was produced for the
nrst time IN st. Paul last night at the
metropolitan theater. very smart, if
not very large, audience followed its four
acts with a trifie more attention than
smart audience usually bestows on play
or opera. But The Climbers compels
attention. From the time the first curtain
rises TO disclose that ultra-woridly fu-
neral scene until it falls to hide the de-
nouement OF tragedy the play raps
smartly socfety's follies, and in every rap
there is sting. The man or woman who
is striving to get into society is a ia
mInar inquire in many society plays, but
seldom has a playwright had the courage
to build his play around the social as
piration" motif. In ''The Climbers Clyde
Fitch has drawn number of very vulgar
people That those people wear very
smart clothes and talk society's shibbo-
leth does not lesson their vulgarity in any
degree. On the contrary, indeed! Each
one occupies a certain rung on society's
ladder and each engages in much urdig-
nlf1ed Jostllng to keep his own hold and
to prevent his brother from rising higher.
The plot of the play is by no means new,
but the dramatist presents it in new
way-which, after all. is the only original
ity one can expect nowadays. He pre-
sents it, too, in four handsomely staged
acts that give the players-the women
players-a chance to wear some swagger
brooks.
''The Climbers tells a disheartening
story. The least Impossible daughter in
a rich but ordinary family marries man
who turns out to bC~a thief. The daugh-
ter is loved by another man, and she
learns Of this love and her husbands
disgrace at the same time. Encouraged
by a strong minded aunt, the wife de-
cides not to follow the example of her
fashionable friends and seeks a divorce
but to remain under the same roof with
her husband nominally his Wife In let
ting her husband know of this conclusion
she manages to impress upon him the
| utter hopelessness of his own case, so, n
| desperation, he commits suicide, just as
| his wife and ner lover enjoy a platonic
parting. In way it is a happy ending
| the husband WAS a thief and Of course
there was no hope for him-but it does
| not leave an audience in a happy frame
| of mind.
The play was admirably presented last
night Charles Kent gave an excellent
portralture of Richard Sterling, the man
whose weakness causes all the woe Mr.
| Kents characterization was fo-cefuI
clear-cut never overdrawn Presenting
/ Tatpel a1r44ya1
| held always the sympathy of the audi
ence. Miss Jennie E. Eustace played the
| part OF the wife. The role is not a very
pleasant one, for the player is compelled
/ constantly to wear an injured air, but
Miss Eustace played it very well indeed
| ana were her stunning gowns as if they
| We're made for her Miss Marion Giroux
was admirable as Miss Godesby-one of
the best drawn characters in the play
James Carew played the part of Edward
| warden, one of those unfortunate indi-
viduals who must bear the burden Of
most of the worlds goodness He was
satisfactory in the role Indeed, the en-
tire company is very much above the
average.
The return engagement Of that highly
popular and eminent Dearborn Opera
company in two of it's most pretentious
Eastern musical productions is ANNOUNCE
! ca for the first half of the coming week
on which occasion that latest Eastern
| operate vaudeville range, "The ExpIor-
| ers, will be presented with all it's happy
| surroundings of girls, music fun and
laughter, so enthusiastically received
mere three weeks ago; and on Wednes-
day afternoon and evening 1.-The Burgo-
master will be presented in it's original
Eastern form, and with all its lavish dis
play OF scenic and costume environ
naents.
! The Dilettanti Mandolin orchestra will
give popular concert at the Metropoli-
tan opera house Sunday afternoon, begin
ming at $3.50 sharp. This organization
| scored great hit at it's first appearance
IN st. Paul three weeks ago, and the ad-
| vance sale for the coming. concert indi-
Gates a crowded house Miss Frances
Vincent will be heard in two solos.
'Humpty Dumpty and the Black
/ Dwarf, combination Of two big spec
| tacular productions. comes to the Metro
| pol1tan for an engagement of three nights
and Saturday matinee, beginning next
Thursday evening. 4
''Fiddle-Dee-Dee" will be seen only
/ three more times at the Grand oDera
| house, closing it's engagement with per-
| formances tonight and tomorrow after
J IlOOH ana night. 5IhG engagement has
| been an entirely successful one both ar
| tfctically and financially, the piece having
| made a most favorable impression upon
| LEGAL playgoers. Dorothy Drew and her
| Rosey Posey girls contribute one of the
i most enjoyable ensemble numbers Of the
| piece and never, fail for numerous en-
| cores. The musical Johnstons xylophone
experts. entertain immensely with their
artistic handling of these Instruments
! and the Newsboys' Quintette offer a num-
! Der of up-to-date songs which are rem
| dered in pleasing manner
THE Dairy Farm" the most successful
| of all the rural plays that have been pro
| duced during the past three years, will
| be the attraction at the Grand opera
house all of next week. This play has
made for itself a most phenomenal record
and the engagement in this city will marx
| the 165th week Of its continuous season.
| Great applause greeted the .polyscope''
| pictures, Aggie Behler, Reid and Gilbert
and the other attractions. including
Stunning in Chinatown" at the Star
| theater yesterday afternoon and evening
Performances today and tomorrow close
| the successful engagement.
| VALUATION GIlT nnuIM