The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-25
At the BIIou.


 This week the George Fawcett company with Frank Gilmore will present triple bill Private Secretary" Lady of Lyons" and Camille" The first will be William Gillette's greatest farce comedy. "The Private Secretary" In this comedy Mir. Gilmore has made radical departure from the kind of parts he has always been identified with here and will appear as the long-haired and meek Robert Spaulding, the real private secretary. Of the play and MT. Gillmores performance, the Baltimore American said, on the oc- casion of the first presentation of this comedy:
 Tt Is a farce pure and simple but is clean and wholesome and one of the best funmakers that has ever been written. The story told amid various complications and more or less humor, Is that of a young man who, to avoid debt, passes himself off as the private secretary in the home of the girl with whom he Is in love- and after being installed in his new position he finds that part of his duty will be to act as tutor to two young ladies of the household. Besides these young ladies there is father and a maiden lady-Miss Ashford, who is a spiritualist. Soon after the arrival of the bogus private secretary, the real one, Robert Spaulding, poor timid man who wears goloshes and carries around with iiiin numerous bundles, which he calls goods and chattels, makes his appearance and then the fun commences.
 ''The difficulty in hiding the rightful Identity of both the right and wrong pri- vate secretary is frightened by the addi- tion to the party of an irate bill collector and tailor and the uncle of the bogus private secretary. Everything Is strengthened out in tle end, however, and all parties are satisfied This William Gillette farce is not funny in spots, but provokes a continuous ripple of merri- ment throughout. MT. Gilmore as Spaud- ing, scored a distinct triumph in a role far different from those he usually att tempts."
 This estimate of the play and the prin- cipal was shared by practically all the critics of, Baltimore. Dewitt Jennings as the irascible uncle from India scored another hit in the production while Charles B. Hawkins as the drunken tailor, Frank Craven, Edmund Liston and Helen Graham were seen to excel lent advantage. Miss Laura McGilvray and Miss Julia Marie Taylor made dis tinct hits as the two girls, their work being charming throughout.
 In this comedy MT. Fawcett, therefore presents his company in a new sort of a vehicle
 Scenieally "The Private Secretary will be adequately presented with several chic gowns to be shown In this city where tho company has always been pop ular 1t is expected that the Bjou will be well filled all week
 of The Private Secretary" as a play William Gillette, who achieved his first great success in it, says it is undoubtedly enc of his best comedies. and this coming from the man who wrote Secret Serv- ice, Sherlock Holmes," Because She Loved Him So,'' "Too Much Johnson and other plays of that class which have proven to be the money-makers is some thing to be considered
 The Private Secretary will be pre- sented Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Tuesday matinee. On Thurs day and Friday nights ana Thursday matinee Lady of Lyons" will be the attraction and for Saturday matinee and night Camille" will be played by special request.