The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-11
AT THE THEATERS
Lyceum-"The Bankers Daughter"


'The Bankers Daughter 'that play
which made" Bronson Howard, and
which, after it had '.made" a playwright,
proceeded to make, several players and
a manager or SO. into the bargain, is the
attraction this week at the Lyceum. Last
night the theater was packed by an audi
ence WHICH enjoyed hugely the dramatic
provender purveyed.t e:
1.-THE Bankers Daughter was written:
early in Bronson Howard's career. To be
sure it followed ''saratoga,'' his first sue
cess, but it. preceded Shenandoah, and
its popularity did much to secure a hear
ing for the later. work. It is a good,
wholesome play, clean to the core, with
no double entendres nor seventh com :
mandnlent problems 70 mar it's worth. It
is q play, Of vital interest, skillfully writ
ten and with a plot that holds the atten-
ton. = ~ Is = j. : s. -. =
In this year of the play-makers art,
1903, there are, naturally enough, occa-
sional lines in the drama that bring a
smile to the lips as they recall the meth
DDS Of twenty. years ago, but after all,
those methods were sane and they still
+ spell success. .The;tstory< of the play is
| common place enough. but the manner Of
its telling compensates. 1t is the life his
| tory of a girl, tenderly nurtured who, low
ing one man, weds another and a richer
to save her father from financial disaster.
This is brought about at the close Of the
first act and thereafter the audience is
permitted to see the development Of an UNI
usually pretty love story, for, tho an I'M
loving BRIDE love buds in the mother and,
forced in the dollhouse Of her. husband s
devotion, blossoms regaHy in later years.
| So much for the play and, in the pres
ent instance, "the plays the thing for
the manner. of it's playing leaves much to
| be desired. Miss Hayward is cast in
the name role and she fails just where
the author has been most successful
| There is nothing in her work to indicate
| the growth of her love for her. husband
and even when she hints to him that her
first love for the man she Tilted was mere
ly a: school girl. fancy the play -wright's
lines are spoken so as to rob them of their
| effect. Miss Hayward has never learned
| the power of suggestion and the lack was
never more detrimental to her work than
in her present part. r.
/ On the other hand Carl Smith Searle
makes an excellent John Streblow,. quiet
forceful. a type of American citizen COM
mon enough, but not the less admirable
for all that. Since Coming to Minneapolis
Mr.. Searle has done nothing better than
his playing of the husband in this piece.
William, Devere has seen fit, to make
Lawrence Westbrook, &the. banker, a. bow
| cry, type in whose, mouth =s'girl" becomes
la'goil' andga"certainy, "soitenly." To be
sure, this is funny-so funny that it never
occurred to Bronson Howard, nor to any
one else, presumably. Joseph Totten gives
us a breezy portrait Of George Washing
ton -Phipps. an; American business mar
who demands threeadays Of grace in his
love- making as a matter Of course;, anc
A. Byron Beasley plays the French duelis1
acceptably. Bert Mccain is hopelessl3
anna flourish as the equity Mr.. Brown =
j. S. Lawrence.