The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-30
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.

Howard Post. ..............E Edward Abeles
Paul Norton. n..............W William Levers
Miss Carrie Green........'.Z Zelda Sears
burnslde ....'.....'.'...''' 'Syuhey rice
Burrows. s................ Charles j. Greene
Fraulein ................B Beatrice Agnew
COOK at jerks s.........ss..... hosa COOKE
Maid at jerks. Elsa Garrett
Henry Williamson Suits. Grant Mitchell
First porter ..................Alex Brun
Second porter. r........... Freeman Barnes
traveller. Arthur ROW
Another traveller. r..,ss.'.'..s's.s .s'Ora Lee
A tourist. st......ss.....s AnseA her
Another tourist. ............M Marion Brooks
At the Providencs Opera house ror the
balance of the week, Charles Frohman
presents Francis Wilson In the farcical
comedy I'm three acts Cousin Billy" by
Clyde Fitch adapted with many liber-
ties from a play by Eugene Labiche."
II was a night OF interesting and novel
things at the Providence last evening.
In the first place there was a brand
new play. done for the first time. tried
on the large audience there assembled
taking the part OF the dog" OF theatrical
pa rlance.
In the second place, there was Mr.. Fitch,
a convenient and inviting post against
which to rest his comely head twitching
his moustache and generally bearing az
only a father can the doubts and per-
plexities attendant upon the process Of
the birth OF his latest.
And then there were cream pepper
mints. Lots OF the audience ate cream
pepperments last evening for the reason
that they were the handiest thing in reach
On the back OF every orchestra chair is
a very neat, not TO say ornate. metal
box that looks like n sort ot pocket gas
meter. 1t appears upon investigation
made possible through the medium OF n
slot and 10 cent piece-that the new
wrinkles contain each a package OF cream
chocolate peppermints. or peppermint
chocolate creams. as the case may be. The
confections are worth the price. quite
apart from the interest that attaches to
dropping in the dime. turning the wheel
and witnessing the thing work. There
was a strong and numerous flavor OF pep
permint all over the house last evening,
and hereafter, until further notice, the
matinee girl need not bother about bring
ing rations.
The play, of course. was the chiefest in
interest for all the distractions afforded
by the new peppermint chocolates and the
only very occasional Mr.. Fitch. Unlike
New Haven and Washington and such.
Providence Is rarely selected for the try
out OF a new play. We have never heard
any significant reason assigned for over
looking a town so convenient TO the
greater theatrical centres and Il surely
cannot be because OF any dread OF the
local reviewers. 1t Is a fact that one or
two very long and brilliant successes were
hidden a confident God-speed from the
opera house stage-"The Gilded Fool" for
instance-and the dramatic columns OF
the local newspapers. whose opinions are
worth considering are notable for the
friendly consideration they afford to the
venturesome dramatists.
Perhaps II was the late Eugene Field
who gave the town black eye as a
starter for new plays. According to his
own account he had a truly dreadful
experience. when he was young and
callow which was many years ago." and
within him "the afflatus went surging to
and fro" II is recalled how DAILY OBJ
served of his tragedy-"The plot IL most
exciting. and I like the dialogue: you
should take the thing to Providence and
try II on the dog" The which the poet
did, and his proud name was heralded. -
oh. that he had gone incog, when he took
that play to Providence 10 try II on a dog.
For II appears that a chilly corporars
guard sat round like bumps upon n log
when he played that play in Providence
with designs upon the dog. And Mr.
Fields verdict on the experience Is
couched in the following touching lines:
Cast, II you will. your pearls OF thought
before the Western hog,
But never go to Providence TO try II on
dog"
Better luck to Mr. Fitch. Mr.. Wilson
and Cousin Billy!
tan 80
Cousin Billy was also the first import
ant appearance OF Mr.. Wilson in comedy
without music and the ballet.
An actor OF talent and n funny man
OF the past masters degree Mr.. Fitch
did not find any difficulty I'm building up
a character part for him that Mr.. Wilson
could convey across the footlights to an
audience and keep 1t pretty we'll convulsed
for an evening The question OF environ
ment OF the play for the exploitation OF
the character part, was answered by an
adaptation from something or other that
Mr.. Fitch raked out or his archives
The result Is farce, particularly bright.
perfectly clean. with an element OF senti-
ment I'm II Just enough to give II a posi-
tive human interest But. except that the
situations may not all have been original
with Mr. Fitch. there is no question about
the book" the libretto, 40 10 speak Tha
is all Fitch and IL represents this clever
artist OF airy persifage at his present
highest development Good humored.
scintillating. frothy. a thing light as Air
and just as clear and clean II not as in
vigorating as some air more or the mis-
chievous zephyr than the blizzard. as II
were. tho small talk OF Cousin Billy
kept the audience surgling. chucking,
and breaking out loud. last evening
This sort OF thing or which Mr. Fitch
has maIxe an art had Its origin I'm the first
Fitch success, The Moth and the
Flame" where the incidental society
talk was the feature OF a play that other
wise was a pop-priced melodrama. There
after the art OF small talk was developed
through a series of Fitch plays. In "Cou-
sin Billy" with 40 eminent a monologuist
as Francis Wilson TO reel II OF and such
talented comedians as May Robson, Ed
ward Abeles. VILLAIN Levers. Zelda Sears
and the balance OF n company every mem
ber OF which bears Made In the Me-
trorolis" stamp TO feed" there could be
no question about the result. For two
acts cousin Billy" Is good laugh, al
most without interruption. The third act
suffers from the common error OF the in
PRODUCTION OF characters new to the piece
ana IN, ,htrh 10 andfanra has IN bavo i,