The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-15
= > -
At ST. Paul Theaters

event is rare enough during this sea-
son of musical comedies and filters
in" to be worthy of note.
embarrassing Julia is the decid-
edly English title Of this comedy, which
is thel creation Of that skillful English
dramatist, Henry Arthur Jones. It
was presented by Charles Frohman's
Empire Theater company, headed by
Fay Davis.
All in all the performance attained a
degree of excellence, certainly un-
surpassed by any Company that has
visited st. Paul this season. 1t was,
to use a hackneyed expression, too
often misapplied, "a genuine treat
even though inquisitive spectators may
have experienced disappointment at
the peculiar ending of the play.
The title of the comedy needs ex-
PLANTATION. embarrassing" in the par
lance of English high society, means
cutting" In other words Julia
is snubbed by the elite because of an
awkward incident which she does not
explain. The incident has to do with
the discovery of her powder puff box,
a handbag, and other feminine accom-
paniments where they did not properly
,, belong. You are led to believe, at
least you live in hope that she will re-
veal all at least. She does so, but it is
in writing and she hands the document
to her betrothed, who magnanimously
throws the papers into the fire-and
there you are. If he is satisfied, what
| right have outsiders to insist on reve-
lation.
Running side by side with this story
is another highly amusing narrative of
a light-headed young scion of nobility,
who becomes infatuated with music
hall warbler, who, with the aid Of her
scheming mother, entrapS him into a
i promise of marriage. Contrasted with
the young sprig is his hypocritical
brother, who marries bishops daugh-
| ter and atones for his own moral
| lapses by applying rigid code of
| morals to everybody else.
! But the dominating characters are
Julia (Mrs. Wren) and William Still
| ingfeet, the bachelor, brother of Lady
Pinkney, and the uncle of Edwin
| Pinkney-the gay boy, and BeyiS Pink
ney, the hypocritical prig.
The truth of the saying that fascin-
ating women are seldom beautiful Is
exemplified in Miss Fay Davis. A little
above the medium stature, very slen-
der, but graceful in bearing, with dark
| hair and mobile features, Miss Davis
arouses interest the instant she ap-
pears. When she speaks, the interest
grows, for her voice is vibrant with
| sympathy, without the suggestion of
lachrymose emotion This is perhaps
a roundabout way of saying. that she
| possesses the natural endoWmentS re-
| quired by any actress who. aspires to
| distinction. Certain it is her acting is
| characterized by exceptional finesse in
| its stimulation of nature. A delightful,
one might say comforting, reposa
marks her demeanor at times when the
conventional actress is wont to fret
| upon the stage 1t is q pleasure to lis
J ten to her speech, it falls so trippingly
| from the tongue. Without seeming eff
| fort, yet with invariably correct en-
phasis and the effective meditation
! that avoids monotony. Not an art1fl-
cial pose nor a false accent destroyed
| the Illusion. This is acting of the nat
! ural school, which is not a new school
! by any means when we remember
many worthy veterans, dead and alive,
| but which has been painfully distorted
/ by some modern disciples of the So
called school of repTassien.o who tri-
u1nphantly conceal all semblance OF
| emotion.
| Commentator along similar lines is
due Guy Standing, who impersonated
| the bachelor uncle, William Shilling
; feet. Mr.. Standing likewise thor
oughly understands the value of re-
| pose, which consists Of something more
| than merely standing still. He has
also acquired the art of speaking his
| lines as though they had just occurred
to him instead of being eonnedg word
] for word. The occasional hesitation
/ between .words and syllables, SIAM
mering now and tflen--these little
| things are SO common to humanity,
| that when cleverly- simulated by the
! actor. the effect of spontaneity is
/ achieved, and the atmosphere of the
play preserved.
| Ar. excellent characterization of the
diplomatic family lawyer, Mr.. Sama-
ways, was contributed by w. H.
/ Crompton, an actor of ripe experience
F. Newton Lindo, in the role of the
Hon. Edwin Pinkney, gave a highly
amusing representation of the foppish
| and susceptible youth, who stood in
| such pressing need of human sympa-
thy" Herbert Mckenzie played with
/ discretion the ungrateful character OF
the hypocritical brother 49,
| It was a dignified and we'll sustained
portrayal of the elderly and exclusive
Lady Pinkney that Miss Ida YER
non contributed Miss Vernon, who
has In her time played many parts
with Americas greatest actors, pos
| sesses a distinction of mien and bear
! ing that renders her ever an ornament
| to the stage.
| In Louise Drew, the spectators could
not but recall the features of her late
! illustrious grandmother, Mrs. John
Drew, as we'll as of her father, John
Drew. Miss Drew appeared in the
role of a quick tempered, saucy miss,
which she invested with decided color.
| Two character bits, Mrs. Benbow,
| the cockney woman, and her daugh-
ter Rosie, were. cleverly sketehed by
| Maggie Holloway Fisher and Doris
| Keane. F. G. H.
Commencing Sunday, at the Metro
politan, Louis James and Frederick
Warde will play a four nights engage
ment and present some of the classic
! tragedies The opening bill will be
! '.Othello," which will be given on Sum
| day evening. On Monday and Tuesday
! their latest success, Alexander the
Great will be the offering. Shake
speare will again hold forth on Wed
nesday, the matinee being Julius
Caesar" and the evening performance
| Macbeth"
| One of the most interesting plays
| that the Grand has offered this season
| is the present weeks production of
] 1.-THE Sign of the Four" Whether one
| has read the novel Or not, he will be
| equally interested in the unfolding of
| the mystery of the Agra treasure.
For Her Children's Sake" one of
| the latest Inelodramas before the pub
1 :. Lockwood l1xrr C11lTi47a37 Hon.