The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-25
In New York
ThedfeKS.

New York. Sept. 24.-Nobody can
complain that William H. Crane hasn't
made new departure this time. Here
tofore Crane has been associated solely
with comedy roles of the broadest type,
but in Business Is Business he goes
to the other extreme, playing the part
of an atrociously malignant old man
whose sole idol is money. The play is
transportation from the French and
in its native land it has had a long and
successful career. The principal char
acter in it is the scheming old money
getter played by Crane. This person
age rather prefers TO acquire wealth
by cruel and oppressive methods than
otherwise, and when he has built his
financial structure to its highest point
he takes almost as much satisfaction
i'll the knowledge that others have suf-
fered loss as in the fact that he has
made gains. In this position, when he
is one of the great money kings of
Paris, he develops an ambition to mar
ry his daughter to the son of a certain
ariStocrat who is in his power, but
when, after much difficulty, everything
has been arranged but the daughters
consent, she refuses point blank. The
aVarlc1ous old man raves and storms,
but his troubles multiply, reaching their
apex when he learns of the sudden death
of his evil-minded son, whom he adored
and he is himself stricken with apo
plexy. Not a pleasant and genial sort
of person this ancient grinder down of
the poor. But in spite of the unlovely
quality of the character, the play itself
is strong and moving, and Mr.. Crane
as we'll as the other members of Mr..
Frohman'S company, finds ample room
for the expression of his best gifts. The
Criterion Theater will be we'll filled dur
ing the run of Business Is Business
George AIDE is not alone one of the
very youngest of the writer's for the
stage, but enjoys the added distinction
of unvarying and unbroken success.
Mr.. AIDES contributions to the litera-
ture of the theater include 'The Sultan
of Sulu," Peggy from Paris THE
Sho-Gun, THE County Chairman" and
finally '"The College Widow which
has furnished the opening attraction
for Henry w. Savages term of tenan-
cy at the Garden Theater. 1t isn't Oft
en- that an author. even with a thor
ough knowledge of the technique of
dramatic writing, is enabled to make
a showing like the one demonstrated
by AIDE. The piece is built around col
lege life and the noble and strenuous
game of football. The young son of
a Western millionaire is noted half
back, and his father intends him for
career in a certain institution of
learning. But a rival college has a
football team that wants the young
mans services, and the members of this
team induce a fascinating young widow
to exert her wiles upon the youthful
halfback, with view to winning him
over. This is accomplished success
fully, leading up to the big feature of
the comedy. which is a game of foot
ball won by the gallant students
touchdown at the opportune moment.
All this isn't very complex, but it is
exceedingly diverting, and it is played
to an accompaniment of laughter that
doesn't cease for more than a minute
at time from the lifting of the cur
tain to the finality of the entertain
ment.