The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-08-05
At the y y
Theatres

That"Charley's Aunt" the irresistible
funny farce In which the Albee Stock
company will appear at Keith's next
week. will be the biggest laughing hit
of the stock season at that popular
playhouse Is predicted by everyone who
Is familiar with the excellent reputation
which this hilarious farce enjoys. II Is
distinctly farcical in tone. and the au-
thor pretends to have no object but TO
amuse and he certainly is successful for
there are as many laughable situations
and al much convulsing dialogue crowd
&C into one act OF "Charleys Aunt" as
are to be found In three acts OF every
other comedy ever seen here. II is the
kind of play which, once seen. Is never
forgotten. and II makes those who see 1t
once want to see II again. The Alhee
companys decided preference for COM
edy and their well-known success i'm H.
makes their appearance in this play an
ticipated with genuine pleasure by every
one.
The role OF Lord Babberly Fancourt
who is compelled by his college chums
10 masquerade as the aunt OF one OF
them. ia one that will At Mr. Nicander
of the Albee company. like a glove and
his spontaneous humor will find full scope
next week at Keiths in "Charley's
Aunt. O0e OF the funniest scenes I'M
agnabe is that I'm which Lord Fancourt
enters in his female masquerade and is
introduced as "Charley's Aunt, from Bra
zil where the nuts come from" and his
efforts later to escape the love-making
of the two gentlemen who believe Char
ley's Aunt to he very rich. Is ridicu-
lous and mirth-provoking in the ex-
treme.
Whenever "Charleys Aunt is pro-
duced, a black cat. always referred 10
as =" the mysterious black cat, is used
I'm advertising mattey The connection
OF this cat with the play is an amusing
story. When the play was originally
produced. the actor who played Lord
Babbery Feucourt. the young college
fellow who is the sham "Charley's Aunt"
was about 10 pose in front OF the cam
era for the necessary preliminary pho
tograph work and just as the photog-
rapher was about TO take the picture. a
black cat got before the camera. figur-
ing conspicuously I'm the picture. This
was thought to be an omen Of good luck,
especially as the play proved such a
tremendous success. and ever since ~
has been used in all advertising in con-
nection with the play
%.
This IL the last week OF the summer
season Of the Dot karroll company AZ
the Empire theatre. Although the theat-
ricel business has. speaking generally.
been poor this summer the Empire has
had an excellent season and the COM
pany has made for itself a popularity
that presages we'll for its future The
theatre will be closed for week 10 al
low time for its renovation. although
this has been SO carefully looked after
during the regular season that little need
be done-and will open on the evening
OF August IS. with tho hrst production
in this city OF Howard Halls new play
OF American life called The WATTS Par
adlsc"
Howard Hall. author OF the new Ameri-
can play. The WATTS Paradise" Is we'll
known. as the author OF "A Soldier OF
the Empire" The Man Who Dared."
and other successes In his neg play
which Is 10 be seen FOR the first time N
this city at the Empire theatre on the
evening of Aug IS. he has a novel thsinc,
the love Of two waits from an orphanase
who secretly marry and are ;hVp sep
arated by a villain who claims they are
brother and sister. n claim they are un-
able for time TO disprove, through the
burning Of the records ~ the asylum