Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-10
AMUSEM ENTS.
important Attraction At Opera House
On Thanksgiving Night.

nat VIII undoubtedly prove to b..
one Oh the strongest attractions of the.
''''soh III me Opera House will be that
great actor w. II. Thompson and the
New 1ofk caste in The Stcr,, OF
r"'itiilileiie which am. -arS h,r. -.
thanksgiving night. The first pro-
uuctlon IN Boston Wns "iN,,i !; II .inii-
hdE evening at til" Park ri.atr.. ilt.l
the foston Herald of TurS,i:tv. NOV. &
SAYS il Tart:
With but few notes of I. ,.io,,-n..s
in IT'S three acts. Pic!r. Wnlff's TIL %.
secret OF Poilrhin-lle- given 1T TIL.
Park Theatre last night fo.. ;h, tir,t
TIME III TINS CITY, kept about .y..i.v-
ho"E III the large audicrcn busy via
their haudkcrchefs about All Of ~.
time.
Tears flowed copiuuslv. and 90; ,i,.
wonder Was and the wonder .r,.,. 49,.
they were solely tears of. S:,y. a ytro.. -
tribute to the power of this vhi,n ,,r..,
piece to tap the lachrylno.,, ducts III,
keep them open
Though thoroughly d.lish;c.I il y.,s
quite impossible for one 10 laugh y,rv
often, because of the more potential
energy of the salty fluid from tn. ayes
which actually drowned out hilarity.
yet on whose surface the h"artjrst
mcrriment rose. 'loutcd and s.:ie.i
away into the nothingness from
whence it came. only to be succeeded
by more quiet. intense mirth.
Nearly the whole play is III farcicrI
key. with only one period of genuine
pathos and sincere heart feeling. that
in the second act. where the little Wife.
Marie cells of the first illness of her
baby boy. and how in desperation she
sent for his grandfather. NJ. JOuvcnal
CIV. II. Thompson. and how. when he
came to her aid. he fell captive 10 the
chorus Of his little grandchild. There
Was rir e of sincerity in this recital
by Florence ConrOn which was abSo-
lutely convincing and rare 10 meet
upon the stage.
With all due respect to the julg-
rncnt of the management in diSpla yiug
the name of the chief comedian. w. Il
Thompson. in large type, because OF
his merits, il is allowed. we are
strongly of the opinion. that Miss
tonrGn made the hit of the evening
and is entitled to first place. The
role in her keeping was made strong. |
full of co'or. really vibrant with it,.
evidence of wOmanly tenderness. SYM |
pathy, deep affection, sweetness. 10y |
atty, anxiety, lest her great happiness
should be short lived. 4 capital piece |
of ART istic. honest work. Tn" tempta-
ton could not well be resisted to say |
these things at this point, for. on the
whole. the success of The Secret of
Polichinelle" depends very largely
upon the acting.
The work of the players was difficult |
for nearly iii Of them had to maintain
Il mock seriousness: character had to
iloudvink character. and yet make it
cl"ar to the spectator that all was de-
ceptiOn. To accomplish this, James
X. Hackett selected an excellent COM
nany. and in the matter of production
has left nothing to be desired. Be
cause of this he deserves the success
which has already come to THE Secret
of Polichinclle' and which will surely
be continued during the brief engage
mcnt at the Park Theatre. This was
the exceptional cast:
Mons. JOuvena1. w. II. thompson
Henry, his son. Frank r.. Patton
Mons. Trtv-ux w. j. Ferguson
Little Robert. Master David Finley
Jean, Edward HairiS
Nine. JOuvc1a1. Ida Daring
Nine. Langeac. Harriet Sterling
Kathryn Reyes
Marie Henrv-s Wife Florence COnrOn
Anna, Isabel warren
MARITIME. Mary Wills
Nine. Santenay. Drna De Wolfe