The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-05
EMPIRE THEATRE.

The play which Is the attraction at the
Empire theatre this week bears the title
Her First False Step" and is billed as
melodramstic farce comedy. Neither
OF these titles gives the audience hint.
however. OF the wealth OF unusual sit
ustions and thrilling climaxes In store
for them and taksn all together there
are few plays that have appeared at the
Empire theatre this season that AFFORD
more genuine pleasure TO the gallery
critics
There Is heart interest in abundance
In addition 10 the thrills and TO cap IL all
the admirable mounting furnished by the
manager. Charles r. whitaker. combined
with the unusually excellent stage man
agement make the piece worthy OF pro-
duction at any house in the city.
The first act opens in farm house
where the daughter Is about TO be mar
ried. but she listens 20 the lies OF the
handsome scoundrei Dan Matthews. and
allows doubts OF her lover TO form and
Is cozened into marrying the rascal. Her
father drives her from the door and the
next scene shows the principals all trans
ported 20 New York after a lapse Of
seven years. Trouble and want have
come 10 the heroine In the meantime,
who with her two children has been de
serted by her husband. who went at
lavished the wealth upon her that should
have kept his family from want.
With a couple OF rascals the villain
attempts to rob the bank in which the
man from whom he stole his bride was
cashier and the robbery is prevented
during a remarkable scene. but the heroic
cashier is shot. The scenery used in
this scene is unusually good.
The third act Is one where the heart
strings are pulled for the scene between
the deserted wife and her dying baby is
pathetic In the extreme and II Is very
well acted
During the next act exciting events
come thick and fast and the heroine IL
abducted by crooks and taken away In
a steam launch. which Is sunk by
police boat and the heroine rescued from
watery grave by n very narrow mar
gin. The scene Is then changed 10 the
front of the circus tents where n side
show barker is st work and then TO the
inside OF the tent where cage OF mag
nihcent lions is shown. In the course Of
the action the little daughter OF the
heroine Is tossed into the same cage
with these great beasts and is rescued
by the hero. who fsarlessly enters the
cage and drives the animals back The
scene is one Of the most sensational ones
on the stage at this time and IL startling
In It's realism
1he play comes 10 nappy ending, OF
course. ending in country dance In the
old New Hampshire home.
Helen Ray Is a clever leading woman
and gives a sympathetic portrayal OF the
part OF Edna Allen and Ella Fountaine-
bleau is ss clever in the totally different
part Of the adventures. Mary Foster.
Lawrence Walters Is manly hsro,
and as Dan Matthews. Charles II. Stew
art the stage director. does some splen-
did work and wins the Kisses OF the gall
lery on nearly every entrance.
John Dale and Adele Sherman and
Allan X. Foster are capital in comedy
roles and all the others are adequate 10
the demands upon them The village
gee club. a male quartet singing and
dancing specialties and a good musical
act are introduced in the course Of the
play and one OF the funny features Is
tall thin farmer about feet tall.
Next week. Sky Farm