The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-06
AT THE THEATERS
MetropoIItan-"The TWO Orphan,

MetfopoIttan-"The TWO Orphans"
1llumined by the courtIy grace of a
James O'Neill, the whimsical humor of
Jameson L. Phinney, the bravura comedy
or a Louis James, the wan usefulness of
a J. E. Dodson, the girlish candor Of
Grace George, the wide-eyed pathos Of
Sarah Truax, the matchless elocution of
a Mrs. LIE Moyne, the squalid realism of
an Elita Proctor Otis and the emotional
power of Clara Morris-any play would
be well worth seeing. But when these
varied and unusual talents are utilized in
the illumination of such a wonderful old
melodrama as "The Two Orphans" the
combination is worth going miles
to see. .-.... .... .. ..s...
Artificial, stilted even impossible, the
d Ennery-Cornon play may be, yet it pos
| sesses the vital spark that seems likely to
make it immortal among plays. Its con-
| struction is of a fashion quite out Of
date and yet wonderfully deft. Its va
| rlous. stories are ingeniously interviewer
and their threads come out cleverIy to-
gether in the end The problem of the
reunion OF the sisters and the rehabilita-
tion of their fortunes is worked out with
vivid contrasts and heartbreaking emo
| t1onal stresses. Woe is piled on woe The
feelings of the onlooker are most skilfully
plowed and narrowed and cross narrowed
and dragged and raked. To the sensitive
OF soul It affords the very ecstacy Of SYM
ten is better adapted for all stellar ex-
plo1tat1on, since there are at least dozen
good roles among the persons of the
drama. -.'...- ,.- --
| Small wonder, then, that fine audi
| ence gathered at the Metropolitan last
night intent upon enjoyment of remark
able production, Or that most of it's en-
joyment was expressed in gasps of horror
and tears of sympathy. The various stars
! Were cordially received, but the real dem
onstration of the evening was reserved for
Clara Morris, that wonderful woman who
was once wont to play with so strong and
sure a touch upon the emotions of her
hearers. She appeared in but one brief
scene as Sister Genevieve, but this was
fairly aflame with her old fire. The Sc:
cret Of her marvellous power to stir the
emotions has never been guessed. At one
time in her career she lost that power anG
was forced to retire from the STAGE Now
it seems to have returned, inscrutable, in.
explicable, but undeniably real. The audi.
ence was delighted and its delight was
reflected in that of the actress who an.
sWered its insistent recalls with pleasure
she took no pains to conceal.
James O'Neill was another favorite ant
showed that he still knows how to imper.
senate a courageous and gallant gentle
man with faultless finish. And, after all
few OF the stars achieve greater success.
than Mr.. Phinney, with his odd and smirk
ing valet-for it is role that must b.
made to win wholly by the genius of thu
actor Another success is plucked from
small opportunity by Bijou Fernandez a.
Marianne, the repentant. Miss George anc
Miss Truax in the title roles go thru tn,
vale OF tears well matched. Miss Trua,
is especially effective as the blind girl
crushed by the cruelty Of her oppressor
and the squalor of her surroundings. Their,
is true poetry in her scenes with the Grip
pie CMr. Dodson) and the pathos of he
plight is never overdcne. Miss Otis; as thu
offensive old harridan and Louis James as
her handsomely villainous son make {
pair unpleasantly realistic Mrs L,
Moyne's fine conception of the mother O
the blind girl, weighed down, with thu
lifelong anguish Of child abandonment
, William Beach's impressive picture of thu
minister of police; Thomas Meighan's Gym
, ; fcal and debonnair marquis; Thomas Ora
hams kind but professional doctor-ar,
other items in a long list of worthy i'm
presentations. w. B. Chamberlain.