The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-02-28

distinctive talent from season 10 sea-
son.
SO there was a triple stimulant 10 the
curiosity and interest OF the theatregoer
last evening" new play not familiar
playwright and ever charming Miss Rus
sell once again.
But before the first act was half over
the audience realized that II was the
novelty of the production that was the
supreme factor OF interest
once in a very great while there really
IS something rather new IN the way or
setting or local color about dramatic
production 10 remind us that the world
has still some uncovered spots left TO
exploit on the stage-not to mention. OF
course. the weird places that are born
OF the Imagination OF the writer's Of mu-
steal extravaganza or the scarcely less
mysterious localities that Mr.. Anthony
Hope one time invented for our stage
geography. As a particular case In point,
we recall vaguely poetic little Irish
play Of few seasons ago where scene
and atmosphere and local color were
all absolutely new and strange. but. with
al, so fancinil and fairy like rather than
realistic that you accepted II readily for
ell It's strangeness
Mr.. Zaugwilrs new play. the new Annie
Russell play, IL, In the same way, nov
city In theme, In atmosphere. in local
color-hut II Is realistic. Indeed IL Is the
barest and haldest kind OF realism az
portrayed on the stage jimmy the Car
rier'' Is nothing more or less than our
dear old friend the bucolic drama in new
and unfamiliar. hut doubtless realistic"
setting-an "Old Homestead" or In Old
Kentucky" or a Way Down East" or
Sky Farm" but in respect to charao-
ter and local color and theme as starts
lingly unfamiliar as the land OF Or or
nebulous spot OF the imaginative cartogra-
ply OF Anthony Hope
SO much is clear before the first act
Is half over The scene shows pretty
blt OF an English country place OF the
humber sort-a village spot OF old Eng
land. instead OF New England of York
state, or Indiana. or what not that might
have a chance Of quickly appealing 20
an-Enited States audience as something
they knew something about. The char
acters have no counterpart in our Amer
ican lie except In their poverty and more
primitive impulses. The dialect, We sup
pose. is that OF the locality Of the scene
an Essex village one hour removed by
train from London. There Is our old
friend the farme~Vonly he Is an Essex,
England. farmer; a ratcatcher-a charac-
ter quite unknown to the realistic and
hucoic drama native to American soil:
q veterinary surgeon-the one link that
binds, perhaps; the country postman--but
the Essex village kind: the village dress
maker. which also might well he OF our
own country. and the lad who is roll
ing stone. the type true of every country.
and about the only character IN the play
who does represent a universal type or
o characterization for which We have
ever had any precedent I'm the American
drama and that we readily grasp.
And what Is Jimmy the Carrier Her
counterpart. surely. does not exist in
American village life or In the portrayals
OF the American bucolic drama. n seems
that for generations tho men of her fam
sly have been carriers" that IL the VII
lage expressnan. bundle bearer and bag
gage -smasher. jimmy. though a girl. as
sumes the historic family task. II Is an
example of q humble avocatlon unique 10
an American audience
Now trfore the actors of Jimmy the
Carrier" were able tn get close TO the
heart OF last nights audience, they had
the initial task OF making the unfamiliar
realism OF their parts and the plays set
ting seem real 90 the audience. Before
the audience could develop an interest
IN the play. N was necessary that II
should get on speaking acquaintance with
these hitherto unknown people with tho
quite unfamiliar local color-and after
that. In the theme OF the play which
itself Is as realistically unusual as char
acter and local color. In word the
most seasoned theatregoer could recall
nothing I'm his stage education or In his
every day life TO prepare him for the
enjoyment OF this Zangwill drama
The plot Is simply dumbfounding in its
unromantic simplicity. The rolling
stone" coming home from adventures and
fortune seeking IN other lands finds an
opening for bis little pocket full Of capital
and his energy In the lack of anything