The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-10-31

AT the Providence Opera House for the
Hrst half OF the week. with matinee to-
morrow. Henry w. Savage offers George
AIDES pictorial comedy "The College
widow staged by George Marion.
Light. trivial. frothy. with hardly
enough OF a ~story-to say nothing OF plot
Ito hold the thing together. The col
lege Widow kept an audience OF grand
opera proportions and farce comedy state
OF mind In a pretty nearly uninterrupted
spasm of laughing. last evening.
II Is a characteristically AIDE produc-
ton Is "The College Widow" the kind
OF thing that reflects the mental equip
ment responsible for Fables In Slang
and a running mate 10 the County
Chairman" II Is a comedy OF characters.
or rather OF caricatures. For AIDES char.
acter sketches done with the pen are of
the droll, even grotesque. style Of q
cruikshank's done I'm crayon. The more
numerously we get acquainted with the
AIDE caracatures, the more strongly we are
inclined TO feel that II he hadn't been a
writer he would have made a cartoonist
OF distinction.
Making a laugh-making play out OF a
basis OF college students is not unlike
writing a burlesque OF a burlesque. For
cNaaih a Dt HluCu runner 10 the dis
eliminating observer than the college stu
dent az natural. as IL were. So the most
enjoyable OF the AIDE characters In the
college Widow" may be said TO be those
that are truest 20 the life. The art OF
the actors who delineated the characters
was tested In many instances by their
ability 10 appear 10 be perfectly natural
and just like the real thing.
The story-yes, there is a story. Just a
hHAA
young football player. who has been "a
freshman for three years In western col
leges, Is brought east by his father TO
take his last freshman year In the college
that the old man once attended and now
benefits lavishly with his patronage The
college OF the Widow and the play is n
rival institution. and the bright young
men there. with the assistance OF the
Widow. succeed IN winning the young fell
low 10 stay with them and 20 on their
football team, which he, accordingly. doe.
The team wins out on Thanksgiving dav
and the boys have a feast on the money
they have pooled in and won from their
kidnapped halfback's dad. who before
going abroad left money 20 a goodly sum
on deposit 90 take up any wagers tina,
might be laid against the college where
he thought HIS son was going 70 play
In helping TO win the coveted haIfback
lNT ~ fDAhfkfs AUF fNilfkf blNW II Won
and wins him for herself. all which Is very
daintily ana ~prettily told IN the midst OF
the burlesque and the fun OF the play.
Miss Rims giving an exquisite little bit
OF acting in "A part that. though trinlng.
Is possessed OF genuine human nature and
sentiment. while Mr.. Meighan. as the
halfback. is straightforward and delight
fully big-boyIsh.
That talented veteran. Edwin Holt has
the part % a railroad magnate with q
college on his hands-the father 81 the
Kidnapped ~hsifback-a character study OF
itself that. though Il r. 2 trife trite. yet
IN the hands 81 en actor Of Mr. Hollis
Galore e. made fresh and diverting. Mr.
Davenport gives a fire touch 20 a part
that IL made 20 depend on fine touches for
lack % elaboration In the making the
football coach who risks and actually
loses his best girl FOR tho sake Of alma
rrater and the team. Such merry and
mirthful character bits as Mr.. Collyer
>fr. Burton and the others who have
rsrts hitting OF the various phenomena