The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-20
ADJUSTMENTS
Metropolltan-Francls Wilson In Come

&AANA ~ MAMMALIAN = ~
Metropolltan--Francls Wilson In Comedy.
It is a far cry from Cousin Billy, the
selfish American on holiday trip in1
Europe, to Pere Marlotte the aged mis-
sionary from New France, and altho
Francis Wilson takes the distance easily,
his audience Is not SO agile. cousin
Billy is farce Of the broadcast type and
THE Little Father Of the Wilderness is
a comedy full Of delicate sentiment. The
mind Is SO impressed with frolicking Bill
ly that 1t does not readily adjust itself to
the more subtle picture and one uncon,
sciously looks for laugh where pathos
is presented. The bill would be stronger
II 1t We're reversed, for then Mr.. Wilson's
art would receive its proper appreciation
and his antics would lose none Of their
well-earned applause.
Attic Mr.. Wilson is sl1orn Of his former
jingles and trappings in cousin Billy, :"
he is still the opera comedian and only
needs a musical accompaniment and a
chorus of Swiss peasants to place him on
familiar ground. He trips as lightly,
stumbles as awkwardly tangles his words
In the same old fashion and smiles as in
fectiously as of yore. He Is very funny
as the sentimental jerks from Allentown,
Pa, and presents the role with almost
y
vain, very patriotic, very tender hearted
and very, very selfish. He does not hest
tate to sacrifice anybody to his pleasure,
whether 1t Is to rise at an unearthly hour
In the morning to leave Paris or whether
it concerns the marriage Of his cousins
daughter. He chafes under an obligation
and ,resents with bitterness that Is
almost insulting, the fact that man
has saved his life, while he rejoices loudly
and at all times when he rescues a friend,
or is allowed to think that he did. In
He has taken his cousin by marriage. a
charming widow, to Europe. She consents
to marry him when her daughter Is mar
ried, and he is In hot haste to wed her to
anybody, it does not matter to whom
Two young men, travelling acquaintances
offer themselves as likely candidates, and
their efforts to ingratiate themselves into
Kitty's favor thru Cousin Billy aid In
producing complicated situations, which
Mr. Wilson takes full advantage Of.
But 1t is in 1.-THE Little Father Of the
Wilderness the afterpiece, that Mr.
Wilson proves his right to be considered
a legitimate comedian He has always
tickled the, risibles, but he never really
touched the heart until he became Pere
Marlotte. He shows the simple, chiId-like
| spirit of the little missionary, who ha:
| lived far from the strife and envy of the
| court Of Louis XIV, and at the same time
4 touches it with an exalted humility tina
| is very convincing and very artistic.
| Austin Strong and Lloyd Osborn have
| written charming one-act play in which
| the missionary from New France, broker
! by work and torture, appears before thu
! king. He has been summoned. so Frer,
| Gregoire tells him, to receive praise ant
| preferment for what he has DONE. TIL,
| little by-play where the friar impersonate!
! the king that Pere Marlotte may rehearst
| his reception by his majesty has as much
| pathos as humor. When the king come!
and they learn that the missionary ha
i been sent for to decide a bet, to say
whether Niagara falls is four miles high
the missionary conceals his disappoint
1 ment and sense Of injury with a simpl
dignity that one did not expect of Mr.
! Wilson. " ,s.-' . 81. 2
The supporting company is excellent
as Mr.. Frohman's companies always are
Miss May Robson makes of Mrs. Meade
the widow, a type Of ill-bred American
who is vulgarly abrupt and loud. It i
! consistent but not attractive. Miss Edit
| Barker, as Kitty, shows the differenc
often found between American mothe
and daughter and is unaffectedly swee
and girlish, both in the farce and as Mile
Henriette in the afterpiece. Miss Angel
Keir is a typical Swiss waitress, honeye
Of voice and insinuating of manner. Mis-
Zelda Sears is rather too exuberant a
Miss Carrie Green, the brazen exponen
of physical culture. William Levers doe
| some excellent work as Paul Norton, VIII
finally marries Kitty, and better as Lout
XIV. George s. Spencer has the role Q
the other lover and also appeared as Gre
goire, who admires and half worship
| the little missionary. Rosa Cooke give
a an effective character sketch as the COO
at jerks and makes the most Of a sma
part. Frances R. Sterrett.