The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-01
opolitan-He Crosman.

For the first time since attaining emf
nence as a dramatic star and winning
laurels elsewhere, Miss Henrietta Cros-
man will be seen in this city next Mon
gagement at the metropolitan. Here
also Miss Crosman will begin short
spring tour presenting the comedy,
playgoers have not had opportunity till
now of Judging Miss Crosman on home
been long familiar with the fame she
has achieved as g. coincidence. In New
York and the other big cities of the
east, she has been enthusiastically pro-
nounced the most gifted comedienne on
the English-speaking stage of today.
~ high for it has kept her there for
the last two seasons, and at intervals
for equally long periods. Indeed, Miss
Crosman has spent more time In New
York runs of recent years than falls to
the lot of most artists.
Undoubtedly her most pronounced
triumph has been achieved in "Mis-
tress Nell 1t was because Miss Cros
man has scored so heavily ia this COM
edy that she chose it for Minneapolis.
Naturally she wished to make the best
impression on her first visit. "Mistress
Nel' was written by George q. Hazel,
ton, and made him famous in night
and rich in a short time. In construc-
ton, it is clever and skilful, while it.
sparkles with bright comedy lines. It's
characters are deftly handled, and they
afford the contrasts chat heighten the
told with rare brilliancy and humor, and
the merriment is accentuated with
forceful situations and scenes. The cen
trail character, that of Nell Gwyn, is
said to give Miss Crosman fuller oppor-
.tunity to display her radiant comedy
genius than any other play in her roper
tory. She imparts life and charm to the
attributes and personality that made
Nell Gwyn one Of the most conspicuous
figures of her time, the favorite of a
king and the admired Of many. She is
rollicking, careless, saucy and 1mpu-
dsnt baggage, daring and mischievous,
MIST ssnfNFe eii ai is rst
when, an actress at the Kings theater
in LONDON, she meets Charles II. Her
coGuetry with the impressionable mon
arch is worked out with resistless
gayety and merriment. At length her
Jealousy of the king tempts her to spy
upon him, and disguised as an Irish
gentleman she attends ball where his
majesty is a guest. There to test his
loyalty she speaks disparagingly of her
self, and speedily finds herself engaged
whit Charles in a sword duel. Here,
too, she detects conspiracy against the
state, and is the means OF thwartlng
it. Fl er escape from the ballroom is
sensational. The king follows her,
and learns the plot she has discovered.
The scenic effects and costumes of the
play are very effective. Miss Cros-
man is supported by an exceptionally
strong company, which includes H.
Reeves Smith as King Charles II; Au-
gustin MacHugh as the Duke Of York;
Addison Pitt as the Duke Of Bucking
ham: William Herbert as Strings, an
old fiddler; Edwin Fowler as Dick, call
boy at the kings theater, J. R. Furlong
rs Jack Hart, actor manager Of the
kings theater; Emily Rigl as the
Duchess of Portsmouth, Victoria Addi-
son as Lady Hamilton, and Fanchon
Campbell as Mol, an orange girl.
Miss Crosman S visit will have all the
& accessories Of a real first cement
with genuine first night, for on Mon
day " Mistress Nell - will have it's pre-
mier for the spring tour which opens in
this city. Miss Orosman will give only
a Saturday matinee. There will b.
no midweek matinee.