The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-09
AT THE THEATERS
RiIou-"After Midnlaht.U


promised to be. In the advance advertis-
ing done, for this melodrama, it's pro-
moters constantly sought to give the i'm
preston that it would really be very
shocking. There was much talk about the
'tenderloin'' and its garish and gilded re-
sorts that would, be laid bare before Gu
rious public. Vice in its most seductive
gilt and tinsel was to be unblushingly pa
raded,s and the public by. yielding up it's
dollars would be enabled to look on at
shameless orgies. All this was to be done
to point moral''-the old excuse for,
nastiness on the stage. The public, or
certain segment of it, Is usually anxious
to be shocked, and so last night, long be-
fore 1t was time for the curtain to go up,
there was a mob about the Bijou box
office. It was certainly disgusting COM
mentary on public taste.
AS for the play, it Is merely another Of
the regulation melodramas with thrills in
abundance, but decidedly short on the
orgies the audience had hoped to see
Having been disappointed in the earlier
scenes Of the play, the high hopes of all
were fixed on the scene in the palace or
shame But aside from the idea, shock
ing enough in itself, that such an interior
was actually being reproduced upon the
stage, there was very little to satisfy the
| morbid cravings that took most Of the
audience to the theater. Disappointed over
! the absence Of anything really reprehensi-
| BILE, the gallery made desperate efforts to
get its moneys worth by shouting vul-
| gar familiarities at the women on the
stage, who were impersonating unfortu-
mates. It was, indeed, an edifying spec
tacle for a supposedly respectable thea
ter on Sunday night .-
after Midnight" is a melodramatic
hold-up. If 1t were as bad as promised,
it would be a case for the police. But as
its promises Of badness are not kept,
there. will be some more or less disap-
pointed audiences thru the week.
Lyceun1-''When We Were Twenty one.'
Dick Ferris appeared last night at the
hLyceun as Richard Carewe in when We
Were Twenty the play made IA
nous by Nat Goodwin. It may be SAID
that he resembled Mr.. Goodwin strikingly
in the color of his auburn hair. His con-
ception Of the part was his own, and, tt
those who had never seen him except ir
younger roles, 1t was rather surprise
that he was able to suppress his usua
bubbling enthusiasm and accept the role
of an older man with grace However
when the time came in the final act. tt
play the lover, he easily forgot his gray
hair and proclaimed his passion after the
orthodox manner.
Altho there are four acts the stage set
| lluS ClldIScu UuC once. 6OIn scene!
were evidently planned for this particular
play, and the staging is decidedly elabor
ate.
AS almost every one knew the story o
the play, it was the conception of thei
parts taken by the actors that attracted
attention. Just why ''Waddles," Sir Horac
Plumley, should appear so very ancient a
AZ was rather difficult to understand
However, the other members of the trim
ity' were also decidedly old, but perhap
the story demanded it, as they were tn
guardians of the limp the son of an oil
friend who had left him to them as
ward. Nothing but praise can be give
to Ernest Fisher, who appeared as tn
Imp When that supposedly innocen
j, youth, after an evening out, dropped Il
on his guardians birthday celebration
Mr.. Fishers appearance as drunken
youth, who believes that he Is a man O
the world, is excellently done. When h
declares his love for "Firefy,'' the dance
3 of the music hall, there could not be
, better conception Of simple, honest, cal
; low English youth. a.: % ~. 49,,
} AS Phyllis Ericsson, Florence Stone wa
: a charming English girl, with a decide
t mind of her own, who had resolved not t
l marry the Imp and to marry Dick Car
, eve. AS the curtain descends, the impress
S sion left with the audience is one OF eny
t for the older man who is but twenty ONT
$ and pity for the youth who thought him
. self so old. -Lucian Kirkland.