The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-28
AT THE THEATERs
MetropoIitan-N: c. Goodwin in 1.-THE
~ - Usurper." IT,. Il >..f: ..''

Among the undoubted gifts with which
nature has endowed Nat Goodwin a tall
ent for impersonation is not numbered.
He has played many parts upon the stage,
in his long career, but they have all been
Nat Goodwins. No matter how deftly
the playwright varied the environment,
changed the scene or altered the story, it
was}always our good old friend, Nat Good.
win,- walking carelessly thru the. play,
scattering laughter as he went, with once
and anon touch. of brief pathos. Once
we had dreams that he would succeed
to the name and fame of rare old Joe JEFF
ferson, but as the years have. gone on,
his lack of versa t1lity has proved fatal to
that hope. And yet Mr.. Goodwin is an en-
PERTAINING actor. or better, perhaps, an
acting entertainer. His comedy is natural,
spontaneous and unaffected. Laughter
springs up unbidden in his wake. A word.
a look or a gesture suffices to induce a
flow of merriment in his audience. And
it is all so easy-for he has only to- be
himself-that his ambition to supply by
hard work what nature has denied him
long since evaporated. - if7f,... -. r..
'"The Usurper' is a rather ingenious
comedy by l. N. Morris on the Anglo
American theme. Its chief -prernise--that
the wealthy American in leasing the old
,, English castle, also leased the noble
| family that owned it's rather violent,
and this gives the play a farcical aspect
! from the outset. But once the premise
is conceded, the story flows on naturally
enough. The methods employed blythe
lessee (Mr. Goodwin) to prevent his I'M
worthy rival from winning the noble Eng
lish girls hand and to secure it eventu-
ally for himself, @are such as would repel
| most women. But this one is different;
Isl "a hos IF h11r, or1 CHI -
take the domineering ways of the Amer
| lean very seriously. Ruth Mackay plays
| the part with no little discretion, con-
| irving to invest it with a. good humor
and veneer Of English Indifference that
| go far toward making it seem possible
/ The adventure of the haunted tower, with
which the climax Of the second act and
| the whole of the third act are taken up,
| is certainly an ingenious and original in
vention. It quite saves the play from
banality, besides giving Mr.. Goodwin OPP
| portunity for some of his best work.
7 OF the other characters of the play two
are perhaps worthy Of special note. Geor-
| gle Mendum draws a humorously lifelike
picture Of the typewriter girl in few
bold, sure strokes; and Florence Parker
plays the Americans ingenious little sister
with engaging girlishness Then there are
Norman Tharp, who plays the young earl
with bland stupidity; Ellie Norwood, who
is sufficiently smooth as the unworthy
rival; Felix Edwardes, who is convention
ally melodramatic as the escaped convict;
Neil O'Brien as the inevitable English
butler, and W. H. Butler as the Scotland
| Yards man. Ina Goldsmith is the earl's
mother and Ethel Beale the wronged
maid. w. B. Chamberlain.
! r.. %$' Fever Chat
'Everyman," the morality play which
has made such a deep impression on those
who have attended the Auditorium this
week, will be given for the last times this
evening and tomorrow afternoon. The
matinee will begin at 8 o'clock. Tomor-
row night 1.-THE Merchant Of Venice will
| be put on.
The coming to the Metropolitan for the
first part of next week Of Creston Clarke
in the successful Monsieur Beaucaire''
will command the best consideration of
discriminating play patrons.
/ A whole melodrama In fifteen minutes.
! with no other accessories than a wee BIT
of ''bum" scenery and no other costumes
than a large repertory Of hats, Is being
played at the Orpheum this week by John
Birch. &, :. .$sss.
! But three more opportunities rena inStc
see me, Him and T. at the Bijou..
/ Delightfully."- picturesque IS .'The Way
/ Of the Transgressor," the new sensation
4 which will be the attraction at the Bijou
4 next week The production will be sup
plemented by a, corps of speciality artists
4 who give series Of vaudeville acts
unique and striking. 55 .
4 There will be three more performances
at the Lyceun Of the bright and intense
society drama, "A Duel of Hearts, Mex,
week big scenic production Of I'm the
i Palace Of the King will be given.
a Bingham, the wonderful cornet player
at the Unique this week, is very clever
i He plays two comets at once. The LITTLE
orphan, Irene Mason, is pleasing all witt
the illustrated song, Little Dolly Drift.
wood Tonight is amateur night