The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-12-07
NOTES FROM STAGELAND

There are still theatergoers i'm this
country who have never seen Joseph JEFF
ferson as RIP Van Winkle,n and these
are all very young people. For 40 years
or more the public has associated Rip
with the name OF the most famous come
dian-real comediannot personal whm-
Clcalty-until the man and the role APP
pear 10 be welded into one.
The opportunity is now offerer of see
ing for the first time Thomas Jefferson,
worthy son OF an equally worthy sire, and
Thomas Jefferson has gained supporters
ola his own merits and not as the son (
his father having played the part with
distinction for the last decade No actor
may attempt to re-Create the character
OF the old vagabond. 1t has been created
for all time. The play and the charac-
long process of slow evolution, OF elimina-
tions. and the working out OF the toches.
notably I'm Rips dialect, which can by no
possibility be improved upon.
The wisest thing any actor OF the pres
ent day can do Is what Thomas Jefferson
offers. namely, To play Rip In Jeffer-
sonian manner, as his abilities will per-
NIT him TO do. In this the incumbent of
the role is eminenuy successful, even as
far as the voice peculiarities are con-
cerncd Those who have not experienced
the delight and qualification which RIP"
gives should avail themselves OF the op-
portunity which will shortly be afforded
them and learn how IL is and why 1t is
this character is so widely and tremen-
dously popular rip" has treated mil
lions to laughter and tears and always
through the medium OF clean and whole
some comedy only. IL will be tn eattrac-
tion at the Providence Opera house next
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mat
ineo Wednesday.
Many years ago, Joseph Murphy, who
Is al the Empire this week accepted a
new play and decided TO produce II when
the public should have tired OF shaun
Rhue" and Kerry Cow then only a
few seasons old. lie has IL yet 1t has
never been produced and from present
indications never will be For the popu-
larity OF the atwo Irish plays with which
the name OF Joseph Murphy has been
connected for the last three decades IL
perennial. They are as welcome now TO
new generation a. they were to the
former one Of which first beheld them and
which first laughed at the quick wit and
keen shrewdness OF Larry Donovan as
Il sorrowed with him In sympathy for his
trouble and first vept az the pathetic and
now noted ballad "A Handful Of Earth. ."
Years ago. Fred Marsden. the author of
these plays was laid away. but his works
stu live. with none Cf their virilty lost
and showing as well by contrast with the
modern Irish plays rs they did with tho
famous ones then in vogue This wit Of
shaun Rhue" Is keen, and the clever
rcpartcc and badinage or Larry Dono-
van are warming to the hearts OF thv
| TT0TT E01s nnd dTUErTrTT- II writ II y
nm entertaining story Of attempted de-
ceit and n the villainy is foilcd IN melo-
dramatic fashion. II liz none the less en-
joyahle FOR all that The plays have their
friends Of them apparently
ITS like making hugo illustrations FOR
q story. this painting scenery Tor play,
said Frank Hammond who does the
scene painting ~ the Imperial theatre
You see the actors do the figure work
and It's up 20 the scene painter To make
the backgrounds. read the story. make