The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-02-06
lie THEATREN
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.

|
...,............M Mrs. Fanny Addison Pitt
Lady Charlotte: ........ Miss Alice Wilson
! The Duke OF Malmsbury. Conway Tertle
| Lord Phillips. ps..............liarriso Hunter
Lord Algernon Fairfax. Hassard Short
| Master Harry Bent. ......... Norman Tharp
Mr.. Mclaughlin. .....,......C. Leslie Allen
] An Author. r............. Maurice w. Steuart
! Call .Boy.,.,.....,....,,..'.. Master Maurice
! old MAN Lodger. Mr.. Allen
4 Walters .......................Le Leopold Lane
footman '"..'.'..'...'.''''''M H. b"sse'l
At the Providence Opera House for the
first half OF the week with matinee to-
morrow, Viola Allen as Betty Single
tom in "The Toast OF the Town" a play
in four acts by Clyde Fitch. Charles W.
Allen.
A talented and charming actress in a
picturesque love story OF a play ceverly
written, acted wit. elegance and set with
the scenic lavishness.
Bessie Singleton, actress, nearing 35, as
she herself admits. though she has the
| testimony of the green room as well as
of the thousands OF admirers across the
/ footlighta that she doesn't begin TO look
| II, falls I'm love with and weds a young
! fellow who is a duke. She throws up "A
world that is glortfied for her only to
| discover that il was the pride OF winning
/ her from IL that inspired her husbands S
/ affection-the inspiration over with the
accomplishment OF the conquest, the duke
resumes the habits OF glorious bachelor
! existence. Betty watches hopelessly the
| slipping away Of her husband despera tion
! ensues when she is made TO believe that
| there is another woman as we'll as a good
deal of punch drinking and carousing in
! the case-and she quits him. resisting
( however, the offers of an old male ad-
mirer whom she begs, IL he would show
| his friendship, 10 help win her husband
! back TO her
The duke realizing the wrong he has
| done her and himself braces up and would
! take her back with promises to make her
I happy, but she refuses TO go with him
! upon discovering that It is his home with
! out his heart that he offers security for
And finally she wins the heart. too, for
| II IL was not hers TO begin with that was
| not because IL had been given 10 another
| but only because il was the heart of a
vain and selfish man
| Picturesqucly. fervidly. this story is told
| by Mr.. Fitch with the skill OF the trained
! dramatic craftsman. Feasibility for
| much that would otherwise be set down
as artificial is secured by virtue OF the
! fact that the woman is an actress-the
! playing ofsa part enters into her actual
! experiences for both evil and good The
reading Of a new play with some OF her
| old associates of the theatre play that
! counterfeits her own living experience
merges into that experience and sets In
motion. the action that takes her away
| from her husband. And again, when she
| Is all but hopeless or winning the love
] she thought she had. she takes a step
that figured in one OF her own old and
! popular plays. The theatre srtlficiallty
| that She would practice crumbles ulti-
mateiy, OF course-the part of the actress
| is hard TO maintain when II conflicts with
! the simple emotions of the suffering wo-
man IL makes an interesting story. an
! entertaining play, and there are many
! vivid and delightful bits all through il
that bring Jumps TO your throat.
Miss Allen is one OF the choicest OF our
condolences, and it may have regretfully
occurred to her audience last evening IN
view of recent event In her life. that
| she may be bidding a real good bye In
| The Toast OF the Town" as while she
is saying farewell 10 her play audience
/ to go away and marry the duke Every
body will hope not. The press agent, We
! believe. has been non-committal on the
| subject, and II is TO be hoped that the
way Will be open for this high favorte
of the stage to remain Betty Singleton.
even though she may also be as happy as
| duchess off the stage
The distinction and charm Of Miss Al
! lens Betty" undoubtedly has a great
deal to do with the delightfulness Of Mr..
! Fftchs romantic play, II was a graceful
, and highly sympathetic performance OF
n pretty and engaging part. The con-
trasts indicated by the temperament of
the woman OF the stage at certain crises
and the deeper and ineNTressible feeling
| of the real woman. afford opportunity for
some fetching shocks and surprises-as,
for instance, when her husband discovers
her I'm her retreat and without n word or
any action suggesting staginess she sim
ply moves into his arms as glad as she
can be to have him back again--the actress
! In her 10 be again aroused when she is
put to IL TO devise some skllful scheme
to win what she does not find there nat
urally. II was a nove1 characterization
a David Garrick In skirts
II is a company of brilliant PLAYERS that
supports Miss Allen. There is Miss Ir-
wing. skilled. talented and charming ac-
tress herself who plays engaging part
like an ingenue In her teens And Mrs.
Pitt. as the dowager duchess, prime
performance Of a very Fitchian character.
And Mr., G. Leslie Allen in two bits Of
| the kind Of character work at which he
is always eminent. And Mr.. Tertle as the
duke. a nicely balanced and restrained
portraiture And Mr.. Hunter I'm the small
but excelently sketched part OF the other
! fellow. And Miss Wilson. dainty and
! sympathetic. as the other woman. And
Mr.. Short as mothers innocent boy bound
| TO go astray-and to suffer funniy but
| really.
The four sets Of scenes dress the stage
magnihcently, with particular reference
TO the gold room OF the dukes house and
an exterior by the river side with swan
on the river that would make i.ohengrin
envious. Mr.. Fitch has surpassed himself
IN fashoning the surroundings OF the