The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-30

as Joseph Jefferson did his famous RIP
Van Winkle."
Last nights audience went expecting
- see and hear something good. they had
been keyed UP TO II. They were not dis
appointed. In fact they were more than
rewarded. for II was a play that will Ions
remain with them as "A pleasant memory.
There were a lot OF tears and laughs In
the audience, for the humor and pathos is
so artistically blended that II appeals 10
the emotional extremes OF even the most
matter-of-fact individual In this point
lies the value Of the piece, strengthened
by the manner in which Mr.. Warfield In
terprets his lines.
'srhe Music Master" tells the story OF
musician OF Vienna whose home has been
WI ecked by a scoundrel posing as his
friend, and who elopes with his young
wife and daughter. taking them TO
America Later on, Bsrwig, in seagca Of
fame, Journeys also TO New FORK but
finds his road 10 success a thorny path,
and is eventually compelled to take a
position as violinist In cheap museum.
Time moves on. as time has a habit of
doing, and there appears at his humble
lodging young girl. (whom he after
wards discovers is his daughter). with
young boy she wishes TO place under the
professors tul 1rship.
The young girl. too. becomes his
true identity-made secure by his find
ing OF a little doll IN her home, his sift 10
his little girl In years gone by He makes
Up his mind to confront the a5poiler az
his home and does so, deciding also to
expose him. Then he learns that his
daughter has a great love for a young
man, and were he to expose the false
father 1t would jeopardize her happi-
ness He preserves his secret and
sees her happily married and returns TO
Leipsig.
To repeat, there Is humor and pathos
abundant In the piece. Mr.. warfeld
is strong In both--his humor IL quiet
and natural. and in the more serious
parts, bordering on the tragic, one
minght say, especially where he con-
fronts the false friend. he shows the
very height OF his ability as an artist
His anger and just announcement Of
the despoiler Is done in so clever n
manner as 10 make II appear as if IL
were all really taking place. The
pathos he shows when he finds the lit
tie dilapidated doll is another example OF
his art and theJe were few dry eyes dur
ing his fondling and reminisence over
the little token OF his happier days
One cannot say too much in praise
OF THE Music Master" or Mr.. Warhcld
or course the action centres all about
him and is really the exploitation-of-
one play Out the OlneG
characters are so completely and so in
senuiously woven about one another
that II is, all in all, about as natural
a play as could be produced.
Mr.. Warfield don't appear to act; he
10 perfectly natural with II all. whether
IL is In serious lines or in pathetic. He
appears TO live the part and he GER
tainly looks H.
The supporting company IL all that
could be desired and shows the effects
OF careful training. There has been
several changes in the cast as pro-
duced the piece In New York, but IL
r. quite in general as strong, " not a
bit stronger As the boarding house
keeper. Mrs Houston, Marie Bates was
especially we'll placed and did a clever
bit OF character work while Miss
Antionette Perry as Helen stanton,
the daughter. was wlnsome and charm
ing and did a difficult part well. The
musicians OF the Liberty cafe, played
by Messrs. Ricclardi Verande and
Kohlmar. deserve much praise and they
added an atmosphere 20 the scenes that
was indeed a treat. All IN all there
was not one OF the supporting cast hut
that deserves praise.
The Music Master will be repeated
tonight and tomorrow night, with a
wednesday matinee.