The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-11
At the - -
Theatres
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE

PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE
1t was THE Girl OF the Golden West"
| by David Belasco. with Miss Blanche
Bates as THE Girl" that opened
| three nights and a Wednesday matinee
engagement at the opera house last
evening.
To say that the audience was might
lily pleased, would be putting IL mildly
| indeed, for on all sides, when the finale
| came, could be heard nothing but the
| highest praise OF the piece the par
! ticipants and the scenic effects.
! In the first place Il is a great play, I'm
| the strict sense Of the word: secondly It is
| in the hands of those who know now to
/ interpret the different parts. and I'm the
! third. IL has the benefit of that wizard OF
! scenic effects. Belasco. who spares no
pains or money and loses no sight OF the
ininutest detail that will tend TO increase
| the truthfulneSs OF stage picture.
| To speak In all honesty. the piece should
be termed a melodrama and in the hands
! of less capable company and without
| the Belasco touch, IL would strike the au-
dlence harshly. No doubt OF this The
artistic. however. has prevailed absolutely
and THE Girl of the Golden West is a
| production that viii live and be remem-
bered just as Bret Harte and his western
stories are always a pleasant memory.
The action takes place during the gold
| fever days or 10 and the place Cloudy
mountain in California. The story CEN
\ ters about Minnie Smith, ''The Girl" who
! by inheritance comes into possession of
I the Polka saloon. and has won her way
into the hearts of the rough but generous
/ hearted miners OF the camp who would
| do almost anything in the world for her.
To man they would marry her-that is
| II she would let them; but her heart has
| been given 10 a stranger she has met on
/ one OF her journeys and who turns out
] TO be one Dick Johnson, or in reality. Ram
! errez, road agent, with a price on his
| head. lie makes his appearance at the
/ Polka and eventually his identity be-
! comes known and he is tracked 10 the
! little cabin home of THE Girl" The
with her. together with the posse, locates
] him and enters the little cabin and tells
| OF his true identity. In the meantime she
has secreted Ramerrez, and when the
! ing upon the man for having duped her.
She bids him TO go, which he does. but
| is located on the outside. shot, and re-
| turns TO the cabin for protection. THE
Girl" secretcs him this time in the loft.
and the sheriff soon appears She tells
him that RamerreZ is not there. He be-
! lieves her for time but the dripping OF
blood from the loft makes the road
agents presence known. With the gam
bler's instinct both in the girl and the
sheriff. they play showdown poker; IL
she wins the man goes free; IL Rance
wins he gets both the fugitive and the
girl 1t is a tense moment. She in real
ity loses the last deciding play, but by a
gamblers trick shows the wining hand.
The sheriff leaves and the girl nurses the
fugitive back TO life and he endeavors TO
escape. but is captured by Wells-Fargo
agent: He pleads to see the girl and is
touches the miners that they resolve TO
let him go free, and the last picture shows
the girl and Rammerez going out in the
world together TO begin life anew.
This is the story in a nutshell.
There Is a tensty about the whole piece
that does not drop for a moment. All the
scenes, the characters and the situations
are quite what one might expect to have
existing in those stirring days.
The first act shows the bar OF the Polka
saloon. Here the miners have congregated
and II gives an opportunity OF introducing
the characters. The second act. the strong
est in the piece. is located in the cabin
home OF 'the girl" and the action here is
most intense and makes the audience hold
tight so To speak. The blood dripping ef
feet from the wounded Ramerrez which
discloses his presence, certainly shows the
Belasco genius. while the artistic work OF
Miss Bates Mr.. keenan, and Mr.. Milward
In the act certainly could not be improved
upon The third act shows the dance hall
OF the Polka" and the main action In Il
is the session OF the academy" the miner
school. with a whole lot OF fun in IL, and
the meeting OF "the Girl" and Ramerrez
after his capture and when he is allowed
10 say good bye. The last act q short
one, shows them on their way into the
world after the road agent has been set
free
There is not the slightest doubt OF Il.
Miss Blanche Bates Is a wonderful actress
and her work is deserving OF the highest
favorable comment that can be bestowed
uTon IT, Chic and winsome in the lighter
lines. she is forcCful and effective in the
stronger and more serious situations She
really don't seem TO be acting--lt all ap-
pears so very real. Closely following Miss
Bates In merit. is Mr.. Frank Keenan,, as
Jack Rance the sheriff. His work Is SUI
perb: his makeup is a work OF art. and
his shading OF the love and hatred feeling
shown by his facial expression and action
e. above criticism. To sum II up. he gave
a most exceptional Interpretation OF a
difficult part Mr.. Charles Millward. as
Johnson, alias Ramerrez. was very well
placed and gave a creditabe perform
ance. while Mr.. James Kirkwood. as
Sonora slim, was decidedly clever In a
scmi-serious part. Much credit ls due. I'm |
part. 20 all the members of the cast-they /
all deserve Il and each deservedly help /
TO make the production a decided success. I
The scenic effects 20 repeat are I'm /
every particular adequate and decidedly \
effective. The lights. the of-stage sounds
the elaborate settings are all what Just
might be expected In a Belasco produc-
tion
All in all. The Girl % the Golden