The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-02-01
he THEATRE\

Viola Allen will present CLYDE Fitch's
play. THE Toast of the Town" ~ the
| Providence the first three nights of next
week. II appears from all accounts, that
| Miss Allen has achieved the greatest sue
| cess OF her career as Betty Singleton in
! this play. Mr.. Fitch may have written
better play than The Toast OF tho
! Town." but the general impression is that
| he has not done so. He has evidently pro-
! vfded Miss Allen with a great role. and
one i'm which she shines with particular
brillancy. The critic Of the Philadelphia
| Record said in his criticism: There was
no doubt of Miss Aliens complete tri-
umph Rarely, n ever. has this charm
! ing actress appeared TO better '.dvan-
tsge. In no detail Of the characterization
! Of the popular actress OF old London does
! she fail 10 score most brilliantly To say
| that she excels in the lighter scenes Is
10 do a wrong to her more serious art, and
! vice versa IT is an ideal creation to
the last word" 1t is an unusually fine
company that assists Miss Allen In the
| production of this play. Isabel Irving.
| as Roxana a pert and mercenary young
! baggage of an actress. has achieved one
| OF the greatest successes OF her life,
! proving Miss Aliens good taste IN the ss-
lection OF this able actress for the role.
! Mrs Fanny Addison Pitt has also scored
strongly in the part Of a pasty old dow
! ageEdHehess. OtAers-Ahn- -haNe-heen-
! specially mentioned are Harrison Hunter.
/ Hassard Short. Norman Tharp and g.
! Leslie Allen. The production provided by
! Miss Aliens manager Charles W. Allen.
Is described as being very magnificent and
in excellent good taste
Ella Wheeler Wilcoxs first work for the
stage "Mizpah." a drama founded on
! the story OF Esther from the Book OF
Esther. i'm the Bible. will be presented for
! the last three nights Of next week at the
! Providence Opera House with n company
OF a hundred and a very gorgeous outfit OF
| scenery. "Mlzpath" retells the story Of
| Esther, making it a love romance OF alb
sorbng interest. The play opens in the
! court OF Kius Ahasuerus. where a plot
| between Queen Vashti and Haman against
! the kings life Is disclosed. Ahasuerus
| is returning from Persia, where he has
made great conquest and brought back
many Jewish captives. among them Nor
| decai. Vash fouts Ahasuerus before his
! entire court and then attempts to stab
| him Mordecai saves the kings life. Fol-
! lowing the Punishment OF Vashti and the
| summoning OF beautiful maidens. one OF
| whom is to take her place, Esther APP
| pea before Ahasuerus and wins his
| hea T. The love scenes between the king
| and his bride are dwelt upon at inter-
| esting length by the dramatist. The play
Is In blank verse, which gives splendid
opportunity for beautiful phrases, and for
the emotional expression that character
ICES Ella Wheeler Wilcox's best writings.
Esther's definition of love and her re-
| vealed soul when she and the king are
! honeymoonng in the royal garden are
| said TO be I'm the passion poetess finest
| style. After the love making comes ia
sul. 49,
for revenge, the humiliation and disgrace
! of Mordecai, the false charges against
Esther and the estTangement OF herself
and the king Mrs. Wilcox tells the story
in four acts. each of which is lhrobbine-
ly interesting, the final scene showing the
triumph of love and loyalty and the re-
storation TO favor Of Esther and Mordecai
Digby Bell. the star OF 1.-THE Education
OF Mr.. Pipp" the Augustus Thomas
Charles Dana Gibson play which comes TO
the Providence Opera house Monday,
Feb II, for three nights, is most en-
thusi iastic golfer. So is Lord Brassie. the
famous owner of the Sunbeam, one of the
competitors In the race for the Kaiser S
cup across the Atlantic last year During
Lord Brassie's stay, he and Mr.. Bell were
among the players at the Fairfield COun-
~ Golf club.
AT lunch" said Mr.. Bell, there was
a waiter who had heard Lord Brassie's
| title and was very much impressed by It.,
and most anxious to please him. Offering
him piece Of steak. he inquired, VIII
! my Lord have some more steak I don {
! know about the Lord. said Brassie. but
| IL he can get enjoyment out OF II, he's
welcome to all there is. for l can't "
There are a great many good things at
! Keithe this week and the big crowds
docking there every afternoon and even
| Ing find plenty to am1se them. With their
usual consideration for the little folks.
! the management ofrer for the school chill
dren during vacation week. Peter the
Great" which is the very appropriate
name for n very sagacious monkey
| Peter the Great" is. without exception.
| the funniest and cleverest monkey vaude-
| willie has yet produced. He does some as
tonishingly difficult trapeze feats that
are both screamingly funny and very diff
| ficult II is not the children alone who
are amused by this animal, for while
they scream with enjoyment the older
people do not restrain their laughter any
more Peter the Great" r. easily one
OF the hits OF the very excellent bill.
local thestregoers are learning to se-
cure their seats for Keiths early. for
/ this theatre, easily the most popular play
/ house in Providence. attracts thousands
| every week TIE late comers. who ne
! glect TO get their seats until the last min
ute. have 20 OFTEN 60 disappointed. and
! for this reason the people who so TO
| Keith's reglharly--and there are hundreds
who do-are adding their names TO the
/ subscription list This is a convenience
that costs theatreeoers nothing at that
\ theatre It merely enables one 20 secure
every week some special favorite seats.
\ with M additional charge. 1t's the wise
way and saves disappointment many
/ times when the crowds are unusually big
Paul Conchas. The Military Hercules"
/ whose sensational feafs of strength and
/ 81 -