The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-05
PRINCE CHAP"
STRONGLY WON
POPULAR FAVOR

At the Opera House for the balance of
the week. with a Saturday matinee will
be seen Cyril Scott in "The Prince
Chap" an oringinal three-act play by
Edward Peple.
It's sometimes difficult to tell just
what will please a Providence audience;
1t has been seen TO go into ecstacy over
the widest horse play sort OF a comedy
or musical show and again sieepily sit
through, without any sign of enthusiasm.
clean-cut, well-acted piece.
However. there wasn't the shadow OF
doubt as to the manner In which the
audience received THE Prince Chap" last
evening. II pleased nightly and the
audience showed clearly its appreciation
and its judgment was we'll founded.
Those who go to see thu play should
not expect too much; IL Is not deep play;
1t does not have an especially original or
strong plot. but it's one OF sweetness,
purity OF tone. restful. and gives the inn
preston OF satisfaction when the curtain
falls. The love story II tells is delightful
one drifts right along with II and en-
Joys IL, although from the beginning II
is very evident just what the finale will
be.
without an exception the story is well
acted-it is not pleasant to picture. how
ever. what the piece would be In a less
capable actor than Mr.. Scott and the
really exceptional supporting company
that he has.
The story tells of a struggling young
sculptor, who leaves his American home
10 seek fame in London, leaving the girl
he loves TO wait for him. BY force Of
circumstances during his London life he
finds himself in possession of young
Il xss1as flaot. al lfa1
after first receiving the sculptors prom
ise TO care for the youngster. Mr.. Scott
interprets the character OF the artist,
William Peyton, and describes himself
TO little Claudia, in fairy story he tells
her. as THE Prince Chap" and the girl
he has left behind him as Princess
Alice" 1t pleases the child as fairy tales
do children.
The succeeding acts picture their life
together. the arrival of the Princess Alice
on the scene and her breaking with Pey-
ton on account OF the child. having
formed the impression that the child be-
longs TO Peyton.
Time moves along as time always
does for the piece covers a period
OF 13 years. the part of little
Claudia being taken by three actresses.
showing the little tot at the age of 5,
the girl at S. and the maiden at IS. Dur
ing this period a close friendship-love,
but not recognized. has sprung up be-
tween Peyto.S and his ward. When ne is
given his choice TO choose between Clau-
dia and Princess Alice, he, true to his
word, stands nobly by the former. The
love or engagement between the latter
and the sculptor snaps-and she
marries another. The story goes
on, but circumstances have changed
and later years finds Payton rich
and famous Claudia a woman and
Princess Alice widow. The old love
story is brought up. but received without
enthusiasm by Peyton. His love for Prin-
cess Alice is dead and she fades out of the
action. Following this comes the awaken
ing of Peyton to the fact that Il Is
Claudia he loves and that II is recipro-
Gated and-well, IL ends quite as one
would like Il to.
The feeling displayed by the audience
last night was mercurial-one moment
IL would be a laugh and the next a tear
for there is both comedy and pathos in
the piece. II is indeed. a human little
story full OF sentiment-and the action
is natural and. above ALL convincing.
or course Mr.. Scott Is the star. and he
seems especially fitted in face, form and
manner to portray the part of Peyton
He Is natural and his experience with tu-
venle roles before his musical expert
ence has given him n most excellent
training Tor this particular character
The part of Claudia is. as before stated
taken by three actress, showing the ages
of 5, and 1S Miss Helen Pullman was
the little tot of tender years and she won
the heart of the audience at once by her
winsomeness ways. while Miss Edith
Speare was exceptionally clever, bewitch-
ingly precocious. and filled with childish
sentiment, as the girl of s years Miss
Justina Wayne as the maiden Claudia OF
Is was satisfactory and did her work ca
pably. but was a bit less convincing than
the ''other Claudias." one might say
As Runion, the servant-and a faithful
one, OF Peyton's. Mr. Charles K. Wells gave
quite one OF the best interpretations OF
the English servant that has been seen
here In n long time. He did not overact
the part-as many are inclined to do-and
all in all his work was OF the finest and
seemingly could not have been improved
upon: he knows how TO interpret comedy
lines. Mr.. Erskine as the Earl of Hunt
ington comes In for praise and made the
most of a serio-comedy role. while Miss
Koegh as the maid Of all work. Phebe
Fuckers did n whole -let-tewafd brighten
ing up the piece and adding to the general
atmosphere OF the artists studio. Miss
Florence Nelson was very acceptable as
Alice Travers. but her opportunity was
not great for displaying her full abil-
ity.
The piece can't help but please-no mat
ter what the New York critics say, and
those VINO see II during the remainder OF
the week Will surely be more than salts