Life, 1894-02-15 · page 12 of 14
Life — February 15, 1894 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Butterflies" Theater Review This page reviews a Broadway play titled "The Butterflies," written by Henry Guy Carleton and starring John Drew. The left side shows a comic strip depicting how "Katrina's Valentine reached her after all"—a humorous subplot involving a child chasing butterflies to deliver a valentine message. The review praises the light, escapist nature of the play, calling it perfect entertainment after attending a funeral. Drew performs well as the lead character Frederick Osstan, showing more individuality than under his previous director Daly. The surprise success is novice actress Miss Olive May, praised for her robust, energetic performance—a refreshing contrast to the "fragile frames and lackadaisical whines" of typical young actresses of the era. The reviewer gently warns she should protect herself from "fatal enlargement" (likely meaning weight gain). Miss Maude Adams receives mild criticism for merely adequate work. The piece illustrates early 1900s theater criticism and period attitudes toward women performers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
108 (HOW KATRINA'S VALENTINE REACHED HER AFTER ALL. “THE BUTTERFLIES.” F making many plays there is no end,” the son of Sirach would doubtless have lamented if he had lived in our time. And he would have lamented a good deal harder if he had been obliged to witness.most of them, Likewise he would have experienced a feeling of re- lief and joy when he encountered so charm- ing a bit of dramatic work as Mr. Henry Guy Carleton has prepared to display the abilities of Mr, John Drew. y “The Butterflies" furnishes another ex- i ‘< ample of Mr. Carleton’s versatility. Anything fur- &: & ther removed from “ Victor Durand” or “ The Lion's ? ; Mouth” it would be difficult to imagine. It is light, and flip- \ pant and airy, and makes no demand on the spectator’s emc- tions or power of understanding. It is just the kind of play one would like to sit through, after returning from the funeral of one’s rich uncle. The fun is so bright and simple that all one has to do is to sit and absorb it through one’s pores. The part of Frederick Osstan, written for Mr. Drew, fits that gentlemanly actor better than his cuticle. He is a well-bred young fellow, who gets into a variety of predicaments, mostly mirth inspiring, from all of which he is happily extricated at the finish, Mr. Drew is improving, and as a star shows more individuality than he was permitted to under Mr. Daly’s tuition. The surprise of the production is the acting of Miss Olive May. Her name was unknown to the New York public, and to find a novice doing work so clever that it obscured -the merits of considerably more experienced performers, was gratifying indeed. Her ré/e might be called that of a robust ¢ngénue, but she does it witha force and originality most refreshing in these days of young women with fragile frames and lackadaisical whines. If Miss May will put a good strong steel band about her head to ward off the fatal enlargement, she will find that she has a first mortgage on a ul future, Miss Maude Adams does not seem to have progressed much, al- though she does her part daintily and prettily. The other members of the com- pany do their work well. Metcalfe. comicbooks.com