Life — September 14, 1899 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

*LIFE* Formerly Lyric, Frouian’s ORITERION THEATRE, trves'e sites Charles Frohman Presents Hls Newest Farce, THE GIRL FROM MAXIM'S Evgs, 8:15. First Matinee Sat., Sept, 9th, . . . <> T is delightful to learn that Mr. Charles Frohman has at last thrown off the mask of anonymity. He could choose no more fitting opportunity to claim the high honors due to the dramatist than on the first occasion of the presentation on the American stage of * The Girl from Maxim's.” We are sur- «and pained, however, that in the above announcement he uses the personal pronoun “ His” and puts it in suc small type. But with the modesty peculiar to himself and to some others of his race, he probably would hate to sco bis namo appear more than twice tn an advertisement of only four lines. Wo have long suspected that Mr. Charles Frohman was a dramatist, Wo felt almost certain—not entirely certain—that ho had written some scenes in “Tbe Conquerors.” “The Turtle” showed traces, we thought, of his style, and the undressed scene in“ M'lle Fifl” is unquestion- ably a product of his pen, It is also quite within bis literary powers to have furnished the manuscript and Scenarios for the chaste dramas performed at the theatro of the late Sam T, Jack, We never made this knowledge public, because Lire has too much respect for the modesty of Mr. Charles Frohman, ‘That is too sacred a thing to be dragged into the blazing publicity of print, . . . HE GIRL FROM MAXIM'S," the latest pieco Mr. Charles Frohman bas written for the American stage (of which ho is the sole proprie- tor), is essentially French in its scenes and mo- tive. It may have been suggested by something that Mr, Frohman has at some time or other seen in Paris, san, and the fun h pxtent on a moro or less frank exposition of her business methods, It was an oversight on Mr. Frohman’'s part that in this particular he did not go more into detail, Ho is doing very well for a novico, however, and in future productions will doubtless im- prove in his fldelity to this kind of nature, Mr. Charles Frohman did not write this play for young girls. will not be refuse Its heroine is a common courte- es to some Of course, their money at tho box office, but be 8 for bis patronag, roial travelers, 1 on arebbishops, com= about town, ladies al the blush of shamo with sev- eral coats of dry or liquid rouge, and other persons whose morality is beyond tho reach of harm, As these people constitute a largo ion of New York's theatre-going public, who cone: Mr. Charles Frohman’s pocketbook will be fattened, and his chari- table fund for indigent critics will doubtless be largely increased. Having checked your sense of decency at the cloak-room, you will find the pieco very fuany. A manly regard for cleanliness keeps some play-writers from using in modern plays certain things, even though they are fanny. Many of these you will Mad in “The Girl from Maxim's.” We state this fact because it would seem that Mr. Frohman relies on it to draw trade, We always like to help a budding genius who hopes to make a livelihood by debauch- ing American morals, Tho principal part, tbat of Praline, a girl who frequents the di reputable resort in Paris calied Maxim's, is portrayed by Miss Josephine Hall, For obvious reasons, Lire leaves it to other jour- nals to decide whether she does the delineation cf such a character faithfully or otherwise, The other réles are those usuai to French farco, and are enacted with little of the sinesse which such parts require. It is delightful to hear these actors pronounce the hero- ino’s name. It runs the scale from “Preyline”™ to * Prawleen.” Ono scene represents a social gathering in provincial society, and Mr. Frohman, with his usual skill, has selected for the purpose a perfectly provincial assortment of femininity, Their chewing- gum faces and bargain-counter bearing are admirably in character. The price of seats for this entertainment is two dcllars. By the aid of speculators this is increased to two dollars and a half, “THE LIGHT OF ASIA”