The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, March 11, 1900, Page 17, Image 17

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    THE SUNDAY OREGON AN, PORTEAiNTJ, MARCH 11, 1900.
IT
IMtfp Pool's fl -y
5v 8BgF vU a
"Tbax'B actor-men and actor-pals
That strut and fume and splutter;
Tbar'e lots that think they're mighty fine.
That don't know B from butter."
WITH ENTIRE FRANKNESS
Miss Mary Tan Bur en Makes Hit of.
th.c Week at Cordray'a Excellent
Production by FraTrley
Given a warm-blooded beauty, with
outre manners, audacious temper, cap
tivating wit and an honest heart; place
her in an environment of French diablerie
and laissez-faire; sweeten with true love;
throw in half a dozen imperious frowns
and one relenting smile from the despot
of Europe, and you have "Madame Sans
Gene." Like all of Sardou's plays, it
is built around a woman. To show, in a
thousand changing lights, that woman's
moods of pretty untamed savagery,
saucy coquetry, tenderness, and uncon
querable loyalty of heart, all the cleverly
turned situations and breathcatching
climaxes were created.
To give the title-role of this play to
Mary Van Buren, in the Frawley produc
tion at Cordray's, seemed a bit hazard
ous to such as had seen her in "The
Sporting Duchess," and "Countess
Gucki." That easy repose of bearing, that
rare and perfect poise, even -when enliv
ened by arch glances of the eyes and
piquant turnings of the head, would ill
flt the frank audacity and gaucherle of
Sardou's plebeian heroine. Could she rid
herself of these earmarks of good breed
ing for three hours, or were they an in
separable part of herself? That was the
question.
The answer tos a surprise. She had no
sooner put on the pretty Swiss cap, with
the bright knot of ribbon perched co
quettfcJhly in It, the velvet bodice, short
skirt and white apron of la belle blanchls
seur, than a new vivacity seized her. She
seemed to have donned, with tho tri-color
cockade, the spirit of the French RevO-
- lutlon; and it clung to her, even when she
wore her empire gowns, as Duchess of
Dantzlg.
A Gratefnl Hole.
It Is, to be sure, a grateful role, one that
carries with it the sympathy of both
parquette and gallery. It seems as If
the French playwright, learning his les
son from the small success of "Spirit
isme" and "A Woman's Silence," had
American audiences and tho prospec
tive Jingle pf American dollars in
his mind, jen he planned all the al
luring audacities and fearless honesty of
this democratic young, heroine. And Miss
Van Buren caught the inspiration of the
piece. The boisterous gayety with which
r she whisked the white laundered clothes
" about in the prologue, and with flashing
eyes that boded danger proudly refused
to yield the key to Lefebvre, showed her
more self-assertive than we have yet
seen her. In the scene with the empress
costumer and the dancing master, her
humor was breezy and delightful, al
though the gaucherle of her missteps was
a bit exaggerated.
But it -was in the last act, when sum
moned into the presence of Napoleon, that
she did her best work. The piquancy of
that pretty piece of effrontery, when a
scowling emperor, who had Europe at hH
feet, was snubbed, defied, arjmed with
and charmed Into compliance, all in one
breath, by a pretty woman of the bour
geoisie, who had both right and reason on
her side that, in lteelf, touches a weak
spot In every Yankee heart And It was
very cleverly done by Miss Van Buren, so
cleverly. -In fact. 'that we freely forgave
her sudden lapse from the clumsiness of
the washerwoman Into the easy grace of
madame In Marechalo.
Ilcr Aptitude.
In comparing Miss Van Buren's work,
in "Madame Sans Gene," with that of the
two previous plays, one surmises that her
talent Is as yet but half developed;
she is a little indolent possibly, not
always willing to make the proper ef
fort toward vivacity, with a natural af
finity for leading parts In light society
drama. For these she is eminently well
adapted. But when she really makes up
her mind to throw her drawing-room
manners out of the window, she can play.
In captivating fashion, the crude, Impetu
ous heroine of the people.
"Trilby."
The atmosphere of Bohemia was very
successfully caught in "Trilby." The act
ing was uniformly etrong, with no con
eplcuoufily weak spots in It, and alto
gether the play proved to be one of the
best productions the Frawley Company has
given us here In Portland. Mary Van
Buren, in the title role, furnished fresh
proof of her versatility. That ohe pos
sesses a keen Instinct for nice distinctions
in art cannot be doubted after seeing her
sympathetic portrayal of this hapless, lov
able girl -of the ateliers. The sunny bon
homie and unselfishness of those gay days
in the Latin Quarter, the tender, tempes
tuous outbursts of her love for "Uttlo
Billee," the terror and the pathos of her
surrender to Svengall's power, the pltl
fulneas of her trance with its heartless
laughter and wide-opened, unseeing gaze;
the frank simplicity of her return to her
proper ego these transitions were handled
with delicacy and sincere feeling.
And Mr. Frawley's Svengall was really
an excellent study in its bursts of sardon
ic, heart-shrivelling glee, its uncanny
gleamlngs of hate, and final death spasms
of rage and pain. Mr. Harrington Rey
nolds also made a brawny, honest-hearted
Taffy; and, indeed, the 'whole company
were at their best.
"The Tramine
It is Just such a performance as that
which held the boards at the Marquam
Friday and Saturday nights that makes
one realize the truth of Max O'Rell's dic
tum that Americans are too atrociously
good-natured. In "Walter Walker's pre
sentment of "The Nominee" one had to
swallow a great deal thai "was vulgar, as
well as a great deal that was stupid, for
the little that was really funny. The
public conscience is really not In sympa
thy with a hypocrite and a roue, whose
life is spent in gulling his wife into think
ing him an honest man. It merely tol
erates him together with much coarse
voiced ranting from the belligerent
mother-in-law, and considerable insipidity
from his hoodwinked spouse because
there are a few moments In the play
when one can really laugh at the ab
surdity of a man of well-known Demo
cratic proclivities being elected nolens,
volens as Congressman on a Republican
ticket But is not two hours of uninterest
ing and dissolute talk rather too dear a
price to pay for a few minutes' Innocent
laughter? MERIWETHER.
The day (St Patrick's Day) is singularly
appropriate for the first presentation in
this city of this delightful Irish comedy,
by the greatest of Irish dramatists. Tho
cast will be as follows:
Mylea O'H&ra, a sentlenmn rider
.. T. Daniel Frawley
Sir Budiclgh Woodstock... Harrington Reynolds
Lord ilarcua "Wylle H. S. Dufileld
Colonel Tudor Clarence Montalne
Geoffrey Tudor Francis Byrne
Mr. James Daisy. "Wallace Shaw
Rev. Mr. Spooaer George Gaston
Wilcox J. R. Amory
Thomas Clarence Chaoe
Kitty Woodstock Mary Van Buren
Lady Mlllicent Keith Wakexnan
Mrs. Walter Phosa McAllister
Phyllis Walter Lillian Pearl Landers
Mrs. Plncott ... Marlon Barney
JBFFHIES-SHAIIKEY CONTEST.
Brady-Ollourke IUogrraph at the
Marquam Thin "Week.
Those who were not fortunate enough
to see the real ring fight between Heavy
weights Jeffries and Sharkey, in which
Roferee Slier declared the former the win
ner, and on which the attention of the
entire pugilistic fraternity was glued, not
so very many moons ago, can come very
near getting an Idea of it at the Marquam
Grand this week. Beginning Tuesday
night, the Brady-O'Rourke blograph pic
tures, giving an almost startling realistic
reproduction of the major portion of the
hinges on a complication 'of several mar
riages. In which a certain Mrs. Medway,
who believes her hUBband, a sea captain,
to have been drowned, marries an under
taker. After three months of wedded
life, her former husband returns and
meets his- son, who tells him that tho
undertaker has his wife .and her mother.
The father confesses to a marriage to a
savage during his shipwreck experience,
he having believed his wife to be dead.
The son, who is in lovo with the daughter
of a very aristocratic old general, hat'
troublo in satisfying the demands pf the
old gentleman, who insists upon meeting
tho parents of his daughter's future hus
band. The play is full of funny situations
from beginning tc end, and there are
bright and catchy songs and music
Charles King, who made a hit in "Rip"
last week, plays the part of Bones, the
undertaker. Mr. Nixon that of Captain
Medway; Mr. Welch, George Medway, the
son; Miss I -aura Adams, Ada, the
daughter of the cranky general; Miss
Cooper, Blna, the daughter of the cap
tain and Miss Abbott the erratic, mls
takn and much-married widow. During
the performance Mis3 Cooper will sing a
new song, called "Waited, Honey, Waited
Long for You," and the old favorite, "The
Bogie Man." Miss Adams will also eing.
Matinees will be given on both Saturday
FRAWLEY'S LAST WEEK.
Brilliant Pxofframme, Bef?inlBfir To
night, at Cordray's.
This is the last week of 'the Frawley
Company at Cordray's Theater, and a
brilliant programme has been arranged.
The week will open tonight with "Trilby,"
which was given yesterday afternoon and
evening, and a criticism of which will be
found in another column of this page. Paul
Potter's splendid dramatization of Du
Maurier's story will be given for the last
time tomorrow night Mr. Frawley con
siders "Trilby" the best ' ensemble per
formance given by the company.
On Tuesday evening, Henry Arthur
Jones' powerful and fascinating drama,
"The Dancing1 Girl," will be given for
two nights. This was considered the
strongest play in the Frawley repertoire
last season, and it certainly is one of the
most brilliant pieces from the pen of its
gifted author. "The Dancing Girl" will be
given with the following cast:
The Duke of Guioebury T. Daniel Frawley
Reginald Sllngsby Francla Byrne
David Ives Harrington Reynolds
John Christleon Frank Mathleu
Goldsplnk George Gaston
Mr. Crake Harry S. Dufileld
Captain Leddra. Wallace Shaw
Charles, footman J. R. Amory
Augurtus Cheevero Reginald Travers
Stephen Franut ........Charles Warner
Drusllla. Ives ....Keith Wakexnan
Sybel Crake Mary Van Buren
Faith Ives ..... ..Lillian Pearl Landers
Lady Bawtry Phosa McAllister
Sister Beatrice Marlon Barney
Mrs. Chrlstlson Lillian Stafford
Lady Brialington Christine Hill
Ieabelle Popervach .......... Mlnnette Barrett
M Popervach Marlon Barney
On Thursday and Friday evenings, the
powerful and popular play, by David Be
lasco, entitled "The Charity Ball," will be
presented. "The Charity Ball" is said to
have played to the largest business of all
the plays in tho Frawley repertoire last
year and the year before. It will be pre
sented with the following cast:
Rev. John Van Buren Harrington Reynolds
Dick Van Buren Francis Byrne
Judge Peter Gurney Knox.. Clarence Montalne
Franklin Cruger J. R. Axnorj
Mr. Crclghton Reginald Travers
Alex Robinson Frank Mathleu
Mr. Betts ..., George Gaston
Paxton Wallace Shaw
Cain Little Mildred
Phllls Leo Marion Barney
Bess Van Buren Lillian Pearl Landers
Mrs. Camilla de Peyster Christine Hill
Mrs. Van Buren Phoso McAllister
Sophie Mlnnette Barrett
Ann Cruger Keith Wakeman
Saturday afternoon and night, Dion Boti
clcaulfs charming comedy of sporting- life,
"The Jilt" will be produced for the first
time In Portland. It was tho last success
ful play of the great playwright It is an
Irish play, but there are no redcoats, no
landlords, no evictions and no shooting.
It Is a play of today, and tells a charming
story, in a breezy, humorous style, of
which only Bouclcault was the master.
MnMMMBBnMMMM--MWWI
T. DAXIEL FRAWLEY, AS SVEXGALI, IX "TRILBY."
great pugilistic battle, will be presented
at that theater. The exhibition will con
tinue on Wednesday and Thursday even
ings. The pictures are said to be the best mov
ing photographs ever taken of a ring con
test and to present many interesting
spectacles and incidents. There are
Sharkey's foul tactics, use of glove, heel
and elbow (wrestling. By the way, the
wrestling did not look so bad as some
would have the public believe, and Jef
fries' tactics of leaning on the smaller
man offset these. There Is the "mix-up"
In the second round, where the sailor is
down twice. Jeffries' uppercut shows
clean, with Ryan calling for more. The
antics of Tommy Ryan aro clearly
shown.
Besides there is the famous pivot blow,
which also shows clearly In the pictures.
It did not land, although this was called
one of the sailor's false moves. There Is
Sharkey's badly cut eye showing plainly.
The pictures certainly sustain George
Slier and his famous decision. Why thero
could be any question, when a shade de
cision was expected, is hard to sec. The
last round with the glove scene Is cut
short, and the critics say the sailor, was
even more .groggy than shown at previous
times in the closing rounds.
There is plenty of blood in evidence all
tho way. In the 16th round Sharkey ap
pears to split Jeffries' nose with a left
swing, but Slier says their heads came
together. The sailor's eye is split open
early In the fray, and his ear is shown
to be badly mangled in the finish. Tho
figures as shown are life-sized, and somo
of the films are absolutely perfect Thero
is said to be very little of that flickering
which mado the"- Fltzslmmons-Corbett
pictures a failure. To take the pictures,
400 arc lights, with a total candle-power
of SO0.O00, were required. This Is sufficient
to furnish light to a city of 50,000 Inhab
itants. The total cost of taking the pic
tures was J6300, of which $3200 was for
the arc lights alone. There aro 216,000 pic
tures in all, and the films on which they
are taken are 74 miles in length. The pic
tures were taken at the rate of 130 a minute.
MUCHLY MIXED MARRIAGES.
In
Metropolitan Stock Company
Farce-Comedy Tills Week.
Today the stock company at tho Metro
politan gives its last two performances
of "Rip Van Winkle." Tomorrow evening
the company will produce Nat Goodwin's
farce-comedy, "All Mixed." The plot
and Sunday, and a special olio will be
introduced Saturday evening. In celebra
tion of the birth of the Irish patron saint
"A CONTENTED "WOMAN."
Belle Archer Will Bring: Her to the
Marquam This "Week.
Charles H Hoyt's "A Contented Wom
an," with Belle Archer in the title role,
will be tho attraction at the Marquam
Grand Friday and Saturday nights and
Saturday matinee of this week. It is
claimed that all the scenery used in the
piece during its run at Hoyt's Theater,
New York, will be seen here.
"A Contented Woman" is a bright and
I rollicking satire on politics, as treated by
( women in some of tho Western states,
where the law gives them tho right to
vote and to hold office. It was written
by Mr. Hoyt In his most humorous vein,
and is replete with witty dialogue, spark
ling music, funny, situations and vaude
ville features that are said to be new.
The play Is not new to Portland, and
yet a resume of Its plot will doubtless
prove of Interest to theater-goers.
i The scene Is laid in Denver, where wom
' en are allowed to vote. Benton Holmes
' has been nominated as the reform par
ty's candidate for mayor. The only ele
1 ment which ho fears will interfere with
his election is the women. Holmes has
been recently married, and Is very much
In love with his wife, Grace, who re
turns his affection ardently. The serpent
j.Jn this little paradise In Denver is Aunt
"Jim," a relative of Mrs. Holmes, who Is
a woman's rights advocate. Holmes is
i irritable over the coming campaign, and
i the fact "that his wife sews a button on
1 his coat two Inches from where it should
be causes him to lose his temper. Just
when Grace Is feeling badly at tho fancied
cooling of her husband's love. Aunt "Jim"
' offers her the woman's candidacy for
i mayor. Thinking that she may be able to
i show her husband that she is good for
; something, she accepts the nomination.
From that moment tho trouble begins.
Miss Archer, who succeeded Caroline
Mlskell Hoyt for whom "A Contented
Woman" was written, in the leading role
of tho piece, on the death of the, beauti-
j ful and talented wife of tho author, a
will bo seen on her present visit to Port
land with many of the original cast of
the piece. Pretty girls are said to be a
feature of this season's production, as Is
almost always tho case with the Hoyt
farce-comedies.
M
ETROPOLITAN
THEHTER
j
r
ONE WEEK . . .
Commencing
arch 12
... A WEEK OF
LAUGHTER . . .
NAT GOODWIN
Funniest Farce-Comedy
POPULAR PRICES
Evenings . . 15, 25, 35 and 50c
Matinees 15 and 25c
ALL
Chas. King
Georgie Cooper
Laura Adams
AND ALL
...THE BIG CAST...
IN MEW SONGS
. NEW SPECIALTIES
NEW MUSIC
MARQUAM GRAND
CALVIN HOUGJgr.
ONE NIGHT ONLY, MONDAY, MARCH 12
SCALCHIOPERATlC FESTIVAL COMPANY
THE ENSEMBLE OF WHICH IS
Vlme.
Q '
THE WORLD'S GREATEST CONTRALTO
SIQ. M. DE PASQUALI
The Eminent Tenor
SIG. A. FRANCESCHETTl
The Distinguished Baritone
CHEVALIER G. LO VERDI
Pianist to the Queen of Italy
Musical Director
MME. BERNICE DE PASQUALI
America's Greatest Soprano
IN MUSICAL FESTIVAL GEMS
a
FOURTH ACT OF "TROVATORE
In Costume, With Scenic Effects
Box and loge seats $2.00
Lower floor, except last 3 rows $1.50
IJower floor, last three rows... 51.00
Dress circle, first 3 rows 1.00
PRICES-
Ires3 circle, next 3 rows 75o
Dress circle, last 6 rows 50a
Gallery 25c
Seats now on sale.
3 PERFORMANCE
FIRST TIME IN THIS CITY
OF THE REAL
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
March 13, 14 and 15
JEFFRFS
CONTEST PICTURES
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF WILLIAM A. BRADY AND THOS. O'ROURKE.
A vivid and thrilling reincarnation of the greatest encounter known In
the world's history, showing every movement, from start to finish, of
the now celebrated battle of modern giants.
The REAL PICTURES of the JEFFRIES-SHARKEY CONTEST, covering every Instant of the greatest
fistic batlle of the country, requiring in representation two and one-half hours, using the LARGEST FILMS
EVER MADE. Every picture perfect, every face recognizable. There is nothing like them in the history
of moving photography. To see this contest Is to pass through two and one-half hours of Intense,
absorbing interest, an enthusiastic eyewitness of the world's greatest contest Your deepest attention is
commanded without the lapse of a single second.
PRICES Lower floor (except last 3 rows), $1.00; last 3 rows, 73c.
Balcony, first 6 rows, 75c; last 6 rows, 30c. Gallery, 25c. Boxes and
loges, $7.50. Seats now on sale.
EXTRA
EXTRA
EXTRA
Beginning Friday, IVlarch 16-17
BEAUTIFUL
DONT
MISS IT
2 Big
Laughing
Nights and
Saturday
Matinee-
v . .
In Hoyt's
A Contented
Woman"
Full of Music, Specialties and Pretty Girls. Surrounded by a Magnifi
cent Cast of Artists, Presenting This Favorite Author's Pet Comedy.
PRICES
Lower floor JLC0
Balcony, first G rows 75c
Balcony, last 6 rows , 60c
Gallery 25c
MATINEE Balcony, flret'Trows!
PRIfF Balcony, last 6 rows
r ivivt-o... cblilrenf to ell parts of tho house...
Sale of seats will begin Wednesday, March 14
. 73a
. Wo
... 23a
. 25o
CORDRAY'S THEATER
JOHN F. CORDRAY, Manager
"The Best Company Mr. Frawley Has Ever Brought to Portland,"
Unanimous Verdict
crowded houses Last Week of the Successful secure seats early
- - - '
Sunday and Monday
The Celebrated French Comedy,
IN PARADISE
Tuesday and Wednesday Nights
"DANCING GIRL
Thursday and Friday Nights
" CHARITY BALL
Saturday Matinee and Night
St. Patrick's Day. First time la Portland of
THE JILT
BY DION' BOUCICAULiT.
Ixjwer floor 75c r-i-ij-r-o Balcony loges 75c
Loge eeate 51.00 PKlCho Balcony circle 50c
Boxes (tour seats) 55.00 Gallery 25c
Matinee Prices ... 25c, 50c and 75c
NEXT ATTRACTION "DARKEST RUSSIA
J