The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, April 22, 1900, PART TWO, Page 17, Image 17

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THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAN, PORTLAND, APRIL 22, 1900.
IT
MARQUAIVI GRAND
CALVIN HBLKiMgr.
CAlVIM HHUG, Mgr.
Two Nights and Sat. Mat., April 27 and 28
Walt for the Largest and Best Minstrel Organization on Earth. Crowned with a Triumphant Tour from Ocean to Ocean
The Founder of the
New School of Minstrelsy,
Presents his
WILLIAM H. WEST
The Founder of the
New School of Minstrelsy,
Presents his
Big Minstrel Jubilee
LOOK AT THE ARRAY OF TALENT AND BE CONVINCED.
CARROLL JOHNSON
Headed by the OreaC
RICHARD J. JOSE
g; THE DAMA
Mr Old Tronic
Companion of bt inanjr tourst
Xow battered, worn and rusted.
Tour lock and straps
Have Hied through scraps.
When otters would hare busted.
You've been 111 used by roanjr hands;
You've brated all eorts of weather.
In one-night stands, of many lands.
And still you hold tosetber.
I've used you sometimes as a desk;
More often as a table.
When friends of mine.
With sons and wine,
Rave made my room a Babel.
And when the hours of mirth were done.
The guests all homeward started,
Tve packed you tlsht and through the night
We also hue departed.
Leiur may we be the best of friends
Two comrades none may sever
A player's life
Is lonely strife;
His Journey lasts forever.
Apd when the final curtain falls.
When o'er the Styx I'm ferried.
I'll but request that I may rest.
In Tny old trunk, deep burled.
H. K. Tootle, In Dramatic Mirror.
WITH ENTIRE FRANKNESS
Willie Collier, In "3Ir. Smooth," at
the ainrqunm Other Plays of
the Local Week.
It Is not often one meets with aa actor
who has the boldness, the energy and the
skill to construct plajs for hlmscif. Oc
casionally It happens that an actor be
comes a conspicuous success in his own
play. In such a case. It Is a riddle to know
whether it Is the play or the playfr that Is
applauded. If only yawns and sidelong
glances of ennui greet the acto' In some
other man's play, the riddle aiswers It
self. That Is the case with William Gil
lette, who Is a playwright by public ac
clamation and an actor by taeratlon.
"Willie Collier, this season, his Just given
us another Illustration of pajer turned
playwright His new farce, "ilr. Smooth,"
shows rather clever handing of Ideas
both his own and other-jieople's. There
is considerable Ingenuity of combination,
with an occasional nasi of real original
ity. The only conspicuously weak spot U
at the close of the lot act. Palming off
the real Mr. Smooth an escaped lunatic
Is a dramatic cxpedent that is no stran
ger to the Marquarr boards, and the same
rnay be said of tie double love-making
between the maid" sister and the daugh
ter. But the delightful sangfroid with
which Joe Pattj. the bogus Mr. Smooth,
discusses the jmest!c status of various
members of thhousebold. while Glib, the
perspiring vaet, balances a 200-pound
trunk on his back meanwhile. Is not bo
familiar.
Vljy Fits the Actor.
"Mr. Smooth." as a whole, is exactly
suited to fe vein of serio-comic humor
that Is tiV special characteristic of Mr.
'Collier's pting. And It Is a refreshing
Innovation to have a farce company that
observes the dramatic canon of playing
to one lother. Instead of plajlng to the
audlen- This was one of the late Mr.
Daly'sstrictest rules, and Mr. Collier re
celveh's early training from Daly.
Yet1 after all, the play did not rouso so
muc enthusiasm as did "The Man from
jlejco." This Is not because the play of
thj season Is Inferior to that of last sea
st It was. In a measure, the result of
a Indefinable lack-of sympathy between
udlencc and actor. If any one was at
ault. It wasfthe audience. The public Is
accustomed to consign all responsibility
for success to the actor; yet. In reality, a
large share of this responsibility belongs
to the spectators. It Is as absurd to ex
pect a satiated audience to enjoy a good
farce as to expect a man without any
appetite to enjoy a good dinner. This Is
peculiarly true of the farce: more so. In
fact, than of any other form of the drama.
A farce will always be carried with more
snap at the beginning of the season than
at Us close.
The unusually Interesting dramatic and
musical season we have just experienced
has. no doubt, dulled our palate. Bun
Mcintosh, while playing "Pudd'nhead
"Wilson" here (a play that was certainly
worthy of warm enthusiasm), moke of the
depressing coldness of his audience the
coldest his company had faced during the
entire season: and Mr. Collier was over
heard making a similar comment. But
how Is It possible for theater-goers to en
ter Into a play with as much zest at the
end of a six months' season as at the be
ginning? "What ITnppened to Jones."
It has certainly been pleasant this past
week to exchange greetings across the.
footlights with that clever humorist, our
old-time friend, Harry Corson Clarke.
This Is the third season he has visited us
ns a star In "What Happened to Jones."
Very few comedians and very few farces
can retain public favor under such pro
longed merry-making, in these days, when
the watchword of the world Is, "Move
on," and fun and funerals alike, are ex
pected to travel by lightning express.
Even Mr. Clarke, who certainly has
enough friends here to Insure good audi
ences, was greeted with rather a light
house his opening night. But. of course,
that was because he came at the very
tag-end of the season. In previous years,
he has always visited Portland a good
two months earlier.
He has lost none of his drollery. In
clerical garb, that fits him more easily
than the bishop's sanctimonious manner,
he walks through the harrowing compli
cations of the play, with the same plq
uant mixture of humor and sangfroid that
has never failed to captivate Portlard
theater-goers In days gone by. His com
pany is entirely changed this year. Three
of the faces arc familiar, through thelf
connection with the Metropolitan stock
company Georgia Cooper, the well-knowa
soubrettc: Oscar Norfleet and Page Spen
cer. The last named, as the real bishop,
was delightfully guileless and unsuspect
ing, and his attenuated height mingled
c j .
dignity with gawklness In a way that was
Irresistibly funny.
Now everybody Is left wondering wheth
er. It Is really true that Mr. Clarke will
appear In a new play, the next time he
visits us; for, last year, the same state
ments were rife regarding "his last ap
pearance" in the role of Jones.
"On the Snrranee lUTer."
There Is no more delightfully naive and
humorous creature on the face of the
earth than the genuine, old-time darky
of the Southern plantations; but he Is
fast becoming extinct, and consequently
a rare and expensive luxury on the stage.
The company that presented "On the Su.
wanee River," this past week, at Cord
ray's, was not entirely equal to the task
of portraying the warm-hearted simplic
ity, loyalty and drollery that made the
real Southern darky a lovable creature
to his owners. In spite of his grotesque
ness. Stella Mayhew, however, lacks oruV
the proper dialect to mike her a ery at-
Bi
PTr sfil i iii ftinriTffirr rfTii linn Mr i in VxW T ii
iiiiffliia11
COMCDIAX CARROLL JOUNSOX,
J
tractive negro "mammy": there Is conta
glous humor In her laugh. The play Is a
familiar ono to the patrons of Cord raj's.
It emacks of melodrama, of the kind tnat
appeals to the gallery. The extreme art
lecsness with which the author works up
his climaxes and hurls them at the hearts
of the audience- It at leaet sure of winning
the interest of lovers of naltete.
MERIWETHER.
MEtSTRELS AT COKDRAVS.
Barlow Organization Will Flay
There All the Week.
Appearing tonight, the Barlow Minstrels
will begin a week's engagement, with Sat- i
urday matinee, at Cordrays Theater. This
organization, 40 strong, arrives In Port
land from a successful season of 40 weeks '
East and South, and will signalize Its ad
vent here by a street parade of two unl- i
CODCTtX AITD BALDWIN, WITH
?ir aa
formed Bands of music on Monday noon.
The Barlow organization has- been many
years on the road, and is this season un
der the management of Mr. Harry "Ward,
who Is not only a good manager, but also
a top-notch black-cork performer. He has
been eight years with the company as
principal comedian. With such entertain,
ers to aid him as Lew Baldwin, Bert
Lelghton. Walt Wilson and Charles Cartl
nel, the comedy part of the show presented
by the troupe should be well take care of.
The first part of the Barlow show Is
said to be one of the best ever given by
a minstrel organization, and to make a
very pretty picture, with Its brilliant cos
tumlrg. The musical features are claimed
to be excellent, and everything else cor
respondingly effective. Fred Warren and
J. Arthur Coburn are the soloists;
Among the specialties are: Al Newton.
Indian-club performer: Wilson and Leigh.
. ton. flat-foot and buck dancers: the Har-
monic Quintet, and Brfggs, the German
cyclist, who, besides performing the other
usual bicycle -specialties, takes his wheel
WITH WESTS MIXSTRELS.
to the top of a 10-foot wire pedestal and
balances there, preparatory to a ride down
a wire ladder three Inches wide.
"WEST 3IISTRELS THIS WEEK.
Strong Oricnnltntlon Billed for the
Mnrqnnm Grand.
West's Minstrels, the big organization
controlled by William IL West, of Prim
rose & West fame, will take possession
of the stage at the Marquam, on Friday
and Saturday evenings, and Saturday af
ternoon of this week. The show Is one
of the best that Mr. West has taken on
the road of late years, and the company
Is made up of a lot of well-known peo
ple. Jose, the famous tenor, or soprano,
whichever the proper designation of his
remarkable voice may be, is along, as
well as Carroll Johnson, the clever come-
TH C BARLOW XINSTRELS.
I
-..tAcMicASot !-. "-J.-ik., jS .fci,S . .". - ,.te...
The Salaries of
EVENING PRICES
Lower floor (except last 3 rows)
Last 3 rows
Balcony, first 6 rows
Balcony, last 6 rows
Gallery
Popular With the People.
THE FASHION
PLATES OF
MINSTRELSY.
SJ0J:P-
y wz&"&
-trtt-orrrtcaiutr iw'
' i' AMNSTRELiY
uri r is . .
HARRY WARD
dlan, and Jolly Fred Warren. There are
also the Luken brothers, aerial gymnasts;
the Marvellcs. grotesque dancers; the
Waterbury brothers. Tommy Hayes, Da
vid Meier, and others equally well known.
The first part ot the entertainment Is
described by the enthusiastic advance
man as "a brilliant spectacle, upon which
has been lavished a fortune." The olio
Is declared by him to be equally enjoy
able, by reason ot the variety of feat
ures, "of transcendent merit," presented.
Stripping his glowing descriptions of or
namental verbiage, no reasonable doubt
remains that Mr. West will hate an ex
cellent organization with him, on his forth
coming visit to Portland, and that its
performances will be well worth going
to see. The troupe has been doing a
tiptop business everywhere it has ap
peared this season, and has been praised
by press and public alike.
HAMDOUriG AND PETSCHXIKOFF,
Praise of the Sletropolltnn'si Coming
Musical Attraction.
"Pet:hnlkoK and Hambourg electrified
the audience which gathered yesterday at
the California Theater for their Initial con
cert." says the San Francisco Chronicle,
In an article nearly a column in length,
devoted to mention of PetschnlkofT. Ham
bourg and Lachaume, the trio of musi
cians now touring the Pacific Coaet.
Continuing. It says: "Now that these
nrtlsts have been heard, and In the thlngo
which test the nerve, as well as the ca
pabilities of genius, there can be no hesi
tation In raying that no one of musical
laste can afford to miss hearing the two
young Ru?ians. Musical people began to
listen and heed wlien Paderewekl made the
unqualified statement that Hambourg is
the greatest pianist that ever came to this
country. He Is master of all the mysteries
and exactions of technique: his tempo ex
ceeds Jtoscnthal'a and his Interpretations
are thrilling. He docs not lack in deli
cacy any moro than he does la force."
nrnn arisTosirs xew role.
Pndd'nliend Wilson Was a Yankee
and Not Southerner.
ASTORIA. April 19.-To the Editor.)
What Is It In human nature that makes
us like to find mistakes and correct them,
even If we oureeles are simply bubbling
over with them and hate aa much as any
body to be corrected?
I am like the rest of mankind. On read
ing "Meriwether's" criticism on Burr Mc
intosh's performance of "Pudd'nhead Wil
son," In last Sunday's Oregonlan, It
struck me that the story must be an In
teresting one, and I decided to read It.
It was while reading that I discovered
what I think la a mistake in the criti
cism of Mr. Mcintosh's interpretation of
the role. I gle my reasons for thinking
so.
Kxtract from The Oregonlan: "He Is.
perhaps, not quite homely enough In feat
ure: his freckles might with advantago
be made more conspicuous, h!a gait more
shambling, his Missouri drawl more pro
nounced and long-drawn-out."
Now there Is nothing unkind In that crit
icism, but to It ccrrectT
From page 23 of "Pudd'head Wilson,"
as Mark Twain wrote the story: "In that
same month of February, Dawson'e Land
ing gained a new citizen. This was Mr.
David Wilson, a. young fellow of Scotch
parentage. He had wandered to this re
mote region from his birthplace In the
Interior of New York to seek his fortune.
Ho wnfl 13 years old. college-bred, and ha4
finished a post-collegiate course In an
Eastern law school a couple of years be
fore." I will compare the criticism with the
story. There is nothing to show that, be
cause Pudd'nhead was homely, there was
anything of the "shambling" In hla gait,
which denotes a certain ktnd of laziness.
Pudd'nhead was anything but lazy: on the
contrary, ho was an Industrious, studious
fellow. True, he was unfortunate In be
ing what is known as a "briefless" law
yer. One time being chided for never
having had a case, he answered: "I don't
- i.l i . J- 11.
Ill til wl22 I
JnKi v&fJv 1RLk-
vs71SslBRh
111
-ite3fe-gBA.taii rtAjftitoja-A.ask.
VYATERBURY BROTHERS and TENNY
3 LUKEN BROTHERS 3
3 GREAT MARVEU.ES 3
JOHN P. ROGERS and a Host of Others
Our Quintette Are More Than the Entire Expense of Any Other Minstrel Company
11.00
75c
75c
50c
25c
See W. H. West's Grand Spectacular Featur.
t
SAIN JUAN HILL"
CORDRAY'S THEATER
THE BIG JUBILEE
IS HERE
One Week, Commencing Tonight, Sunday, April 21
Barlow Minstrels
MANAGEMENT HARRY WARD
40 WHITE ARTISTS 40
NEW FIRST PART
NEW COSTUMES
NEW DANCES
SEE
Notwithstanding the mnRnltude of this attraction the rcjrnlnr prices will prevail. Orchestra
and Drcis Circle, BOcj Lose and Dox Sent, 75c and JJl.OO; Gallery 23c.
practice. It Is true. It is true that I have
never had a case, and have had to earn a
poor living for 20 years as an expert ac
countant In a town where I can't get
hold of a set of books to untanglo as
often as I should like. But It Is also true
that I did fit myself well for the practice
of law. and am competent to enter upon
It. J neer got a chance to try my hand
at It, and I may never get a chance: and
yet If I ever do ge it, I shall be found
ready, for I have kept up my studies all
these years."
The other part of the criticism which I
make objection to Is that about making
his Missouri drawl "more pronounced and
long-drawn-out." Pudd'nhead was not a
Southerner. He was born In the North
New Tork State. He had a college edu
cation and was a man nearly 30 years of
age when he went South to make his
home. True, during his residence there
ho might by association have Imbibed
some of the characteristics of the South
ern people, but I do not think they would
be very pronounced. It must be remem
bered that Pudd'nhead Wilson was a Yan
kee; and once a Yankee, always one.
S. TERRY M'KEAN. JR.
HISTORICALLY IXACCURATE.
Passion Piny Plctnrea Severely Cen
nred by Loral Critics.
A caustic criticism on the passion play,
presented lost week under the au!plces of
the Y. M. C. A., has been received by The
Oregonlan from Johanne Sommer, of this
city. As there Is not space to publish It In
full. It Is condensed briefly.
The writer speaks of the shock experi
enced by certain reverent-minded people
who attended the entertainment, expecting
to have their knowledge of Bible history
strengthened and their realization of the
Redeemer's work and sufferings Intensi
fied. This exalted frame of mind, how
cer, was somewhat rudely upset by the
mirth-provoking character of many of the
Introductory pictures. The passion play
Pianist Marie HsmboarR.
Itself, sho maintains, proved to be histor
ically Inaccurate in many of Its details;
and. In confirmation of this, she cites:
First, the mixing up of the Parsover
with the arrest, which occurred at Geth
semane. In tho presence of Just three ot
tho apostles (not counting the betrayer),
and not in the presence of the eleten.
Second, the statement repeatedly made
in the accompanying explanation and cor
roborated by the picture, that the stone
was miraculously removed from Lazarus'
tomb, when the text plainly says: "Jesus
said. Take ye away the stone. ...
Then they took away the stone." John
xL Third, the little extra sentimental
touch to tho scene of carrying the cross.
showing Jesus kissing Jils mother good
bye outside the gate of the city, when
there is no authority for this in the text.
Fourth, the scene of tho resurrection rep
resented as though a whole company of
disciples and women were at once, and
directly after the Lord had risen, at the
empty tomb, and to whom he showed
himself, telling them to examine his
J.S .JUiir Hrh .Am'- "-
MATINEE SATURDAY
-THE GREAT-
NEW SONGS
10 COMEDIANS
20 VOCALISTS
THE GRAND STREET PARADE
wounds, when the plain fact Is that Mary
Magdalene alone saw him In this placo
and at this time, and to her he said:
"Touch me not. for I am not yet ascended
to my Father!"
"Is It possible," concludes Miss Sommer,
"that this is the best that can be pro
duced in our day of boasted broadcast
knowledge? And is it possible that such
slipshod handling of plain texts In eiery
day use can go on under the very nose
of the Bible teachers of our enlightened
land and not an intelligent protest be
raised against It? Understand us. It i
not the pictures we would condemn; It '.i
the pernicious, demoralizing effect of such
reckless handling of the Word."
Other local critics express the opinion
that the pictures of the passion play
which are now being given In various
parts of the country are but "fakes." at
best, made up from a theatrical presenta
tion of the passion play, which, it will be
remembered, was git en a few years ago
In San Francisco, and afterward In Now
York. The lecturers, these critics argue,
aro generally persons who have no per
sonal knowledge of the play as given at
Ober Ammergau. They also censure th
bad taste that combines modern wat
scenes with pictures of the pa&slon.
WOULD DRAMATIZE IT.
Plnyirrljrhtu After Dr. Ludlow's
"Captnln of the Jnnlsnrie.i."
There Is Just now, says tho Newark (N.
J.) Dally Advertiser, a demard for the
staging of such popular not els a3 have
strong dramatic possibilities. The play
wrights have their eyes on "The Captain
of the Janizaries," and Dr. Ludlow, tho
author, has received some very flatter
ing offers looking to the production of the
work In New York.
"He says." continues tho Advertiser,
"that he dos not as yet see his way to
parting with the dramatic rights of tho
book. Hie chief interest in It Is Its value
1 as literature, and the question of the
uramauzauua uiusi uu ucuucu lium m.11
rather than the stage point of tlew. It
Is possible to hate the etory so rendered
as to add Interest to the book and help
the. public In lt demand for pure drama;
but It Is equally possible that It m'ght
be ro presented as to fall In both these di
rections. "Dr. Ludlow says that, with the burden
of the work at Munn-Avenuo Church upon
his hands, he has neither time nor Inclina
tion himself to dramatize the story.
Whether he will give others permt-slon to
do so or not depends upon circumstances
which must be considered as they arise."
Rev. Dr. James M. Ludlow, the author of
"The Captain of the Janizaries." Is well
known In Portland and the Northwest.
Hah! Hah! Hnh! Hah!
"Hah!" said the great star, as he pushed
ono hand between the buttons of his Prince
Albert coat and tilted his chin upward,
"so you do not like my conception of this
role!"
"No," replied the manager; "yoa do not
lose yourself sufficiently in the part. In
stead of being Jean Valjean, you arc sim
ply yourself. It seems to me that you
ought to sink your own Individuality and
bring out only the character you have to
portray."
The great star looked down as from a
0
m0
Sell for Cash or Installments.
FRED. T. MERRILL COMPANY
nflUHB sroufc sunu tacoiu
That Travels
NOTE THE MATINEE PRICES
Adults 2So and BOo
Children to all parts of house 5c
JOHN F. CORDRAY, Manager
THE BIG JUBILEE
IS HERE
10 NOVELTIES
10 SPECIALTIES
2 MAGNIFICENT BANDS
MONDAY
High Dive
TODAY
Captain Edward Morey
Champion high diver of America,
will make a dive of SO feet from
tho Suspension Bridge, at Oregon
City.
The New Past Steamer
BON1TA
WKl make a special trip to the falls
and dle. giving passengers three,
hours la Oregon City.
Leave Washington St. at 1 P. M.
Oregon City at 5 P. M.
Round Trip, 40c
lofty height and laughed "Hah! hah! hah!
hah!" a hoarse, sardonic laugh.
"Why, sirrah!" he Indignantly ex
claimed, "If I were to do that you might
as well hate some common guttersnipe
some mere barnstormer play the par-r-rt!
Go to, thou fool. Why be a star-r-r If
tho people are not to know me and ap
plaud even as I make mo entrance?"
Then the stage carpenter dropped a
hammer somewhere, and the great star
was so upset by tho unseemly racket that
he refused to play again for a. week.
Times-Herald.
Symphony Concert.
The Portland Sjmphony Orchestra, as
sisted by Mme. Jennie Norelll. the gifted
and accomplished operatic soprano, will
t git e tho fourth in the scries of concerts
at the Marquam Grand on Thursday even
ing. April K. at 8:00.
The programme for this concert la of a
' lighter character than some of the pre
ceding ones, and will doubtless meet tho
approval of many patrons of the concerts.
A new schedule of prices, which it Is
thought will be recelted with favor by
many people, will prevail at the balance
of the concerts. Box-office sale will open
on Wednesday, April 24. Prices, entire
lower floor, SI; balcony, first six rows, 50c:
last six rowf, CSc N. B. The gallery will
not be opened.
"For the First Time."
The Young People's Fraternity of the
Unitarian Church will present Its annual
theatrical in a few weeks at Arlon Hall.
The play selected Is "For the Fin Time"
a scene In an artist's studio. Those in
the cast are: Maurice Cheal, Frank De
kum. Mrs. C U. Gantenbeln, Mrs. Law
lence Knapp and Miss Grace Eliot.
See the HiKh Dive.
Today at Oregon City Captain Edward
Morey, the famous diver, will Jump from
the suspension brldgo Into the river, a
distance of SO feet. The steamer Bonlta
wilt leavo from foot of Washington street
at 1 P. M-, returning from Oregon City
at 5 P. M. Don't miss It.
'99
Models
$35
c
BICYCLES
$4-0