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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1905)
3HE StTKDAX- OB.EGONIAX, PORTLAND. SEPTEMBER: 3, 1905. 7 7xF ; BY A. A. G. IT WAS a must excellent wedk which signaled the production of "Alice of Old Vlnconnes" at the Bclasco. and both " the public and management of the theater have good reason to feel glad. The appearance of such a splendid ac tress as Lillian Lawrence at the head of the company was aa occasion for general felicitation, and the fact that she was so happily cast during her opening week was most fortunate. She has won the lo cal public to her as few leading -women have done before, and with so capable and likeable an actor as Will Walling as her opposite, the organization takes on a new importance. The company 1 now unmistakably the best we have ever had In stock, and Portland theatergoers should show their appreciation by loyally sup porting it. "Alice" was splendidly pro duced and so well acted that no other characterization than a hit. a great big. i enthusiastic hit, can properly doscribe it. The bill at the Belasco for the ensuing week will be "Harriet's Honeymoon," a clever comedy which Mary Mannerlng played here some two years ago. The Marquam offered Its patrons two new plays last week, "Weatherbeaten Benson" and "The Barnstormer." The latter was given its very first perform ance on any stage on Thursday night, and met with generous approval. It is from the pen of Sydney Rosenfcld, one of the most deservedly successful of , American dramatists. Mr. Rosenfcld came here personally to superintend Its pre- , mlere, and it was largely due to his care ful and intelligent supervision that the ; first performances were so satisfactory. "The Barnstormer" is a meritorious niece and when it is well In hand should stand the test. It is strikingly original and effective. It was written for the star who is at present essaying the leading role, and there is Just a suspicion that Mr. Rosonfeld was in a satirical mood when he gave his play a name. It Is a good piece, perhaps good enough to carry even a mediocre comedian as far as Broad way. If It should. Mr. Rosenfeld will have worked a miracle for the benefit ofMts star. The Marquam makes a strong hit this week with Wilton Lackaye In "The Pit" and "Trilby." The Baker began Its new career as a burlesque house last week, and was well patronized. .WILTON LACKAYE. Noted Actor to Present "The Pit" and "Trilby" at the Marquam. Wilton Lackaye opens a week's en gagement at the Marquam Grand to- I morrow. For the first three nights he will appear In the long-expected and I widely heralded production of 'The j Pit" and on Thursday and Friday nights and at the matinee on Saturday he will be seen In a revival of "Trilby." "The Pit" Is a story of love and life in the great and eternally throbbing j City .of Chlcngo. The love is that of a t beautiful -woman of striking character. ! who is human to the core, and whole some to the end, despite occasional 1 conditions that might well tend to-- shatter constancy and test faithful 1 devotion. The life is a stirring picture ' of social Chicago,, and a most vivid presentation of its business character istics as exemplified by what h,as been Justly termed the "maelstrom of La Salle street," the wheat pit of the Board of Trade. The character of Kadwjin is real, and the story of his career Is actually thrilling. How he gradually gave him self up to the lust of grain gambling, how he progressed from the careful and cautious man of solid business, nursing his ample means -with careful consideration, until ho became involved in a gigantic wheat deal covering mil lions of bushels, which finally accom plished his financial ruin, is detailed with graphic power that thrills. Tragic also, is that intense -episode that In volved one .of his dearest friends, al though without his knowledge, and led to his suicide after the loss of all his means in struggling against Curtis Xadwln's mighty deal. These things, it Is well known, are of common occur rence in that great center of grain gambling, the Chicago wheat pit. One tremendous scene is the panic in the pit, in which over 200 people appear. It has been nld that it Is the acme of stage realism, and certainly it is the biggest scene that has been trans ferred upon the' stage, Mr. Lackaye brings with him the original company and an entirely new production of the ri.v- which has -been one of the -lEoat sensational nttcoesse's the East and Middle West has ever known. The revival of "Trilby" will be par ticularly interesting, for Mr. Lackaye was the original S von gall and the play will be produced here for the first time, under his personal supervision. William A. Brady has added this play to his star's repertoire this soason as a corol lary to the onormous success of the revival f the play at the New Amster dam Theater In New York with the original cast. The play will be very beautifully mounted. JOSEPHINE DEFFRY IS COMING rCharmlng Actress In Kcpcrtolre at Marquam Next Suturdny Night. The Josephine Dcffry Company comes to the Marquam Grand for a brief engage ment, following Wilton Lackaye. The company opens next Saturday night, Sep tember S. and will also appear the follow ing Monday and Tuesday. There will be a change of bill nightly. The opening offering is "A Broken Heart" The bill Monday night will be "A Deserted Bride," and the closing attraction. Tuesday, "A Wicked Woman." ' Miss Dcffry. "who is a successful and rising young star, comes to Portlandwlth able support, a number of the players with her being old favorites in Portland. Among the company may be mentioned Tom B. Loftus and Meta. Masky. each of whom established their reputations here with other companies oa various occasions in the past. The ropertolre is one that will give Miss Deffry scope for her emo tional talents, for oach of the plays con tains a role admirably suited to her style of art. The advance sale of seats will open next Thursday morning, at 10 o'clock. , "HARRIET'S HONEYMOON." Special Labor Day Matinee Opens Next Offering at the Belasco. For the first time In stock, "Harriett's Honeymoon," one of the most popular and delightful comedies of the present day, will be presented by the Belasco Stock Company tomorrow afternoon, at a special labor day matinee, and will continue through the week. The play has enjoyed the widest degree of popularity whenever it has been seen as presented by that famous comedienne, -Mary Mannerlnjr, -"but has, not, up to this time, been seen In a stock theater. On the occasion when It was played here a year and a half ago at treble-admission prlcos which will be asked at the Belasco, it made a hit. The forthcoming produc tion at the Belasco will be more elab orately staged than at the time alluded to, ' and the company, as a whole, will give a better performance of the piece. The gowns worn will be In every way equal in cost and richness to those of the original production, and tho Belasco management invites comparison with the Mary Mannerlng production. No woman in the country Is so well qualified .to succeed Miss Mannerlng In the title part as Lillian Lawrence, for she has face, figure, personality and ex perience In her favor. She has played mora stock parts and played them well than any woman on the stage today, and has never yet failed. The coming bill gives her one of her greatest opportuni ties. Will Walling, the handsome, de bonnaire leading man, is a prince among actors and literally has the Portland pub lic in the hollow of his hand. In "Har riet's Honeymoon" he will have plonty of chance to again prove his exceptional ability. To miss "Harriet's Honeymoon" will be to rogret it ever afterwards. A speclal-prfce Labor day matinee will be given tomorrow. "ESCAPED FROM A HAREM" Thrilling Play Opens at the Empire Theater With Today's Matinee. Ex-Manager W. M. Russell, late of Cor dray's Theater, ahd still later, of Seattle, where he owns the Third-Avenue The ater, I; in Portland as advance herald for the Charles A. Taylor Company, which he Is also owner of. The company opens at the Empire . Theater Sunday, September 3, with a matinee performance. The opening play, "Escaped from a Harem," Is from the pen of Mr. Charles A. Taylor, best known here as the author of "King of the Opium Ring," which has the rec ord of playing the biggest week's bust ness of any attraction that ever appeared in the-Baker Theater. "Escaped from the Harem" ip a scin tillating melodrama, full of stirring scenes and adventures. It tells the story of a young and "beautiful New England girl, the daughter of a minister, who to en ticed from her home by a beautiful scheming adventuress, who, assisted by a male companion. Is an emissary of a Persian Prince, who Is in America for the purpose of recruiting his -harem. The heroine Li beguiled to New York, where, ebe Ut followed by a b'.jad elster and her affianced husband, who is a United States Naval officor. She is spir ited away and taken to India where the next scene of the play Ip enacted. The rescuers have been recruited by an old sea captain and they gain admission to the Prince's harem where some stronuoasJ scenes are enacted and where tho heroine is finally rescued on the back of a trained elephant. In the last act all of the parties come together In the drerslng-room of a clrcu, where the heroine has taken refuge to escape her would-be captors. The play is one of the most strenuous of Its kind. It is elegantly coatumed and special scenery for every act gives It an elab orate setting. The company appears to excelleni advantage, and as they are composed of at least five leading men of acknowledged ability and several ac tresses well known In the profession, the Taylor Company may be expected to 'du plicate their success In Portland as elsewhere. praised and heralded for his fine Inter pretation, but never allowed himself to lose his sense of manhood and become Inflated with his own Importance. He simply kept on playing. Improving his work until every role he acted from "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to the immortal Shakespeare, was as fine a characteriza tion h the so-called tough. Yet the crit ics acclaimed the tough as his best achievement. Having this In mind he concluded when he came East to use the character as a vaudeville vehicle, do George Cohan wrote a piece around the part and liayes made an Instant hit. His humor Is spontaneous and enlightening. He makes it real flesh and blood. You have seen such a man in your dally walks and cannot help appreciating Hayes' de piction. "The Wise Guy" to be seen at the Baker i dlfferent'from the original conception. It Je thoroughly up-to-date and more charming and Interesting as of yore. THE BRIGADIER BURLESQUERS Second Big iluslcnl Extravaganza to Open at Baker This Afternoon. This week, starting with the matlneo today. Cromwell's famous Brigadier Burlesque and musical extravaganza company will open the second week of the season. The fame of this organization has proceeded it and everyone who has attended the Baker the past week and been pleased with the burlesque form of amusement Is looking forward to the pleasure of seeing thls company which comes so well heralded. Besides the regular matinees at the Baker which are to be given every Sunday, Wednesday. Thursday and Saturday, there will be a special matinee Monday, tomorrow, which is Labor day. The evolution of the vau deville sketch Into a comedy of two acts Is the story of "A Wise Guy," around which theme ihe performance of the Brigadier Burlesque Company is framed. "A Wire Guy" was conceived from the brain of Mr. Edmund Hayes, the star of the piece. Years axo when Hayeg was a struggling young actor 6a the Pacific Coat he played the role of a tough in a drama called "The Wolves of New York." Although Inexperienced Hayes showed unusual talent In the part and made what -looked like a meaningless Inferior role shine out like a meteor -on a cloud less eky. Hayes played the part with life and vigor and naade it seem so real that the critics thought he was simply .exploiting, kip pwn Individually. He was BIG EASTERN SUCCESS. "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" Coming to the Marquam. ".Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch," that diverting comedy, whose excel lence has caused It to be monopolized by New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia, for two solid seasons; will be seen at the Marauam Grand Theater Wednesday, Thursday. Friday. baiuraay nignts. Soptember 13. H, 15, 16. with special matinee Thursday and Saturday. It comes with tho celebrated original company practically Intact and with a completely new production. The play,whlch has been the great est comedy success of recent years In point of runs, attendance and receipts Is a dramatization of Mrs. Alice Hegan RIee's two famous stories, "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch," and "Lovey Mary." In the East the play is solidly established as a hardy perennial and Is booked for years ahead. Llebler & Co., who, on the advice of James A. Barrlet made the production, anticipate a very . cordial Western -welcome for thoir delightful optimistic philosopher and her friends. Tne sale of seats will open Monday morning, September 11, at 19 o'clock. SUCCESS OF. PORTLAND BOY Frank Dckum With Wilton Lackaye in "The Pit" and "Trilby." Frank Dekum. who Is so well known so cially In this city. Is a member of Wilton Lackayo's company and will bo seen at the Marquam Grand Theater this week In the productions of "The Pit" and "Tril by." He has been remarkably successful since he adopted the stage as a career, and the parts he will play are quite prom inent. In "The Pit" ho will be seen 'as Landry Court, and In "Trilby" he will appear In the famous role of Little Bil lee. , Mr. Dekum began his stage career with Clara Bloodgood In the Fitch play. "The Girl With the Green Eyes," and tHen served his apprenticeship In stock. His present engagement with the well known actor. Wilton Lackaye. has brought him prominently to the front In his pro fession, and his selection out of some 150 -applicants for the-coveted position te a FRANK DEKUM. very flattering tribute to his ability. Mr. Dekum will play through ' the season in "The Pit" and "Trilby." and will have a prominent part In Mr. Lackayo's own dramatization of "Les Mlserabfes." which Is to be produced in New York next Feb ruary for a long run. LAST WEEK OF "POMPEII." Big Pnln Spectacle Enters Upon Clos ing Week at The Onks Tonight. But one week more remains In which to see the fascinating spectacle and fire works display. Pain's "Last Days of Pom pell," at The Oaks, aa from this city the big exhibition goes direct to San Fran cisco and Los Angeles, and from those cities returns to the East. Those who have not already seen this gorgeous Summer-night show should not fall to do so before its close, as nothing quite so gor geous and massive In the way of open air amusement has ever been seen In the Northwestern country before, and it is not probable that Portland shall soon have an opportunity to look upon Its like again. The attendance during the past week has Increased nightly, and it is es timated by the management and the rail road officials that close to 50.000 people have attended the week's performances. In spite of the cool weather prevailing on th'e opening nights. The big open-air amphitheater has a seating capacity of fully 10,000 people, and with favorable weather' conditions there will be few va cant seats during the fow remaining nights of the spectacle in this city. "Pompeii" is one of the very few big attractions that have visited this section of the country from the East that have more than fulfilled all the advance prom ises made, and although coming to Port land comparatively unkribwn to our amusement-goers. It has been a positive revelation to all who have had the good fortune to witness It, and so fascinating and Interesting has the big exhibition proved that hundreds have paid it a sec ond visit. It Is understood that the managers of The Oak3 are endeavoring to prolong the engagement for at least three nights, al though it is by no means certain that such arrangements can be made, and therefore quite likely that the closing per formance In Portland will take place as announced, on next Saturday, September 9. For these closing nights unusually at tractive pyrotechnic displays are being arranged. At tonight's performance tho beautiful fireworks device, "Niagara. Falls on Fire." which created such a sensation Thursday night, will be repeated. In ad dition to an elaborate Sunday night pyro technic programme. Interest In the last nights of "Pompel" will be Increased by the giving of a num ber of special "fraternal nights," as fol lows: .Monday Elks' night Tuesday Knight's of Pythias' night. Wednesday Masonic nlghte. Thursday Oddfellows' night. Friday Eagles night. Saturday Woodmen's night. On each of these nights beautiful spe cial fireworks emblems of each of the foregoing orders will be displayed, in ad dition to the regular programme. 7 BIG OFFERING AT THE STAR Mexican Quartette of Instrumental Ists and Eva Thatcher. For next week's bill, commencing to morrow afternoon, the Star offers a very attractive list of novelties, headed by the Mexican Quajtet of Instrumentalists from Juarez. Mexico. Its sweet music on stringed instruments. Us pretty costum ing and general stage effects make this group of people one of the most attractive numbers on the vaudeville stage. The quartet ha3 prepared some very attractive selections for the Star engagement, and, no doubt, will be thoroughly enjoyed. To make the bill one of variety, Evx Thatcher has been engaged to render her versiqn of things In general. Miss Thatcher is known all over the country as "the Irish lady." and has not an equal In this line on any stage. Her imperson ations are true to life, and she promises ONE OF THE SCENES IN ri'OUVXU," AT TKS OAKS.