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.